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Love, requited or otherwise, was a huge inspiration for many of our greatest composers. We take a look at some of the most inspiring romantic couples in classical music\u2026<\/strong> <\/p> Though Beethoven<\/a> <\/strong>never married, he was desperately in love with Countess Josephine von Brunsvik for much of his life. They met in 1799 when Beethoven began working as Josephine\u2019s piano tutor. Despite some affection on Josephine\u2019s side, her family quickly married her off to the far more eligible (and much older) Joseph Count Deym. <\/p> It is thought that Josephine was the \u2018Immortal Beloved\u2019 to whom Beethoven refers in his famous letter, now held by the British Library, in which Beethoven feverishly writes of his longing for his \u2018angel\u2019. \u2018An die Hoffnung\u2019 (To Hope) was secretly dedicated to Josephine, and the piano work Andante favori<\/em> is also thought to have inspired by his love for her.<\/p> Cosima, daughter of the Hungarian composer and pianist<\/a><\/strong> Franz Liszt<\/strong><\/a>, first met Wagner<\/a><\/strong> while on honeymoon with her first husband, Hans von B\u00fclow. It was while sharing conducting duties with von B\u00fclow at a concert in Leipzig that Wagner was \u2018utterly transported by the sight of Cosima’. Though they were both still married, they began a relationship, and Cosima gave birth to two daughters that B\u00fclow accepted as his own. B\u00fclow and Cosima finally divorced in 1870, and Cosima and Wagner were married later that year.<\/p>Ludwig van<\/strong> Beethoven & Countess Josephine von Brunsvik <\/strong><\/h2>
Music’s great romantic couples… Richard Wagner & Cosima Liszt<\/strong><\/h2>