Life of Beethoven Part 12

SECOND VOLUME.

THIRD PERIOD.

PART III.

[FROM 1824 TILL BEETHOVEN'S DEATH IN 1827.]

PAGE

Oratorio contemplated by Beethoven--The German and Italian Opera at Vienna--Memorial addressed to Beethoven--Results of his Concert at the Hof-Theater--Mademoiselles Sontag and Ungher--Beethoven's distrustful Disposition--Invited to visit England--Proposition from the Philharmonic Society--His Arrangements with a Russian Prince--His Residence near Schonbrunn--His Illness--He disposes of some of his Works--His adopted Nephew--Extracts from Beethoven's Letters to him--Beethoven's Physicians--His Sufferings--He writes to Mr. Moscheles--Generosity of the Philharmonic Society--Beethoven's Property--His death--Preparations for the Funeral--Conformation of his Skull 1

MUSICAL OBSERVATIONS.

Intended Edition of Beethoven's Piano-forte Sonatas--Causes for his relinquis.h.i.+ng the design--Project of an Edition of his complete Works--Visionary hopes excited by it--Metamorphosis of Beethoven's Instrumental Music--Importance of a right conception of the _Tempo_--Metronomic Signs--Injury done to Beethoven's Music by metronomising--Exemplified in the Moonlight Sonata--Metronomic directions condemned--Performance of Beethoven's Works in Paris--Hints furnished by Beethoven relative to the composition of his Sonatas, and the proper style of their performance--His own Style of Playing--Effects intended to be given by him to his Symphonies--Neglect of his Works 80

CHARACTERISTIC TRAITS AND PECULIARITIES OF BEETHOVEN.

Beethoven's Religious Principles--His dislike of giving Lessons--His Frankness, and, at the same time, Dexterity in evading Questions--Vindication of him from the charge of Discourtesy to Brother Artists--Proofs that, though a rigid, he was a just Critic--Kind Encouragement afforded by him to Professional Merit--his modest Appreciation of Himself--His extempore Playing--His every-day Occupations--Propensity for Dabbling in Water--Pensions--Certificates--Beethoven erroneously compared with Jean Paul Richter--Mortifying Trick played by him at the instigation of a Friend--Motivo of a Movement in one of his Quartetts--His Peculiar Habits in Eating and Drinking--Extent of his Knowledge of Languages--Comments on Statements of M. von Seyfried relative to Beethoven's domestic Habits--Spurious MSS. attributed to him--His Person--Portraits of him 162

SUPPLEMENT.

Beethoven's Letters to Madlle. von Breuning, Wegeler, and Ries 199

Beethoven's Correspondence with Messrs. Neate and Ries 227

Account of a Concert given by Beethoven at the Kaernthnerthor Theatre, Vienna 275

Characteristics of Beethoven from Wegeler and Ries's "Notizen" 283

Additional Characteristics, Traits, and Anecdotes of Beethoven 309

Beethoven's Last Moments 318

Funeral Honours to Beethoven 328

Miserere, Amplius, Libera, for four Voices, with an Organ Accompaniment 337

Concert in aid of Beethoven's Monument at Drury Lane Theatre, July 19, 1837 365

Sale of Beethoven's MSS. and Musical Library 373

Systematic Catalogue of all the original Works of Beethoven, published by T. Haslinger, from Vienna 377

Moscheles' complete Edition of Beethoven's Works, published by Messrs. Cramer and Co. 385

LIFE OF BEETHOVEN.

THIRD PERIOD.

PART III.

[FROM 1824 TILL BEETHOVEN'S DEATH IN 1827.]

Oratorio contemplated by Beethoven--The German and Italian Opera at Vienna--Memorial addressed to Beethoven--Results of his Concert at the Hof-Theater--Mademoiselles Sontag and Ungher--Beethoven's distrustful Disposition--Invited to visit England--Proposition from the Philharmonic Society--His Arrangements with a Russian Prince--His Residence near Schonbrunn--His Illness--He disposes of some of his Works--His adopted Nephew--Extracts from Beethoven's Letters to him--Beethoven's Physicians--His Sufferings--He writes to Mr. Moscheles--Generosity of the Philharmonic Society--Beethoven's Property--His death--Preparations for the Funeral--Conformation of his Skull.

The Ninth Symphony was finished, and Beethoven now proposed to devote his attention, without delay, to a work worthy of his powers--the composition of an Oratorio, written by his friend C. Bernard, and ent.i.tled "_The Victory of the Cross_." From this work he antic.i.p.ated much pleasure, as he was satisfied with the poetry--a point in his estimation of no little moment--when an occurrence took place that deserves to be circ.u.mstantially related, as well on account of its importance to the history of art, as because, in relation to Beethoven, its consequences were interesting.

The Italian Opera in Vienna had now for some years possessed itself of those halls devoted to the melodious art, which in the time of Gluck had been exclusively occupied by German music; and although, for the last ten years, the tendencies exhibited by the musical world had been rather towards the sensual and the material, yet, in the main body of the Vienna public, a n.o.ble spirit was stirring, which it would never have been possible to exclude, or rather to expel, from its native soil, had there only existed a determination firmly to uphold what was of native growth.

The German Opera had still among her votaries devoted adherents, who, by holding manfully together, might long have resisted the force of prevalent error, and saved the edifice from destruction.

