The National Philharmonic Orchestra will continue its series of Advent concerts on Saturday with a performance of Beethoven, Haydn and Bach pieces, centered around the flute in the Brunszvik Castle in Martonvásár, some 25 km south of Budapest.
The upcoming concert will also pay homage to Beethoven, who was both a returning guest of the Brunszvik family and composed “Für Elise” there. He met the Brunszvik sisters, Theresa and Josephine when the family visited Vienna in 1799 and – despite his usual rejection – Beethoven agreed to give piano lessons to the sisters. He taught them for sixteen days and even composed a small melody that he wrote in the sisters’ memory album.
Josephine Brunszvik
He was later a guest of the Brunszviks in 1800 and 1806. Beethoven was in love with the beautiful Josephine, as testified by 13 love letters to her published in 1957. She is also probably the mysterious and unnamed “Immortal Beloved” to whom Beethoven wrote a 10-page love letter in 1812.
The date of the concert – December 15th – is also the likely birthday of Beethoven. There is no authentic record of his birth date, but he was baptised on December 17th, putting his birth date at either December 15th or 16th.
