The very popular bagatelle (a short, unpretentious piece) Für Elise was published almost 40 years after Beethoven's death. In 1865, his disciple Ludwig Nohl made public a copy he had supposedly found among the belongings of Therese Malfatti, one of the many girls to whom Beethoven proposed marriage with adverse results.
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| Therese Malfatti at the piano surrounded by her family, circa 1810 |
Therese?
The disciple claimed to have seen the original manuscript as well, although he never showed it. And even though he had found the copy at Therese's house, he published it under the title "Für Elise" because that is what he thought he read in Beethoven's scribbles. Always according to Nohl, the copy was dated 1810, precisely the time when Ludwig had made his daring proposal. Between that and the legend, there was only one step: the famous bagatelle was dedicated to Therese Malfati.
Elizabeth?
But if so, why title it "Für Elise" and not "Für Therese." A proposal of the time: Nohl simply misread, relying on the fact that there was no known Elisa with whom Beethoven had been intimate. However, recent studies indicate that, also around 1810, the maestro had some correspondence with a certain Elizabeth Röckel, daughter of a singer friend of Beethoven's, of prominent participation in the opera Fidelio. The piece is called Für Elise in German, and German Elizabeths are usually called Elise.
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| Elizabeth Röckel, in 1814 |
Not so much, because is quite relevant to ask what the manuscript (according to Nohl) was doing in Therese's house. The only certainty, so far, is that only an incomplete rendition of the work is preserved (in the Beethoven-Haus in Bonn), a sketch on a sheet of paper that Beethoven used to write down his ideas; it dates from 1810 and, as I understand it, is untitled.
Multiple versions for a bagatelle
However, this ambiguous origin was never an obstacle for the piano bagatelle Für Elise to become the quintessence of the popularization of classical music, whether in jazz or heavy rock renditions, including cell phone ringtones. From the other side of the coin, the arrangements for piano and orchestra are also noted.
"Für Elise", the drawing
Beethoven was forty years old when he composed the piece, and he was not shy about working on a simple theme to which he added a couple of variations. The main idea leads into a sub-theme at 0:31, only to return at 0:40. Everything is repeated. The first variation, somewhat more agile, appears at 1:21, to return to the main motif at 1:46. Despite the simplicity of the piece, a recognizable Beethoven emerges in the second variation, at 2:24. At 3:05 the piece resumes its calm and initial motif to head toward a quiet ending.
The rendition (and arrangement for orchestra) is by Bulgarian pianist Georgii Cherkin.
