Anotonie Brentano

After Beethoven’s death in March 1827 two documents were discovered in his desk. These were the Heiligenstadt Testament and 3 love letters, including the one below. Though never specified, and a mystery to this date, it is now generally believed that the subject was Antonie Brentano.

Antonie von Birkenstoc k was born in Vienna on May 28, 1780, thus 10 years younger than Beethoven. She underwent education with the Ursuline order in Pressburg.
On July 23, 1798 she married the Frankfurt merchant Franz Brentano, 15 years her senior. Her first child was born in 1799 but died a year later. She then had four surviving children.
In June 1809, Antonie’s father was seriously ill in Vienna and she went there with her children in early October. Her husband followed a short time later and set
up a branch of his firm in Vienna. In May 1810, Antonie’s sister-in-law Bettina Brentano introduced her to Beethoven for the first time.
The Brentano’s remained in Vienna until late in 1812 – she didn’t like Frankfurt much and was ill most of the time. During her illnesses Beethoven would often play the piano for her. The Immortal Beloved letters were written at a time when it was evident that she would be leaving Vienna. After her departure at the end of 1812 she and Beethoven never met again.
Antonie Brentano died in 1869 at the age of 89.

The Third Letter
Good morning, on July 7
Though still in bed, my thoughts go out to you, my Immortal Beloved, now and then joyfully, then sadly, waiting to learn whether or not fate will hear us – I can live only wholly with you or not at all – Yes, I am resolved to wander so long away from you until I can fly to your arms and say that I am really at home with you, and can send my soul enwrapped in you into the land of spirits – Yes, unhappily it must be so – You will be the more contained since you know my fidelity to you. No one else can ever possess my heart – never – never – Oh God, why must one be parted from one whom one so loves. And yet my life in V is now a wretched life – Your love makes me at once the happiest and the unhappiest of men – At my age
I need a steady, quiet life – can that be so in our connection? My angel, I have just been told that the mail coach goes every day – therefore I must close at once so that you may receive the letter at once – Be calm, only by a calm consideration of our existence can we achieve our purpose to live together – Be calm – love me – today – yesterday – what tearful longings for you – you – you – my life – my all – farewell. Oh continue to love me – never misjudge the most faithful heart of your beloved.
ever thine ever mine ever ours.

Maria Madalena van Beethoven

Maria Magdalena van Beethoven (1746-87) Beethoven’s mother.

Maria Magdalena Keverich was the daughter of Heinrich Keverich, chief overseer of the kitchen at the palace of the Elector of Trèves at Ehrenbreitstein. It is this, no doubt, that led her future father-in-law to denigrate her as a chambermaid. In fact her family were well-to-do, including a number of wealthy merchants, court councillors and senators.

Maria married a certain Johann Laym, valet to the Elector of Trèves, in 1763 when she was sixteen. She bore him one son who died in infancy. In November 1765 her husband died. Thus, by the age of 18, Maria was already a widow and mother – which certainly counted against her when Johann van Be e thove n introduced her to his father, the Kapellmeister.

According to the Beethoven’s neighbour, Gottfried Fischer, the Keverich family – although they too were opposed to the marriage – would have given Maria a good wedding celebration in Ehrenbreitstein. But Kape llme is te r Bee thove n refused to go there, insisting the marriage ceremony be done with quickly in Bonn.

Maria’s unhappiness was compounded by the death of her first child by Johann, Ludwig, at only six days. Three of a further six children survived to maturity, the eldest being LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN.

It was clear to Maria from soon after her marriage that her husband would fail to fulfil his musical ambitions, and as he descended into alcoholism she resigned herself to an unhappy marriage. To a friend she described marriage as ‘a chain of sorrows’.

She was a good mother. In 1784, when the Rhine flooded their house on the Rheingasse, she gathered up her three children and directed them to safety across the roofs of neighbouring houses. But she found Ludwig difficult and distant, unable to comprehend the genius that set him apart from her and his brothers.

Maria died at the age of 40 of consumption on 17 July 1787. Two months earlier Ludwig was in Vienna where he had met Mozart, who agreed to take him on as a pupil. But his father wrote to him to say he must return to Bonn immediately as his mother was gravely ill.

Ludwig wrote after her death that he returned from Vienna to find his mother ‘still alive but in the most deplorable state; her disease was consumption, and about seven weeks ago, after much pain and suffering, she died. She was such a kind, loving mother to me, and my best friend’.

Fischer described Maria Magdalena van Beethoven as a ‘handsome, slender person, rather tall, longish face, a nose somewhat bent, spare, earnest eyes’. Frau Fischer recalled that she had never seen Frau Beethoven laugh;
‘she was always serious’.