THE PECULIARITIES OF GENIUS

Beethoven’s genius came with peak chaos. Nearly deaf, he’d still hammer the piano, pace the room, and shout melodies at the top of his lungs. To cool off he’d dump a pitcher of water over his hands—flooding rooms below and getting evicted by angry landlords. He moved constantly (sometimes paying rent on multiple places), stormed out of patron homes, then returned without warning. Friends even kept a room ready because “Beethoven will be back.”