Much to Beethoven’s vexation and impatience the Saxon court was very tardy in its reply, or rather in subscribing, for at first the invitation was declined; but Beethoven was not thus to be put off by a court with which his imperial pupil was closely connected. He called in the help of Archduke Rudolph, to whom on July 1, 1823, he wrote a letter. He complains in this letter of pain in the eyes from which he has been suffering for a week. He was forced to make sparing use of them and therefore had not been able to look through some variations composed by the Archduke, but had been obliged to leave the task to another. He continues:
An Archduke Asked to be Solicitor
In regard to the Mass which Y. I. H. wished to see made more generally useful: the continuously poor state of my health for several years, more especially the heavy debts which I have incurred and the fact that I had to forgo the visit to England which I was invited to make, compelled me to think of means for bettering my condition. For this the Mass seemed suitable. I was advised to offer it to several courts. Hard as it was for me to do this I nevertheless did not think that I ought to subject myself to reproach by not doing it. I therefore invited several courts to subscribe for the Mass, fixed the fee at 50 ducats, as it was thought that would not be too much and, if a number of subscribers were found, also not unprofitable. Thus far, indeed, the subscription does me honor, their Royal Majesties of France and Prussia having accepted. I also a few days ago received a letter from my friend Prince Gallitzin [sic] in St. Petersburg, in which this truly amiable prince informs me that His Imperial Majesty of Russia had accepted and I should soon hear the details from the Imperial Russian embassy here. In spite of all this, however, though others have also become subscribers I do not get as much as I would as fee from a publisher, only I have the advantage that the work remains mine. The costs of copying are large and will be increased by the new pieces[70] which are to be added, which I shall send to Y. I. H. as soon as I have finished them. Perhaps Y. I. H. will not find it burdensome graciously to ask H. R. H. the Grand Duke of Tuscany to take a copy of the Mass. The invitation was sent some time ago to the Grand Duke of Tuscany through the agent v. Odelgha, and O. solemnly assures me that the invitation will surely be accepted, but I am not entirely confident, since it was several months ago and no answer has been received. The matter having been undertaken, it is only natural that as much as possible should have been done to attain the desired result. It was hard for me to understand this, still harder for me to tell Y. I. H. of it or permit you to notice it, but “Necessity knows no law.” But I thank Him above the stars[71] that I am beginning to use my eyes again. I am now writing a new symphony for England, for the Philharmonic Society, and hope to have it completely done in a fortnight. I can not yet strain my eyes for a long period, wherefore I beg Y. I. H. graciously to be patient in regard to Y. I. H.’s variations which seem to me charming but need carefully to be looked through by me. Continue Y. I. H. to practice the custom of briefly jotting down your ideas at the pianoforte; for this a little table alongside the pianoforte will be necessary. By this means the fancy will not only be strengthened but one learns to fix at once the most remote ideas. It is also necessary to write without the pianoforte, and sometimes to develop a simple chorale melody now with simple, and anon with varied figurations in counterpoint and this will cause no headache to Y. I. H. but rather a great pleasure at finding yourself absorbed in the art. Gradually there comes the capacity to represent just that only which we wish to feel, an essential need in the case of men of noble mould. My eyes command me to stop, etc.
This letter was written in Vienna, but from Hetzendorf he sent a postscript in which he said:
If convenient, will Y. I. H. graciously recommend the Mass to Prince Anton in Dresden, so that His Royal Majesty of Saxony may be induced to subscribe to the Mass, which will surely happen if Y. I. H. shows the slightest interest in the matter. As soon as I have been informed that you have shown me this favor, I shall at once address myself to the Director General of the Theatre and Music there, who is in charge of such matters, and send him the invitation to subscribe for the King of Saxony which, however, I do not wish to do. My opera “Fidelio” was performed with great success in Dresden at the festivities in honor of the visit of the King of Bavaria, all their Majesties being present. I heard of this from the above-mentioned Director General, who asked me for the score through Weber and afterwards made me a handsome present in return. Y. I. H. will pardon me for inconveniencing you by such requests but Y. I. H. knows how little importunate I am as a rule; but if there should be the least thing unpleasant to you in the affair you will understand as a matter of course that I am none the less convinced of your magnanimity and graciousness. It is not greed, not the desire for speculation, which I have always avoided, but need which compels me to do everything possible to extricate myself from this position. In order not to be too harshly judged, it is perhaps best to be frank. Because of my continual illness, which prevented me from writing as much as usual, I am burdened with a debt of 2300 florins C. M. which can be liquidated only by extraordinary exertions. If these subscriptions help matters, for which there are the best of hopes, I shall be able to get a firm foothold again through my compositions. Meanwhile, may Y. I. H. be pleased to receive my frankness not ungraciously. If ever I should be charged with not being as active as formerly, I should keep silent as I always have done. As regards the recommendations I am nevertheless convinced that Y. I. H. will always be glad to do good whenever possible and will make no exception in my case.
Beethoven’s impatience with the Saxon Court was so great that some time before his hopes had been reanimated, probably by the application for his opera, he had said in a note to Schindler: “Nothing from Dresden. Wait till the end of the month then an advocate in Dresden.” These words led Schindler to the singular conclusion that Beethoven had thoughts of compelling the King of Saxony to reach a decision by judicial means. Obviously, all that Beethoven meant by “advocate” was a pleader, an intercessor. He could have contemplated legal measures only if he had sent a copy of the Mass to the King with the invitation, and this we know he did not do from a letter written by Archduke Rudolph, which says, that the King of Saxony had not received a score by July 31. Archduke Rudolph became the advocate through his brother-in-law Prince Anton, brother to the King, and so did the Director General v. Könneritz, to whom Beethoven wrote on July 17 and again on July 25. In the first letter he promises to send the invitation to the King and in the next he does so. This must have been a second invitation, for Beethoven tells v. Könneritz that the original one had been declined. A paragraph from each letter deserves reproduction.
I know that you will scarcely think of me as among those who write simply for vulgar gain, but when do not circumstances sometimes compel a man to act contrary to his habits of thought and principles!! My Cardinal is a good-hearted prince, but he lacks means.
Up to now, in spite of all external glory, I have scarcely received for the work what I would have been paid by a publisher, the costs of copying having been so great. My friends conceived the idea of thus circulating the Mass, for I, thank God, am a layman in all speculations. Besides, there is no citizen of our country who has not suffered loss, and so have I. Were it not for my sickness of years’ standing, I should have received enough from foreign lands to live a care-free life, caring only for art. Judge me kindly and not unfavorably, I live for my art alone and to fulfil my duties as a man, but alas! that this can not always be done without the help of the subterrestrial powers.
Subscriptions by Regal Courts