how did Beethoven's parents pass?

[Preston]

Was just wondering how Beethoven's parents passed and didn't feel like having to research to find it? Were they both taken by tuberculosis? Thanks.

[Megan]

Was just wondering how Beethoven's parents passed and didn't feel like having to research to find it? Were they both taken by tuberculosis? Thanks.

I am sure Beethoven's mother died of tuberculosis July 17th, 1787, and his dad, as we know was a chronic alcoholic most probably died of sclerosis of the liver.

I remember reading that Beethoven was paranoid about catching T.B. and would sometimes spit on the mirror and examine his sputum for signs of T.B. like the presence of blood , colour and thickness. etc. Although , blood and darkness is not necessarily a sign of the dreaded disease.

[Preston]

Thank for the clarification Megan.

I could see how Beethoven would be paranoid of tuberculosis- considering that his mother and brother died from it. Could it possibly have ran in the family?

Also, I have read on Beethoven's grandfather (on his father's side), although, what I know of grandmother, on the same side, is quite sad. Somethings, such as, alcoholism, madness, etc.- which eventually led to her being put in a facility or home for the sick? Anyone know if this is correct, or have anymore information of Beethoven's grandmother, on his father's side?

[Peter]

Beethoven's mother died of TB then known as Consumption and the father died (according to the Fischer memoirs) of "a dropsy relating to the chest' - probably heart failure.

[Peter]

Thank for the clarification Megan.

I could see how Beethoven would be paranoid of tuberculosis- considering that his mother and brother died from it. Could it possibly have ran in the family?

Also, I have read on Beethoven's grandfather (on his father's side), although, what I know of grandmother, on the same side, is quite sad. Somethings, such as, alcoholism, madness, etc.- which eventually led to her being put in a facility or home for the sick? Anyone know if this is correct, or have anymore information of Beethoven's grandmother, on his father's side?

This information about the paternal grandmother also comes to us from the Fischer memoirs and they state she was placed in a cloister due to her alcoholism - she died when Beethoven was nearly 5 years old.

[Preston]

Thank you Peter. Who is Fischer?

Is it true that the family never really went to see the grandmother?

[Megan]

Thank you Peter. Who is Fischer?

Is it true that the family never really went to see the grandmother?

Gottfried and Cacilia Fischer, family owned the house in which Beethoven grew up in Bonn.

Gottfried Fischer wrote memoirs of Beethoven's boyhood.

Fischer was a baker, and was a decade younger than Beethoven, but outlived him by many years. His handwritten memoirs begun in 1838 with the help of his sister, and are an important biographical source for Beethoven's youth. His immediate family background, his character, appearance and attitude and the beginnings of his musical education.



Thayer regarded the Fischer memoirs somewhat suspect because they were written down a half-century or more after the events described had taken place. His translators and associate, Herman Deiters, had a higher opinion of the materials, and persuaded him to print extracts from the manuscript as Appendix VII of volume one of Thayer's - Beethoven's Leben (1867).

[Preston]

Thank you again Megan. I have Thayer's book, so I will have to read the extracts.

[Preston]

I cannot find the extracts. I have the edition revised and edited by Forbes. The appendix are in the back of Volume II, and, I see- Appenix A, B, C, etc.? Perhaps they were taken out of the revised edition?

[Peter]

I cannot find the extracts. I have the edition revised and edited by Forbes. The appendix are in the back of Volume II, and, I see- Appenix A, B, C, etc.? Perhaps they were taken out of the revised edition?

The manuscript itself consists of around 200 pages and you're right there is nothing in the appendix of the Forbes revised edition.

[Preston]

Thank you Peter. Well, the question is- where can the manuscript be found? I would like to try to read this- sounds interesting.

Peter, I wanted to ask you, if you looked at the link to the East West sample libraries? Which was in the general discussion forum. If so, what do you think?

[Megan]

Preston,

You might be interested in taking a look at this book.
I have a copy stored in a cupboard somewhere, I will try and hunt it out.

You can read selected pages on the following site:

http://www.flipkart.com/memories-bee...35#previewbook



http://www.flipkart.com/memories-bee...898-fzw3f9b135

[Preston]

Thank you Megan. I have Gerhard's book, quite an interesting read. It has been a while since I have read it, but, I think he might refer to Fischer in it. I read all the way until Beethoven's death, and then just put it down for some reason.

[Joy]

[QUOTE=Preston;42979]Thank for the clarification Megan.

I could see how Beethoven would be paranoid of tuberculosis- considering that his mother and brother died from it. Could it possibly have ran in the family?

(QUOTE]

There is a genetic susceptibility that can make someone susceptible to developing tuberculosis when exposed to the bacterium that causes it.

A genetic region has been discovered to be associated with clinical TB. People with at least one high-risk copy of this genetic region are ten times more likely to develop TB than normal. Not everyone exposed to the bacterium becomes infected nor does everybody infected with it develop clinical symptoms of TB.