The Stumpff Lock, from which Beethoven’s whole genome was sequenced, with inscription by former owner Patrick Stirling. Credit: Kevin Brown via University of Cambridge
DNA extracted from five locks of Ludwig van Beethoven’s hair has revealed interesting—and unexpected—insights about his health and ancestry.
While the research team could not identify what killed Beethoven nor what caused his accelerated hearing loss, they did find a genetic predisposition to liver disease, among other infections. But perhaps most surprisingly, DNA analysis revealed Ludwig van Beethoven’s Y chromosome doesn’t match any of the five modern-day relatives carrying the same last name. That finding indicates the birth of a child resulting from an extramarital affair in Beethoven’s direct paternal line. On his maternal side, Beethoven shares ancestry with James Watson, co-discoverer of the double helix structure of DNA.
Beethoven began losing his hearing in his mid- to late-20s, resulting in him being functionally deaf by 1819. In the years leading up to his death in 1827 at the age of 56, the famous composer suffered from “wretched” gastrointestinal problems. In the summer of 1821, Beethoven had the first of at least two attacks of jaundice, a symptom of liver disease. Although not confirmed, cirrhosis has long been viewed as the most likely cause of death.
Hair samples
In an attempt to find a definitive answer—and honor Beethoven’s wish to make his health problems public record—an international research team collected and authenticated eight hair samples believed to belong to the composer from public and private collections in the UK, continental Europe and the U.S.
The team found that at least two of the locks did not belong to Beethoven, including a famous one once believed to have been cut from the recently deceased composer’s head by the 15-year-old musician Ferdinand Hiller. Previous analysis of the “Hiller lock” supported the suggestion that Beethoven had lead poisoning, partially explaining his health complications. However, this research team showed that lock originated from a woman.
One of the five positively identified samples was hand-delivered from Beethoven himself to pianist Anton Halm in April 1826. Another was so well-preserved that the research team was able to sequence Beethoven’s whole genome.
Genetics, infection and alcohol
Further DNA analysis of Beethoven’s hair revealed a number of significant genetic risk factors for liver disease. The scientists also found evidence of a hepatitis B infection in the months leading up to the composer’s likely cirrhosis-spurred death—one that may or may not have been influenced by excessive alcohol intake.
“We can surmise from Beethoven’s ‘conversation books’, which he used during the last decade of his life, that his alcohol consumption was very regular, although it is difficult to estimate the volumes being consumed,” said lead author Tristan Begg from the University of Cambridge. “If his alcohol consumption was sufficiently heavy over a long enough period of time, the interaction with his genetic risk factors presents one possible explanation for his cirrhosis.”
Additionally, Begg and team say Beethoven’s hepatitis B infection could have been yet another driver of severe liver disease, in combination with and exacerbated by alcohol intake and genetic predisposition.
Investigation of the hair samples did not reveal a clear genetic origin of Beethoven’s hearing loss, but researchers say such a scenario cannot be ruled out at this time.
“Reference data, which are mandatory to interpret individual genomes, are steadily improving. It is therefore possible that Beethoven’s genome will reveal hints for the cause of his hearing loss in the future,” said study author Axel Schmidt from the Institute of Human Genetics at the University Hospital of Bonn.
Family affair
Finally, the research team contacted living descendants of Aert van Beethoven (1535–1609), the famous composer’s supposed 5th great-grandfather. Five descendants of Aert agreed to take a DNA test, but they were not a match to Ludwig can Beethoven. Surprisingly, the Y-chromosomes, or the paternal line, were not close matches.
“This finding suggests an extra-pair-paternity event [or a child resulting from an extramarital relationship] in Ludwig van Beethoven’s paternal line between the conception of Hendrik van Beethoven in Kampenhout, Belgium circa 1572 and the conception of Ludwig van Beethoven seven generations later in 1770, in Bonn, Germany,” explains Begg.
Meanwhile, the composer’s genealogy traces his mother’s line back to the Rhineland-Palatinate region in Germany in the 1600s. He shares this maternal ancestry with James Watson, co-discoverer of the double helix structure of the DNA molecule. Ironically, Watson is one of only two people in the world to make his whole sequenced genome publicly available. Looking at both Watson and Beethoven’s genomes, the researchers noted their only difference is a single mutation—C16176T—that is unique to Beethoven.