60. THE BREUNING FAMILY

Stephan von Breuning was one of the sons of the "Madame Councillor" who had so generously opened her home to Beethoven in Bonn. He had settled in Vienna and had entered the Imperial administration. The old friendship between him and Beethoven, except for temporary disagreements, remained sincere and cordial to the end of Beethoven's life. Indeed, when the composer moved into the Schwarzspanierhaus, their contact became even closer and their friendship greater; Breuning and his family then lived in the former monastery's "Red House."
 
STEPHAN VON BREUNING AND HIS FAMILY Painting by an unknown master Together with the head of the family, his second wife, Constanze, née Ruschowitz, and the children Gerhard, Helene and Maria. Madame von Breuning aided in Beethoven's household whenever he was in trouble, and was particularly helpful in his sometimes violent quarrels with the personnel. (Collection de Breuning, Paris)
 
GERHARD VON BREUNING (ca. 1825) (1813-1892) After a lithograph Beethoven had great affection for him, calling him sometimes "Ariel" and sometimes "Pantsbutton." The child spent long hours at the deathbed of the master. In 1874 he published the famous memoirs pertaining to Beethoven's last years in Vienna. The title of the book was "Aus dem Schwarzspanierhaus." (Collection de Breuning, Paris)
 
STEPHAN VON BREUNING (1774-1827) After a lithograph In the autumn of 1805, after the failure of "Fidelio," Breuning changed the libretto for the performances of 1806. He then had his own lyrics distributed during the intermission, and that poetry was composed in Beethoven's honor. Beethoven, in turn, dedicated his opus 61, the Violin Concerto, to him. After the death of his friend Breuning assembled whatever he could acquire from Beethoven's property. (Collection de Breuning, Paris)
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