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Blake, Wm. The Progress of Poesy- Page 10. 1797.

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Scientists have discovered Beethoven had a low genetic predisposition for musicality, particularly in beat synchronization. This revelation came from comparing his DNA to modern populations, showing him in the ninth percentile for musical genetics, meaning 91% were above him.

Despite these findings, Beethoven’s historical status as a musical genius underscores the limitations of using DNA to predict individual capabilities. 

Researcher: “Interestingly, Beethoven, one of the most celebrated musicians in history, had an unremarkable polygenic score for general musicality compared to population samples from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden and Vanderbilt’s BioVU repository.”

Another researcher: “The study suggests that environment plays a key role in musical ability and engagement as well.”