“Für Elisa,” or in English “For Elisa,” is one of the most important and well-known works of Ludwig van Beethoven, the iconic German composer, conductor, pianist, and professor of classical music who had the peculiarity of being deaf. But one of the peculiarities of this melody that achieved worldwide fame is that it was discovered and published 40 years after Beethoven’s death, as it was a lost score. Also, the name “Elisa” is supposedly incorrect.
When was “Für Elisa” composed?
Sheet music found by a German musicologist discovered that this piece of classical music was composed by Beethoven on April 27, 1810, but it was incomplete.
According to Marcelo Balat, pianist of the National Symphony Orchestra of Argentina, this masterpiece was published in 1867, 40 years after the composer’s death in 1827. It was discovered by a young musicologist named Ludwig Nohl, who found this relic in the composer’s notebooks.
History of Beethoven’s “Für Elisa”
It is said that Nohl found the artist’s manuscripts, which were in the possession of Therese Malfatti von Rohrenbach, a young woman who was a pupil and friend of the composer. She was supposedly in a relationship with the musician at the time.
The story goes that in 1810 Beethoven attended a recital of Teresa, who became very nervous at the event and left the room crying. The musician went after her to calm her down and, in conversation, told her that he was going to compose a sonata for her. The next day the young pianist received the score as a gift.
One theory points out that in reality, the sheet of paper said “Für Teresa,” but as the paper was already worn and old, when Nohl saw it, he thought it said “Für Elisa,” and so it stayed that way. On the other hand, the Berlin musicologist Klaus Martin Kopitz, who undertook the task of investigating who the mysterious Elisa was, said that the German dedicated the work in A minor “To the memory of Elisa,” referring to Elisabeth Röckel, Beethoven’s friend.
So far, both stories have only remained theories, as it is not known exactly whether the composer created this piece for his friend Elisabeth or his pupil Therese, to whom he promised to write a piece for her. Despite this, “Für Elisa” became one of the greatest works in musical history.
Story originally published in Spanish in Cultura Colectiva
