Beethoven's Last Day

[Joy]

1827 -- Ludwig van Beethoven dies in Vienna at age 56.

News arrived from the shores of the Rhine: editor Schott sent Beethoven from Manz a case of wine. But, Beethoven’s condition was so bad at this point that he barely took a sip of that wine.
On March 24th Beethoven signed his last will and testament, leaving everything he had to his nephew Karl. On the 26th, Breuning and Schindler went to see about a burial place at the cemetery, leaving Hutenbrenner alone with the now dying Beethoven.
Here is how Romain Rolland describes Beethoven’s final day: "That day was tragic. There were heavy clouds in the sky… around 4 or 5 in the afternoon the murky clouds cast darkness in the entire room. Suddenly a terrible storm started, with blizzard and snow… thunder made the room shudder, illuminating it with the cursed reflection of lightning on snow. Beethoven opened his eyes and with a threatening gesture raised his right arm towards the sky with his fist clenched. The expression of his face was horrifying. His hand fell to the ground. His eyes closed. Beethoven was no more."

Whether this account is fact or fiction it certainly is powerful as Beeethoven was in his life.

[Peter]

Thanks for reminding us Joy of this day - now 180 years ago! It was also the day of LVB's first public concert in 1778.

[terry]

Thanks for reminding us Joy of this day - now 180 years ago! It was also the day of LVB's first public concert in 1778.

There has been a concert at the Goethe Museum in Frankfurt in which B. has been remembered also. What a great loss!

[Preston]

a more accurate account...

I believe that this is the true account of the person who was there at Beethoven's death.

The other sounds like they are just trying to emphasize the power of Beethoven, in an untrue way.

Here it is:

The rest of the story can be told by the composer Anselm Huttenbrenner, a close friend of Schubert's:

During Beethoven's last moments there was no one present in the death-chamber but Frau van Beethoven and myself. Beethoven lay in the final agony, unconscious and with the death-rattle in his throat, from three o'clock, when I arrived, until after 5 o'clock. Then there was suddenly a loud clap of thunder accompanied by a bolt of lightning which illuminated the death-chamber with a harsh light (the snow lay thick in front of Beethoven's house). After this unexpected natural phenomenon, which had shaken me greatly, Beethoven suddenly opened his eyes, raised his right hand, looked upwards, for several seconds and shook his fist, with a very grave, threatening countenance, as though to say "I defy you all, powers of evil! Away! God is with me." And his hand sank down onto the bed again, his eyes half closed. My right hand lay under his head, my left rested on his breast. There was no more breathing, no more heartbeat. The great composer's spirit fled from this world of deception into the kingdom of truth. I shut his half-open eyes, kissed them, and then his forehead, mouth, and hands. At my request, Frau can Beethoven cut a lock of his hair and gave it to me as a sacred relic of Beethoven's last hour.

[Joy]

I believe that this is the true account of the person who was there at Beethoven's death.

The other sounds like they are just trying to emphasize the power of Beethoven, in an untrue way.

Here it is:

The rest of the story can be told by the composer Anselm Huttenbrenner, a close friend of Schubert's:

During Beethoven's last moments there was no one present in the death-chamber but Frau van Beethoven and myself. Beethoven lay in the final agony, unconscious and with the death-rattle in his throat, from three o'clock, when I arrived, until after 5 o'clock. Then there was suddenly a loud clap of thunder accompanied by a bolt of lightning which illuminated the death-chamber with a harsh light (the snow lay thick in front of Beethoven's house). After this unexpected natural phenomenon, which had shaken me greatly, Beethoven suddenly opened his eyes, raised his right hand, looked upwards, for several seconds and shook his fist, with a very grave, threatening countenance, as though to say "I defy you all, powers of evil! Away! God is with me." And his hand sank down onto the bed again, his eyes half closed. My right hand lay under his head, my left rested on his breast. There was no more breathing, no more heartbeat. The great composer's spirit fled from this world of deception into the kingdom of truth. I shut his half-open eyes, kissed them, and then his forehead, mouth, and hands. At my request, Frau can Beethoven cut a lock of his hair and gave it to me as a sacred relic of Beethoven's last hour.

I've heard this account too but how is the other account so untrue? It sounds just like this account even more dramatic than the first .

[Preston]

I've heard this account too but how is the other account so untrue? It sounds just like this account even more dramatic than the first .

Because Anselm Huttenbrenner, said that he was the only one there. So how could Romain Rolland know about the account in the detail he describes.

Personally, I am not fond of the thunder and lightning striking when Beethoven died. I would imagine that Beethoven would have wanted to die on a peaceful day when the nature was alive!

[Michael]

I cannot believe I forgot about today! One hour before midnight and I still have time to play something by him. Thanks, Joy

[Joy]

Because Anselm Huttenbrenner, said that he was the only one there. So how could Romain Rolland know about the account in the detail he describes.

Personally, I am not fond of the thunder and lightning striking when Beethoven died. I would imagine that Beethoven would have wanted to die on a peaceful day when the nature was alive!

Yes, but Rolland's account says the very same thing as Huttenbrenners, lightning and thunder and all. He was an author and did research about Beethoven in depth so he was probably recalling the same account as Huttenbrenner.

[DavidO]

I cannot believe I forgot about today! One hour before midnight and I still have time to play something by him. Thanks, Joy

My case is even sorrier. I remembered all last week ...

but forgot today (until Joy mentioned it)!!

[Joy]

Happy to oblige!!!

[Preston]

He was an author and did research about Beethoven in depth so he was probably recalling the same account as Huttenbrenner.

Agreed, . Sorry about that, wasn't thinking clearly.

[terry]

What a great loss![/QUOTE]

Sorry, a mistake: "great" has a positive meaning... This happens when you're in a hurry because your phone line is running (and money too). Forgive me...

[Chris]

What a great loss!

Sorry, a mistake: "great" has a positive meaning... This happens when you're in a hurry because your phone line is running (and money too). Forgive me...

"Great" can also mean "large", so it was a great loss indeed!