A former administration does not seem to have duly understood the demands of the time, so as, while cautiously yielding to them to a certain extent, to have, nevertheless, retained all that was essential.

The public, therefore, became impatient, and the first Italian Solfeggio that was heard within those walls sounded like the signal of banishment to the German Opera. The violence of the current carried every one along with it. No one asked in what direction he was borne, for all were enchanted, intoxicated, with the _roulades_ of the Rossini school. Few, indeed, were they, who could resist the force of such a stream, and preserve in all its purity their taste for the truly beautiful and ideal in art; but to this little band German music is deeply indebted; for its warning voice by degrees brought back many a wanderer to the right path.

How, then, did all this affect Beethoven? As monarch in his own domain, he was almost as much forgotten by the crowd as if he had never existed; and no other mark of distinction was conferred upon him than the manifestation of outward respect, even by persons of the highest rank, whenever he made his appearance. How deeply he felt this ominous state of things, and how much it weighed upon his mind, was proved by his more than ordinary seclusion, as well as his determination to bring out the two new works, the Ma.s.s, and the Ninth Symphony, in Berlin. The report of this intention induced a small number of artists and friends of art to make an effort to avert from the imperial city the threatened disgrace; and they, in consequence, addressed to Beethoven a memorial, of which, on account of the interest of its contents, I will here give a faithful transcript:--

"To M. Ludwig van Beethoven.

"A small number of the disciples and lovers of art, from the wide circle of admirers of your genius, in your adopted city, present themselves before you to-day, in order to give utterance to wishes long felt, and to prefer a request which they have long hesitated to make.

"Although the number of speakers bears but a small proportion to that crowd, who are sensible of your worth, and joyfully acknowledge what you have done for the present and future time, yet their wishes and requests are by no means confined to the speakers, but shared by all to whom art and the realization of the ideal are more than a means of pa.s.sing away an idle hour. Their wish is the wish also of a countless number, and their requests are repeated, aloud or in silence, by all whose bosoms are animated by a sense of whatever is divine in music.

"The wishes of those who venerate art in our native country are those which we would more especially express to you at present; for, although the name and the creations of Beethoven belong to every country where a susceptibility to the beauties of art exists, Austria may yet boast of the nearest claim to them. Among her people a due sense of the value of the great and immortal works of Mozart and Haydn, produced within her bosom, is not yet dead; and with joyful pride do they remember that the sacred triad, in which your name and theirs appear as the symbol of whatever is highest in the spiritual realms of music, sprung from the soil of their father-land.

"So much the more painful, however, must it be to you to see that a foreign power has invaded this royal citadel--that above the graves of the departed, and within the dwelling-place of the only one of this band that is still left us, productions are taking the lead, which can boast of no relations.h.i.+p with the princely spirits of the house; shallowness usurping the name and symbol of art, and an unworthy sporting with what is holy darkening and effacing the sense of truth and everlasting beauty.

"More than at any former time, therefore, do those who now address you feel a lively conviction, that the one thing needful at the present moment is a new impulse from a powerful hand--a new appearance of the sovereign within his own domain. This necessity it is which brings them to you to-day, and the following are the requests which they now prefer to you in the name of native art and of all to whom it is dear.

"Withdraw no longer from the public enjoyment,--deny no longer to our sense of what is great and perfect the performance of the latest masterpiece of your hand. We know that a valuable composition in church-music has been produced, to succeed that in which you have immortalised the sensations of a soul, penetrated by the power of faith and illumined by the divine rays of genius. We know that a new flower blooms in the garland of your magnificent and unequalled Symphonies. For years, since the thunders of the Victory of Vittoria ceased to sound, have we anxiously hoped to see you pour out again, in a circle of kindred spirits, fresh gifts from the abundance of your wealth.

Disappoint no longer the expectations of your friends; heighten the impression of your newest creations by introducing us yourself to the knowledge of them. Permit not these, the youngest offspring of your genius, to appear one day as strangers in the place of their birth--to fall, perhaps, into the hands of those whose minds are foreign to yours.

"Appear, then, once more in the circle of your friends, your admirers, your venerators; this is our first and most urgent request.

"Other claims on your talents, however, have been openly put forward.

The wishes expressed and the offers made to you a year ago by the Directors of our Court Opera, and afterwards by the Society of Austrian Lovers of Music, were shared and approved by too many who respected your name, and were concerned for the interests of art, not to have quickly become public, and to have excited universal interest. Poetry has done her part to support these pleasing hopes and expectations, and worthy materials from a much-esteemed poetical mind await only your magic touch to charm them into life.

"Let this summons to so n.o.ble a work not be heard in vain. Delay no further to transport us back to those long-departed days when the power of Polyhymnia moved with mighty spells alike the hearts of the mult.i.tude and of the consecrated priests of art. Need we say with what deep regret your late retired mode of life has filled us? Is any a.s.surance required that all eyes have been turned towards you, and that all have seen with sorrow that he, whom they acknowledged as the highest of living men in his own domain, should have looked on in silence while our German soil has been invaded by the footsteps of foreign art--the seat of the German muse usurped--and German works have become but the echo of those of strangers; threatening a second childhood of taste to succeed its golden age? You alone are able to secure activity to the efforts of the best among us. You alone can bestow new life on national art and on the German Opera; bid them bloom once more, and save the true and the beautiful from the violence by which the fas.h.i.+on of the day seeks to subject to itself their everlasting laws.