Is it true that Beethoven composed Moonlight Sonata for a woman?

Yes, Beethoven composed Moonlight Sonata for a woman. He did that for Giulietta Guicciardi. Countess Giulietta Guicciardi became one of the pupils of Beethoven in the year 1801, and it later happened that he fell in love with her. He decided, and he did dedicate his Sonata Op. 27 no. 2 to her. The song was published as Sonata quasi una Fantasia being the title, and that was done in the year 1802. Ludwig Rellstab, a music critic, later caused the change for the title of the song.

He said it reminded him of the moon setting over lake Lucerne. The title of the song was transformed into Moonlight Sonata. It was certain that Beethoven proposed to the lady, but she could not accept the proposal because one of her parent -the father, was not in support of the communion. Giulietta Guicciardi later got married to a respected composer of ballet named Wenzel Robert Gallenberg. After their wedding, they moved to Naples in Italy, and later to Vienna. But there was no record that Beethoven went back for Giulietta.

It is said that Beethoven wrote the piano sonata, for one of his pupils, the Countess Giulietta Guicciardi, with whom he had fallen in love. In fact, the piece was dedicated to her. He did propose marriage to her, but her father denied the match, as Beethoven was far below the social station of the young countess and did not have a steady income.

The countess married another and moved away, and the friendship between the two was never resumed. There has been speculation that the piece was really written about a few women who had touched the composer's life, but nothing has been found to cement that theory. For now, the piece remains solely designed around the young Giulietta Guicciardi.

While the sonata was first named “Piano Sonata in C minor, op 27 no.2” it was nicknamed the Moonlight Sonata by Ludwig Rellstab, a German critic who said the piece reminded him of the moon over Lake Lucerne.