Did Cardiac Arrhythmia Inspire Beethoven’s Masterpieces?

It’s no secret that a telltale sign one is listening to a Beethoven piece is that the music contains dramatic highs and lows, often filled with abrupt pauses and sudden shifts. While the majority of classical music lovers say his musical prowess was due to passion, outstanding instruction and an obvious talent, new research indicates that his masterpieces may also have been influenced by his own irregular heartbeats caused by cardiac arrhythmia.(1)

Researchers at the University of Michigan and the University of Washington suggest that various elements of his popular works closely mimic the irregular heart rhythms that are …read more