[109] Nottebohm fills the hiatus with “Trombones? Subjects?”
[110] “Abgerissene Sätze wie Fürsten sind Bettler u. s. w.” The phrase is probably a record of Beethoven’s imperfect recollection of the line “Bettler werden Fürstenbrüder,” which appeared in an early version of Schiller’s poem where now we read “Alle Menschen werden Brüder.” The thought lies near that it was the early form of the poem, when it was still an “Ode to Freedom” (not “to Joy”), which first aroused enthusiastic admiration for it in Beethoven’s mind. In a Conversation Book of 1824 Bernard says to Beethoven: “In your text it reads,” followed by the observation, “All this is due here to the direction of the aristocracy”—which may or may not have connection with a conversation in which politics was playing a part.
[111] So Thayer remarks.
[112] For this assumption the present editor is alone responsible. Thayer, who says nothing on the subject, corrects Schindler’s date to March 20, for no obvious reason.
[113] The statement about the Kyrie was made by Holz to Jahn; that about the Symphony, by Fuchs.
[114] The incident is variously related. Schindler and Fräulein Unger (the latter of whom told it to George Grove in London in 1869) say that it took place at the end of the concert. Thalberg, the pianist, who was present, says that it was after the Scherzo. A note amongst Thayer’s papers reads: “November 23, 1860. I saw Thalberg in Paris. He told me as follows: He was present at Beethoven’s concert in the Kärnthnerthor Theatre 1824. Beethoven was dressed in black dress-coat, white neckerchief, and waistcoat, black satin small-clothes, black silk stockings, shoes with buckles. He saw after the Scherzo of the 9th symphony, how B. stood turning over the leaves of his score utterly deaf to the immense applause, and Unger pulled him by the sleeve and then pointed to the audience when he turned and bowed. Umlauf told the choir and orchestra to pay no attention whatever to Beethoven’s beating of the time but all to watch him. Conradin Kreutzer was at the P. F.” Did Thalberg describe Beethoven’s dress correctly? Evidently not. In a conversation just before the concert Schindler, who is to call for Beethoven, tells him to make himself ready. “We will take everything with us now; also take your green coat, which you can put on when you conduct. The theatre will be dark and no one will notice it.... O, great master, you do not own a black frock coat! The green one will have to do; in a few days the black one will be ready.”
[115] It is more than likely that Beethoven’s “credible” informant was his brother Johann. He was jealous of Schindler’s participation in the composer’s business affairs and probably took advantage of a favorable opportunity to strengthen Beethoven’s chronic suspicion and growing distrust of what the composer himself looked upon as Schindler’s officiousness. In the Conversation Book used at the meeting after the concert, Karl tells his uncle: “Schindler knows from an ear-witness that your brother said in the presence of several persons that he was only waiting for the concert to be over before driving S. out of the house.”
[116] Beethoven’s letters to Bernard were published by Alexander Hajdecki in the February number, 1909, of “Nord und Süd”; Hajdecki found the letters in the hands of a niece of one of Bernard’s daughters to whom he had bequeathed them. They are not included in the Kalischer or Prelinger collections.
[117] Frimmel, however, placing faith in a tradition to that effect, says that the Decker drawing was made in the fall of 1825 in the Schwarzspanier House. The print issued by the “Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung” could not be found by Dr. Deiters; but Thayer, (who spells the name of the artist “Daker,”) saw one in the hands of Prof. Spatzenegger, a son-in-law of the artist, in Salzburg.
[118] This could only have been the Quartet in E-flat, which, however, was far from finished.