and what about the known relationship between him and josephine von brunswick. her aristocratic family didn't want them to get married, right? so - did he pine away or what? some say he was a latent homosexual and didn't really want a relationship inthe first place. ihave no idea who it was. just guessing bettina because she was young and just got to him. and, his beloved antonie was dead set to marry franz bruening despite his advances toward her. i bet he probably just said - 'what the heck - i'll make it bettina.' perhaps out of jealous rage or who knows - maybe he liked her. the pic i saw of antonie made me think he would be better off with bettina. antonie was often sickly, too. he would come and play for her - but her daughter didn't like it once because he got too carried away so she dumped a bucket of water on him.
ps who's pic was found in the drawer with the 'heligenstadt testament?' was that antonie's?
ok. here's my take. beethoven was so used to taking care of his sick mother (who he truly did love - and i don't believe he was so full of the suppsed hatred of women - to every woman. especially his mother). he didn't like his nephew carl's mother - but that was it to me. i think beethoven truly loved his own mother. after all, he declined those lessons that he would have had from haydn to go back and take care of her didn't he? so, antonie was the closest sickest person around. it reminded beethoven of his ability to reach out and care for people despite his own sickness. he knew what it was like to be sick. bettina wasn't sick - therefore she could care for beethoven like beethoven cared for antonie. but, antonie needed him like noone else - so perhaps maynard solomon was right. it was the sick lady.