Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the greatest masters of music, is particularly admired for his instrumental works, including symphonies, concertos, sonatas and chamber music. Beethoven has had a great influence on music. After going deaf at the age of 35 years old, Beethoven sawed the legs off of his piano and played it on the floor so he could feel its vibrations. He gave composers a new freedom to express themselves. Before his time, composers wrote for religious services, to teach and to entertain people at social functions. But people listened to Beethoven's music for its own sake. As a result, he made music more independent of social, religious, or teaching purposes. During the last decade of his life, Beethoven had almost completely lost his hearing, and he was increasingly socially isolated. He continued to work at a high level of creativity until he contracted pneumonia in December 1826. He died in Vienna in March 1827.