Für Elise (German for "For Elise") is the popular name of the bagatelle in A minor WoO (Werke ohne Opuszahl --- literally, "works without opus number") 59, marked poco moto, a piece of music for solo piano by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827), dated April 27, 1810. Beethoven scholars are not entirely certain who "Elise" was. The most reasonable theory is that Beethoven originally titled his work "Für Therese", Therese being Therese Malfatti von Rohrenbach zu Dezza (1792-1851), whom Beethoven intended to marry in 1810 and was also one of his students. However, she declined Beethoven's proposal. Another theory is that 'Elise' was used to describe a sweetheart during Beethoven's time. If this is true, then the piece is dedicated to sweethearts in general, with no specific person in mind. However this theory is unlikely because it doesn't fit well with Beethoven's composing and dedication history. Published in 1865, the discoverer of the piece, Ludwig Nohl, mistranscribed the illegible title as "Für Elise".
