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Beethoven: Death
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In the autumn of 1802, while resting in Heiligenstadt, Beethoven drafted a tortured letter in the form of a will that has come to be known as the Heiligenstadt Testament. In this document, he bequeaths his belongings to his brothers but writes mostly of the realization that his hearing was worsening and would likely leave him completely. He reconciled himself to a dark future and did so through an instrument intended to prepare for death. Though he struggled for the words, his anguish was laid to rest.
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High lead concentrations in Beethoven's hair were found in independent analyses by McCrone Research Institute & Argonne National Laboratory. This is evidence that Beethoven had plumbism (lead poisoning) which may have caused his life-long illnesses, impacted his personality, and possibly contributed to his death.
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One of the most perplexing issues of the Eroica-Napoleon connection has been: why did Beethoven utilize a funeral march followed by a joyous scherzo and finale? Nineteenth century commentators were at a loss to explain the seeming contradiction of death and celebration in the context of an homage to Bonaparte. Several scenarios were advanced though none were persuasive. Even Wagner weighed in on the question committing a considerable amount of ink to paper.
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