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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

Malfatti was born in Vienna, Austria on 1 January 1792. She was the daughter of the Viennese merchant Jacob Friedrich Malfatti (1769–1829, since 1785 Jacob Friedrich Malfatti von Rohrenbach zu Dezza) and a cousin ^[1] of the famous and wealthy physician, Johann Baptist Malfatti von Monteregio (1775–1859). Her father, who since 1804 owned an estate in Walkersdorf am Kamp ( Grafenegg), was ennobled on 2 April 1806 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 Etsdorf am Kamp ( Grafenegg), ^[2] while Therese was "the object of Beethoven's affection and marriage-project in the year 1810". ^[3] 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. ^[3]

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. ^[3] Further, the bagatelle " Für Elise", a song possibly written for Therese, was found among her personal papers. ^[3]

Baroness Droßdik died in Vienna. ^[4]

References

Further reading

• Virginia Beahrs: "The Beethoven-Malfatti Connection Revisited". In: The Beethoven Journal 13/1, 1998, ISSN  1087-8262, pp. 12–16.
• Michael Lorenz: "Die 'Enttarnte Elise': Elisabeth Röckels kurze Karriere als Beethovens 'Elise'". In: Bonner Beethoven-Studien 9. Bonn 2011, pp. 169–190. (in German)
• Ludwig Nohl (ed.): Neue Briefe Beethovens. Nebst einigen ungedruckten Gelegenheitscompositionen und Auszügen aus seinem Tagebuch und seiner Lectüre. Cotta, Stuttgart 1867, pp. 28–33. (in German)

External links

• Media related to Therese Malfatti at Wikimedia Commons