Wow! I never knew that Beethoven's "Für Elise" was probably written for a woman named Therese - and the letters these two names have in common:
E S E
may have inspired the alternating sequence of notes that starts this piece:
E E♭ E
Yes: in German E flat is called "Es" and pronounced like the letter S.
I also didn't know that Beethoven never published "Für Elise" in his life: he gave the score to Therese Malfatti, and it was transcribed and published by someone else after his death, and hers. Beethoven almost published a second more complicated version of the tune in 1822... but at the last minute decided not to.
I learned all this stuff from this video, which also includes a performance of the second version of "Für Elise". If you like the famous version, which is rather simple, this one may seem ludicrously fancy. But it's interesting.
In 1810, Beethoven wrote a letter which ended like this:
"Now fare you well, respected Therese. I wish you all the good and beautiful things of this life. Bear me in memory—no one can wish you a brighter, happier life than I—even should it be that you care not at all for your devoted servant and friend, Beethoven."