Beziehungsweisen

Ludwig van Beethoven and the extensive Brentano family are linked by various connections and stories. Their relationships each offer new insights into the composer. They reveal him as an inspiring artistic figure straddling the Classical and Romantic periods, but also as a man who cherished friendships and valued family life.

The exhibition was developed in collaboration with the Freies Deutsches Hochstift / Frankfurt Goethe Museum and will be on display in Bonn from 15 April to 27 July 2026. In 2027, the 200th anniversary of Beethoven's death, it will be shown in a modified form from 29 January to 18 April at the German Romantic Museum in Frankfurt, which is run by the Hochstift. The exhibition was sponsored by the Working Group of Independent Cultural Institutes (ASKI).

'An exhibition exploring the multifaceted relationship between the Brentanos and Beethoven has long been a dream of mine. I am delighted that we have now been able to realise this and that we can showcase outstanding exhibits from both collections – our own and the wonderful Frankfurt collection,' says museum director Nicole Kämpken, who curated the exhibition.

The siblings Clemens and Bettine Brentano are best known as representatives of German Romantic literature. Together with their half-brother Franz, a Frankfurt merchant, his wife Antonie, and Beethoven, they are the focus of the exhibition. In just a few years, from 1810 to 1813, their personal exchanges, creative impulses and emotional closeness intensified, as evidenced by compositions, letters, musical dedications and literary memoirs.

When Antonie’s father was on his deathbed in 1809, the Brentanos travelled to Vienna, Antonie's hometown, where, following his death, she devoted herself to cataloguing his extensive library and art collection. In May 1810, Bettine Brentano also stayed at her sister-in-law's family home. She expressed a desire to meet Beethoven. The two women visited the composer together, and a close friendship developed between Antonie and Beethoven, as evidenced by handwritten dedications in copies of his latest compositions. Particularly touching is the autograph manuscript of the Trio WoO 39, which Beethoven composed in 1812 for the eldest Brentano daughter 'to encourage her in her piano playing.'
During their joint stays at the Bohemian spas, Beethoven also became friends with Franz Brentano. In a letter to Anton Schindler (on loan from the Music Department of the Berlin State Library – Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation), Beethoven refers to the Brentanos as 'my only friends in the world'. In later years, they also supported the artist financially and commissioned what is now the best-known portrait of Beethoven, painted by Joseph Stieler. The close bond between the Brentanos is illustrated by enchanting gifts received on the occasion of their silver wedding anniversary, which have never before been exhibited.

After meeting Bettine, Beethoven sent her a copy of the song 'Neue Liebe, neues Leben' (New Love, New Life), set to a poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. It was probably through her that the impressive handwritten draft of 'Wonne der Wehmut' (The Joy of Melancholy) found its way into Goethe's collection. A delicate miniature portrait relief of the composer in plaster, a special gem from the Frankfurt collection, cannot have come from Beethoven himself, as the model is a medal that was only created after his death.

As a poet, Bettine embellished her accounts with a great deal of imagination. From a single letter by Beethoven, she created a trilogy of letters that became widely circulated. In particular, her third letter – describing the encounter between Goethe and Beethoven and the Austrian Empress in the spa gardens of Teplitz (an encounter invented by Bettine) – helped shape the myth of the non-conformist artist. The exhibition shows how Bettine's portrayal of Beethoven influenced his reception and continues to have an impact to this day.

Bettine's brother Clemens, too, hoped for an artistic exchange with Beethoven. The composer, however, declined to set his cantata on the death of Queen Louise of Prussia to music. An unsent letter (on loan from the Clemens Brentano Collection at Mainz University Library) bears witness to a chance encounter with Beethoven in a Viennese café that left a deep and lasting impression on Clemens. In it, Clemens apologises, fearing he may have disturbed the composer. The depth of Beethoven’s music’s impact on the poet is evident in the poetic reflections 'Nachklänge Beethoven-scher Musik' ('Echoes of Beethoven's Music'), which appeared in print in early 1814. The exhibition features both the manuscript draft from the Frankfurt Collection and the letter version from the Berlin State Library, with which Clemens presented his poem to the composer.

Press images for the exhibition can be downloaded from https://www.beethoven.de/brentano.

Special Exhibition
Resonant ties – Beethoven and the Brentano Family
15 April to 27 July 2026
Museum opening hours: Wednesday to Monday – 10 am to 6 pm
Tickets can be booked at tickets.beethoven.gmbh or purchased at the Beethoven-Haus shop.

The Freies Deutsches Hochstift
The Freies Deutsches Hochstift is one of Germany's most significant cultural institutions. Founded in Frankfurt am Main in 1859, it is one of Germany's oldest cultural institutes and a non-profit research institution. It also oversees the Goethe House in Frankfurt and the German Romantic Museum, and operates the Brentano House (the latter in partnership with the town of Oestrich-Winkel). The Hochstift possesses art collections, a collection of manuscripts and a research library. Through the expansion of its manuscript and painting collections, the Freies Deutsches Hochstift has become an important research centre of national and international renown. The focus of its research lies on the Goethe era and literary Romanticism. Work is currently underway to complete the historical-critical edition of Clemens Brentano's works. The Hochstift is also involved in major academic projects on Goethe's letters and diaries, as well as on Robert Schumann's 'Poetic World', The hybrid edition of Johann Wolfgang Goethe's 'Faust' was published in 2018. The critical edition of Hugo von Hofmannsthal's works was completed in February 2022. In addition, the Hochstift is responsible for publishing a literary studies yearbook, compiling collection and exhibition catalogues, and organising specialist conferences. The Hochstift also engages with the public through a varied programme featuring temporary exhibitions, readings, lectures, panel discussions, seminars and concerts.

Beethoven-Haus Bonn:
Founded in 1889, the Beethoven-Haus Bonn association is regarded as the world's leading Beethoven centre. It has set itself the task of keeping Beethoven's life, work and legacy alive. The cultural institution comprises the world's most significant Beethoven collection, the museum in Beethoven's birthplace with over 100,000 visitors (pre-pandemic) per year, a musicological research department alongside a library and publishing house, and the Hermann J. Abs Chamber Music Hall. Supported by over 700 friends, patrons and members from more than 20 countries, and backed by the Federal Government, the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, the Rhineland Regional Council and the Federal City of Bonn, the Beethoven-Haus fulfils a cultural mission of national and international significance. Since March 2020, the president has been the violinist Daniel Hope

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Contact:
Ursula Timmer-Fontani
Head of Corporate Communications
Beethoven-Haus Bonn
timmer-fontani@beethoven.de
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