Fur Elise

I never grew up around the piano although I did a few touch and go as a child in music class. The first time I heard Fur Elise I immediately fell in love with it. Truly, I do not remember the first time I heard it but I know I just have a special love for it. When I hear this melody it simply melts my heart and I always envision myself in a beautiful English garden. Why an English garden? The whole beautiful garden seen just relaxes me. The love for this piece led me to go look up the history behind it.

                      
                                               The opening of "Fur Elise"

                                                

    Ludwig Van Beethoven
          (1770-1827)



Fur Elise (German for Elise) was written by a deaf German composer by the name of Ludwig Van Beethoven around 1810. He was 40 years old when this was written but he did not publish it. In 1865, 40 years after his death, Ludwig Nohl a musicologist found the piece and published it. Fur Elise has been loved the world over ever since it was brought to the world by Nohl.

The question is, Who is Elise?

The fact is no one has a definite answer as to who Elise is. There is a theory that Nohl could not properly read Beethoven's terrible handwriting, and that the dedication was actually Therese.

It is believed that Beethoven may have fell in love with his friend and student named Therese Malfattie in 1810. She declined his marriage proposal in that same year so it is believed that he composed this piece of of anguish of the heart. He proposed marriage to her but she declined.




Therese Malfattie, believed to be the
dedicatee of "Fur Elise"


We don't know the truth behind its composition but all I know this melody came form somewhere deep.