[ptha]

You're probably already aware, there is evidence that Beethoven was not completely deaf.

According to a leading Beethoven expert, the composer still had hearing in his left ear until shortly before his death in 1827.

“Not only was Beethoven not completely deaf at the premiere of his Ninth Symphony in May 1824, he could hear, although increasingly faintly, for at least two years afterwards, probably through the last premiere that he would supervise, his String Quartet in B-flat, Op 130, in March 1826,” Albrecht said.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/feb/01/beethoven-not-...

[sriku]

Sure yeah. The first part of my comment isn't dependent on Beethoven's full loss of hearing though --- loss of eyesight ending an era of music still sounds a rather hilarious statement to me :)