What people did Beethoven look up to?

* Johann Sebastian Bach: Beethoven revered Bach's music for its complex counterpoint, intricate fugues, and harmonic richness. He frequently studied Bach's works and considered him the "true father of music."

* Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Beethoven admired Mozart's mastery of musical form and his ability to create hauntingly beautiful melodies. He often expressed his awe of Mozart's genius and said that "Mozart is a god and I am a mere mortal."

* Joseph Haydn: Haydn was Beethoven's teacher and mentor for several years. Beethoven learned a great deal from Haydn about composition, orchestration, and musical structure. He always held Haydn in high regard and dedicated his first set of string quartets to him.