Beethoven's writings can be grouped into three eras, corresponding with his persona. They are:
1. A simple musical style written in his childhood and early teens.
2. A more complex style that showed his growing musical maturity.
3. An ugly style that was caused by his deafness.
4. An early style that was similar to the music of Haydn and Mozart.
5. An intense and brooding style that corresponded to his depression over his deafness.
6. A heroic style that composed piano music for the general public.
7. A period of writing nothing but simple music.
8. A period of exploration into the subtleties of eastern music.
9. Music that followed along and supported the military advancements of Napoleon.
10. A period of grandiose music.