Therese Malfatti
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Baroness Therese von Droßdik, née Malfatti (1 January 1792 – 27 April 1851), was an Austrian musician and a close friend of Ludwig van Beethoven. She is best known as one of the possible dedicatees of Beethoven's famous bagatelle, Für Elise, WoO 59.
Biography[]
Born in Vienna, Austria on 1 January 1792 (3 weeks after the passing of Mozart) . Therese Malfatti was the daughter of the Viennese merchant (1769–1829) and a cousin[1] of the famous and wealthy physician, Johann Baptist Malfatti von Monteregio[2] (1775–1859). Her father, who from 1804 on owned an estate in (Grafenegg), on 2 April 1806 was ennobled and given the title "Edler von Rohrenbach zu Dezza". Her younger sister Anna (1792–1869) married Beethoven's friend Ignaz von Gleichenstein on 29 May 1811 in ,[3] while Therese was "the object of Beethoven's affection and marriage-project in the year 1810".[4] In April or May 1810 Beethoven wrote to Therese a letter which ended
- Now fare you well, respected Therese. I wish you all the good and beautiful things of this life. Bear me in memory—no one can wish you a brighter, happier life than I—even should it be that you care not at all for your devoted servant and friend, Beethoven.".[4]
This was not exactly a love-letter, and it is not certain that Beethoven ever proposed marriage to Therese Malfatti, though some believe that he did.[4] Further, the bagatelle "Für Elise", a song written for Therese, was found among her personal papers.[4]
Baronin Droßdik died in Vienna.[citation needed]
References[]
- ^ Sieghard Brandenburg: Der Freundeskreis der Familie Malfatti in Wien. Gezeichnet von Ludwig Ferdinand Schnorr von Carolsfeld. Beethoven-Haus, Born 1985 (Jahresgaben des Vereins Beethoven-Haus 4 = Jg. 1985)
- ^ de:Johann Malfatti
- ^ Michael Lorenz: "Baronin Droßdik und die verschneyten Nachtigallen". Biographische Anmerkungen zu einem Schubert-Dokument. In: Schubert durch die Brille 26, 2001, p. 64.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d Unger, 1925.
Sources[]
- Virginia Beahrs: The Beethoven-Malfatti Connection Revisited. In: The Beethoven Journal 13/1, 1998, ISSN 1087-8262, pp. 12–16.
- Sieghard Brandenburg: Der Freundeskreis der Familie Malfatti in Wien. Gezeichnet von Ludwig Ferdinand Schnorr von Carolsfeld. Beethoven-Haus, Bonn 1985, (Jahresgaben des Vereins Beethoven-Haus 4th year. 1985). (in German)
- Michael Lorenz: "Die 'Enttarnte Elise': Elisabeth Röckels kurze Karriere als Beethovens 'Elise'". In: Bonner Beethoven-Studien 9. Bonn 2011, pp. 169–190. Article online. (in German)
- Michael Lorenz: "Baronin Droßdik und die verschneyten Nachtigallen". Biographische Anmerkungen zu einem Schubert-Dokument. In: Schubert durch die Brille 26, 2001, pp. 47–88.
- Michael Lorenz: Studien zum Schubert-Kreis. Vienna 2001, (Vienna, Ph. Diss., 2001). (in German)
- Ludwig Nohl (Hrsg.): Neue Briefe Beethovens. Nebst einigen ungedruckten Gelegenheitscompositionen und Auszügen aus seinem Tagebuch und seiner Lectüre. Cotta, Stuttgart 1867, S. 28–33. (in German)
- Max Unger: Beethoven and Therese von Malfatti. In: Musical Quarterly 11, 1925, ISSN 0027-4631, pp. 63–72
- 1792 births
- 1851 deaths
- 19th-century Austrian people
- Austrian baronesses
- Austrian people of Italian descent
- Musicians from Vienna