APPASSIONATA

Ludwig van Beethoven died on March 26, 1827 in Vienna. In the left drawer of his chestnut writing desk, in a secret compartment, an unaddressed letter was found. Because of its wording, the "Immortal Beloved" soon became a well known term. The identity of the lady means until today all sorts of headaches to researchers. Ludwig and his immediate surroundings made sure to cover up definite clues from future generations. The aim of this volume is to represent a possible story of Ludwig van Beethoven and the Immortal Beloved, based on original sources, accompanied by art photography and Beethoven music. The recent research of the suddenly deceased Dr. Rita Steblin serves as a basis for the reconstruction.

200 years after the death of Countess Josephine Brunsvik (1821), the publication makes extensive source material accesible: diary entries and correspondences of the main protagonists. The work of Estonian photographer Kaupo Kikkas builds a bridge between past and present and thus mediates the timelessness of the subject. We get acquainted with 22 years of dramatic twists and turns. 22 associated works of Beethoven are implemented into the book, recorded on the original Viennese fortepiano made by Donat Schöfstos (1810), preserved in the collections of the Historic Museum Castle Blumenstein in Solothurn.

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