 CHAR: Birdy Abundas says that Beethoven "was deaf when he wrote  this. [...] He never actually heard it", referring to his Piano  Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13, "Pathetique". When Beethoven  composed this specific Sonata in 1798, he wasnt deaf. He already  had some auditory troubles but he became totally deaf later, around  1815. During the very beginning of the 19th century he was still  able to play public concerts and to hear the pieces he was  composing.