Story Behind Fur Elise?

[PRILLA]

What's the scoop behing the song? I'm attempting to write an essay on Fur Elise and am dying to learn something personal about the reason for writing this. Wasn't it for his student Elizabeth? Any history tidbits would be GREATLY appreciated!
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[Andrea]

Prilla, this is the only info that I could find on Beethoven's "Für Elise" WoO59:

"Among enthusiasts of Beethoveniana, the identity of the "Elise" in the title of the composer's most famous piano miniature, Für Elise (1808/10), is almost as much of an enigma as that of the "Immortal Beloved." (One of the most popular theories is that "Elise" is actually "Therese"--that is, Therese Malfatti, the longtime object of the composer's affections.) Given the modest technical demands of this work -- it has long been a favorite of keyboard novices -- it is reasonable to conclude in any case that "Elise" was a beginning piano student.
Though usually designated a bagatelle, Für Elise has the form of a compact rondo (ABACA). In spite of its brevity, the work bears the distinctive stamp of its creator. There is a slight hint of brooding in the Slavic-tinged A minor refrain; the B episode, in F major, possesses the yearning, songlike character of so many of Beethoven's slow movements. In the C episode, a very effective modulation from D minor to B flat major is achieved via a simple but very characteristic half-step shift in the bass. Like a tiny cut gem, Für Elise is flawless; even in an effort of such petite proportions, one is reminded of Leonard Bernstein's observation of the "sense of rightness" which pervades all of Beethoven's works."
Quoted from Wayne Gerard Reisig.

Hope this helps.

[Peter]

Originally posted by PRILLA:
What's the scoop behing the song? I'm attempting to write an essay on Fur Elise and am dying to learn something personal about the reason for writing this. Wasn't it for his student Elizabeth? Any history tidbits would be GREATLY appreciated!
~*~

As Andrea says it was probably written for Therese Malfatti, whom Beethoven had hopes of marrying. Her family objected to such a union and there was no marriage. 'Elise' was the popular name given to a loved one at the time.

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'Man know thyself'

[LugwidVanB]

It is one of the few pieces of music that compels me to describe it as "elegant".