Life of Beethoven / Including his correspondence with his friends, numerous characteristic traits, and remarks on his musical works

by Anton Schindler

CONTENTS
OF THE
F I R S T V O L U M E.

PAGE
INTRODUCTION by Schindler	[1]
LIFE OF BEETHOVEN.[FIRST PERIOD.][From his Birth to the Year 1800.]
Beethoven's Parentage—Contradiction of a Reporton that subject—His musical Education—Taleof a Spider—Appointed Organist to the Chapelof the Elector of Cologne—Patronised by Countvon Waldstein—Clever Trick played by him—Hisfirst Musical Productions—Haydn—Sterkel—Beethoven'sAversion to give Lessons—YouthfulFriendships—He is sent to Vienna to improvehimself under Haydn—Acquaintancesmade by him there—Dr. van Swieten—Princeand Princess Lichnowsky—Envy excited by hissuccess—His indifference to Calumny, and tothe Accidents of Birth or Wealth—M. Schenk,the corrector of his Compositions—His earlyAttachments—His Compositions during this Period—Pricespaid for them—The RasumowskyQuartett—Professional Tour—State of MusicalScience at Vienna.	[25]
[SECOND PERIOD.][From 1800 to October, 1813.]
General View of the Second Period of Beethoven'sLife—Composition of his "Christ on the Mountof Olives" and "Fidelio"—His brothers, Carland Johann; their mischievous influence—Hissevere Illness—Remarkable Will addressed tothem—His "Sinfonia Eroica," in honour of Napoleon—CountMoritz von Lichnowsky—Operaof "Fidelio"—Beethoven's Neglect of Vocal Performers—TheirIntrigues and Cabals—His Passionfor Julia—Letters to her—DisappointedLove—Countess Marie Erdödy—Beethoven asDirector of the Orchestra—Animadversions onStatements of Ferdinand Ries—Beethoven formsa Friendship with Count Franz von Brunswickand Baron Gleichenstein—Prices paid for hisCompositions during the Second Period—Misconductof his Brothers—Defence of his Characteragainst the charge of Cowardice—Annuitysettled upon him, to keep him in Austria—Hisdislike of, and reconciliation with, Hummel—ForeignVisitors—Bettina Brentano—Göthe—Beethoven'sfrequent change of Residence—HisDomestic Circumstances.	[71]
[THIRD PERIOD.][From November, 1813, till his Death, in 1827.]PART I.
Causes of Beethoven's preceding Troubles—Performanceof his "Battle of Vittoria," for theBenefit of disabled Soldiers—Dishonest Conductof M. Mälzel; its effect on Beethoven—Commencementof the Author's Acquaintance withhim—Attention paid to Beethoven by the AlliedSovereigns at Vienna—Pitiful Conduct of CarlM. von Weber—Scotch Songs set to Music byBeethoven—Death of his elder Brother—Heundertakes the Guardianship of his Son, whomhe adopts—Diminution of his Annuity by theFailure of Prince Lobkowitz—He commencesHouse-keeping—Law-suit with his Brother'sWidow—Society for the Performance of Beethoven'sChamber Music, directed by Carl Czerny—FurtherDiminution of his Pension—His Pupil,the Archduke Rudolph, nominated Archbishopof Olmütz—Beethoven commences aGrand Mass for his Installation—HouseholdTroubles—Waltzes and Bagatelles—StraitenedFinances—Ignoble Application of Musical MS.—Performanceof "The Ruins of Athens"—The"Land-owner" and the "Brain-owner"—Subscriptionof Sovereigns to Beethoven's new Mass—HisLetter to Cherubini.	[143]
[THIRD PERIOD.]PART II.
Vindication of the Court of Austria from the chargeof neglecting Beethoven—His quarrel with aPublisher at Vienna—Mortification arising fromhis Deafness—Wretched Lodging—Beethovenundertakes to write a new Opera, but is deterredby the prospect of coming in contact with GermanSingers—His ninth Symphony—Letter from theArchduke Rudolph—Italian Opera at Vienna—FlatteringMemorial addressed to Beethoven—Concerts—Hisdiscourtesy to Vocal Performers—Hiscredulity and hasty condemnation of hisFriends—Is invited to visit England by the PhilharmonicSociety—Disgraceful conduct of PrinceNicholas von Galitzin—Severe illness—He setsaside a Fund as a Provision for his Nephew—Ingratitudeand Misbehaviour of that Youth—Distressingcircumstances in which he was involvedby him—Beethoven's forlorn Situation—Hislast Illness—His letters to Moscheles—Heis assisted by the Philharmonic Society—Totalvalue of his Property—His Death—Post-mortemExamination.	[209]
[S U P P L E M E N T.]
Letters from Beethoven to Kapellmeister Hofmeisterand C. F. Peters, Music Publishers, relativeto the Sale of some of his Compositions.	[239]
Letter on the First Appearance of Beethoven's"Fidelio"	[262]
Beethoven's Letters to Madame Bettine von Arnim	[265]
Letter of Madame Bettine von Arnim to Göthe	[275]
A Day with Beethoven	[286]
I L L U S T R A T I O N S.
VOLUME I.
Portrait of Beethoven	[Frontispiece]
VOLUME II.
Fac-simile of Beethoven's Hand-writing	[163]
First Sketches of the Vocal Subjects of Beethoven's9th Symphony	[End of Appendix.]

