title: Beethoven's creative illness.
abstract: One phase of Beethoven's life, between his 45th and 50th year, characterized by very low creativity and overwhelming stress situations, is subjected to a psychiatric interpretation. The historical background is briefly sketched and 5 precipitating stress factors are outlined. The symptoms of his illness are described, using Beethoven's letters as source material. A brief discussion of Beethoven's musical style prior to and after his illness is based on quotations from three eminent musical scholars. A resume of Beethoven's physical and psychological disorders during his life are given and the conclusion is reached that between 1815 and 1820, Beethoven experienced a creative illness which was psychotic in type, ended in recovery and radically changed his musical creativity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bower
mesh_terms: D003405:Creativity; D005197:Famous Persons; D005858:Germany; D049672:History, 19th Century; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009146:Music / Q000266:history*; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000266:history*