Archive for May, 2009

Beethoven’s immortal beloved

One of my favorite movies is Immortal Beloved. This partly made up story about Beethoven is based on the letters he wrote to an unknown woman, calling her his immortal beloved. After his death his secretary tries to find out who this unknown woman was and meets women who played an important role in his life.
Beethoven has always fascinated me. He was not the easiest person to deal with, unhandy, forgetful and extremely negligent about his appearance and mostly in a somber mood what influenced his music. Although he knew many women, he never got married. In his late 20’s he became hardhearing but this was a slowly process what eventualy turned into deafness about the age of 50, although untill the end of his life he was still able to hear very lound sounds.
He also had chronic bowell problems and about 1820 he began to suffer from chronic liver problems and that ended in cirrhosis and liver failure what caused his death.
Samples from his hair and bones showed after examination high doses of lead. Beethoven was a wine lover, and wine at the time was known to contain high lead levels.
And perhaps a lifetime of medical treatments, which in the 19th century were often laced with heavy metals.
Beethoven died in 1827 at the age of 56.
Of all his beautiful music this is one of my favorites.

Beethoven portrait Beethoven lifemask Beethoven deathmask Beethoven on his deathbed Beethoven skull Beethoven hair