Bachelor Beethoven

[v russo]

What, do you think was the main reason that Beethoven never had a serious relationship with a women?

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v russo

[spaceray]

I have often wondered this myself it seemed to me that a good and faithful wife could have been a real boon to Beethoven in his life and in his work. I'm reading Maynard Solomon's book"Beethoven"
and he has lots of ideas concerning B's relations with females.
Ultimately I think Beethoven was incapable of human tenderness by the time he spoke of his "marriage project", his hearing was gone and his guts were in turmoil.He lived for his art and said so many times,a wife was never in the cards for him and I think he knew it.
Since he was so consistantly rejected by various women I wonder if he didn't suffer from halitosis or something else?


My thoughts anyway,
Muriel

[Gurn Blanston]

Or perhaps it was only symbolic "social halitosis" since he aimed so far above his station, by and large.


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Regards,
Gurn
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That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
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[Joy]

Beethoven often was a flirt and was attracted to unattainable women, that is, married women. He probably was afraid of committment somewhere deep inside and either consciously or unconsciously went after these unattainables. Maybe it was what his mother said, "What is marriage? A little joy, but then a chain of sorrows" that stuck in young Ludwig's mind.

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'Truth and beauty joined'

[benjamin]

beethoven conquered the world of music, maybe he sought to conquer the aristocracy ( a class he did not treat too well)by trying to marry one of theirs. ironically he never took it serious as he always wanted the "unattainables", they were either much younger than him young or married

[King Stephen]

I think his serious relationship is well documented by his music. Not only did B. never tie the knot neither did Brahms, Schubert. And a few that did suffered for it. Haydn refered to his wife of forty odd years as the "infernal beast". Tchaikovsky's marriage last a whopping three weeks. Saint-Saens walked out on his marriage to a woman half his age and stayed alone for the next 40 years. For what ever reasons I think in some cases a relationship for certain composers is an elixir of poison. When you cut to the chase Beethoven seems to really only have had time for his true love, Music..... Hey! don't blame me, I love my wife.

[Peter]

Originally posted by King Stephen:
I think his serious relationship is well documented by his music. Not only did B. never tie the knot neither did Brahms, Schubert. And a few that did suffered for it. Haydn refered to his wife of forty odd years as the "infernal beast". Tchaikovsky's marriage last a whopping three weeks. Saint-Saens walked out on his marriage to a woman half his age and stayed alone for the next 40 years. For what ever reasons I think in some cases a relationship for certain composers is an elixir of poison. When you cut to the chase Beethoven seems to really only have had time for his true love, Music..... Hey! don't blame me, I love my wife.

Perhaps they chose the wrong women (especially Tchaikovsky of course who being gay should never have married in the first place, particularly a nymphomaniac!)

Beethoven always had an idealised perception of womanhood which perhaps he found hard to reconcile with sexuality?

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'Man know thyself'