LIFE
OF
BEETHOVEN.

INTRODUCTION.

DURING the painful illness of full four months which terminated in the death of Ludwig van Beethoven, he was one day conversing with Hofrath von Breuning and myself on the subject of Plutarch's Lives. Breuning took advantage of the long-wished-for opportunity to ask Beethoven, apparently without any particular object, which of his contemporaries he should prefer for his biographer. Without the least hesitation, he replied, "Rochlitz, if he should survive me." He went on to say that it might be anticipated with certainty, that after his decease many officious pens would hasten to amuse the world with stories and anecdotes concerning him, utterly destitute of truth—for such is the usual lot of those who have had any influence upon their times. It was, therefore, his sincere wish that whatever might hereafter be said concerning him "should be in every respect strictly consonant with truth, no matter how hard it might bear upon this or the other person, or even upon himself."

This sentiment of Beethoven's, uttered at a moment when his dissolution appeared to us to be near at hand—though his physicians still held out to him some hopes of recovery, while at the same time they felt thoroughly convinced of its impossibility—this sentiment was too important for us to neglect following it up. In so doing, however, we were obliged to proceed with the utmost caution; as indeed we were in everything which, in his state of severe suffering, had any reference, however remote, to death: for his imagination, more excited than when in health, ranged through the universe, formed projects of tours, of prodigious compositions, and other enterprises. In short, he had no idea that death was so near, neither would he take any warning of its approach. In fact, all his desire was to live; for he still intended to do much, that none but himself, perhaps, was capable of accomplishing.

Prudence, therefore, enjoined us to refrain from touching upon that point, which he himself avoided, and to watch for a suitable opportunity when we should find him again disposed to speak further upon it. This opportunity occurred but too soon, as his end was evidently approaching. Sensible of the rapid decline of his physical powers, he now himself declared that all hope of his recovery was vain, and began to look death in the face with stoic fortitude.

Plutarch and other favourite Greek authors lay around him, and thus one day—it might be the seventh or eighth before his decease—he made some observations on Lucius Brutus, whose character he highly admired. This was a signal to Breuning and myself to resume the conversation, which we had dropped, with respect to his biographer, and to direct it according to our wishes. Resigned already to his fate, Beethoven read with great attention a paper on this subject, drawn up by his older friend Breuning, and then very calmly said, "There lies such a paper, there such another—take them, and make the best use you can of them; but let the truth be strictly adhered to in every point. For this I hold both of you responsible, and write on the subject to Rochlitz." Our object was now accomplished, for he gave us himself the necessary explanations respecting the papers. This memorable scene by the sick-bed of our beloved friend terminated in his desiring me to take charge of all the letters that were there, and Breuning of all his other papers, among which was the first version of the opera of "Fidelio," in score—an injunction with which we punctually complied.

After Beethoven's death, we resolved jointly to communicate to M. Rochlitz the wish of our deceased friend, when M. von Breuning was taken ill, and in two months followed him to the grave. This totally unexpected event placed me in a particularly unpleasant situation with regard to the joint duty undertaken for Beethoven. M. von Breuning's widow soon afterwards gave up to me the papers committed to the care of her deceased husband; and I was now obliged to apply singly on the subject to M. Rochlitz. This I did by a letter, dated the 12th of September, 1827. On the 18th of the same month I received the following answer:—