CONTENTS
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| Essay quasi Fantasia "On the Hundredth Anniversary of Beethoven's Birth," by Dr. Ferdinand Hiller | [vii] |
| Chap. I.—Introductory: Origin of the Family Van Beethoven—The Electorate of Cologne—Court of Clemens August the Magnificent—Ludwig van Beethoven the Elder—Johann van Beethoven—Bonn in 1770 | [1] |
| Chap. II.—Boyhood: Birth—Early Influences and Training—Neefe—First Attempts at Composition—The Boy-Organist—Max Friedrich's National Theatre—Mozart and Beethoven—Disappointment | [12] |
| Chap. III.—Youth: Despondency—The Breuning Family—Literary Pursuits—Count Waldstein—National Theatre of Max Franz—King Lux and his Court—The Abbé Sterkel—Appointment as Court Pianist—First Love—Second Visit of Joseph Haydn | [31] |
| Chap. IV.—Lehrjahre: Arrival in Vienna—Studies with Haydn—Timely Assistance of Schenk—Albrechtsberger—Beethoven as a Student—His Studies in Counterpoint—What did Beethoven compose in Bonn?—Why have we so few examples of fugue in his early works?—Letters to Eleanore v. Breuning | [46] |
| Chap. V.—The Virtuoso: Family Occurrences—Music in Vienna—Van Swieten—Prince Lichnowski—Beethoven's Independence, Personal Appearance, Manners—Rasoumowski Quartet—Occurrences in Lichnowski Palace—First Three Trios—Artistic Tour to Berlin—Woelfl—Beethoven as an Improvisatore—Steibelt | [69] |
| Chap. VI.—Conflict: Deafness and its Consequences—His Brothers' Influence—Letters to Wegeler—"Mount of Olives"—Beethoven's Will—Beethoven as a Conductor—As an Instructor—Sinfonia Eroica—"Leonora" ("Fidelio")—"Adelaïde" | [93] |
| Chap. VII.—Love: The Fourth Symphony—Julia Guicciardi—Letters to an Unknown—To Bettina Brentano—Beethoven's Attachments—Domestic Troubles—Frau Nanette Streicher—Daily Life—Composing "im Freien" | [127] |
| Chap. VIII.—Victory and Shadow: Period of Greatest Creative Activity—Hummel—The Battle of Vittoria—Congress of Vienna—Maelzel—Pecuniary Difficulties—Adoption of Nephew—The Philharmonic Society—The Classical and Romantic Schools—The Jupiter Symphony—His Nephew's Conduct—Last Illness | [147] |
| Remarks on the Pianoforte Sonatas, by Dr. Hiller | [171] |
| Catalogue of Beethoven's Works | [178] |
THE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF BEETHOVEN'S BIRTH[1]
"Quasi Fantasia."
The year 1749 brought us Goethe; 1756, Mozart; 1759, Schiller; and 1770, Beethoven. Thus, within the short space of twenty-one years four of the greatest poetic geniuses were born—four men of whom not only the German Fatherland, but all mankind must be proud.
And even more happy than proud, since the most splendid gift which the Divine Being from time to time vouchsafes to poor humanity is that of genius. Through it we receive the highest good in which we are capable of participating—the forgetfulness of self in a nobler life. Genius it is that gives us, if but for a few short hours, that which the believer awaits with earnest hope in another and a better world.
Has there ever existed a poet who transported our souls into his ideal kingdom with more irresistible force than our Beethoven? Certainly not. More universal effects have been achieved by others, but none more deep or noble. Nay, we may say without exaggeration that never did an artist live whose creations were so truly new;—his sphere was the unforeseen.