Beethoven's Heiligenstädter Testament

While in Sweden I spent some of my spare time looking around the net on one of the things I truely missed, the arts. My facination about literature, and the life of artists was reborn. One of the pieces that I like most is Beethoven's Heiligenstädter Testament which was a letter he wrote during his last days in isolation after becoming almost deaf. It is a testimoy of a man who has defied all odds and disabilities to do what is even incomprehendable to most. To compose music deaf. But it was probably what he loved most, and what he felt he was born to do so he struggled on. The following is a quote of the translation of this testament:

.....

But what a humiliation

for me when someone standing next to me heard a flute in the distance and I heard nothing,

or someone standing next to me heard a shepherd singing and again I heard nothing. Such

incidents drove me almost to despair; a little more of that and I would have ended me

life - it was only my art that held me back. Ah, it seemed to me impossible to leave the

world until I had brought forth all that I felt was within me. So I endured this wretched

existence - truly wretched for so susceptible a body, which can be thrown by a sudden

change from the best condition to the very worst.

......

Beethoven was known to be somewhat an abnoxious man, but this part of his letter reviealed his other side:

.....

It is my wish that you may have a better and freer life than I have had. Recommend virtue

to your children; it alone, not money, can make them happy. I speak from experience; this

was what upheld me in time of misery. Thanks to it and to my art, I did not end my life by

suicide
......

I refrained from posting the full copy of the translation out of courtesy of the translator, however, I recommend that you read the full version here:

Beethoven's Heiligenstädter Testament

I have kept this for quite some time now, and like to read it over sometimes when I feel a little down. It makes me feel that what I am facing is not that bad compared to a deaf guy trying to compose, and also reminds me of the good man, inside the brilliant man who is Beethoven.