Beethoven\'s Letters 1790 1826 Vol. 2 written by Lady Wallace
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Lady Wallace >> Beethoven\'s Letters 1790 1826 Vol. 2
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14 BEETHOVEN'S LETTERS.
(1790-1826.)
FROM THE COLLECTION OF DR. LUDWIG NOHL.
ALSO HIS
LETTERS TO THE ARCHDUKE RUDOLPH, CARDINAL-ARCHBISHOP
OF OLMUeTZ, K.W., FROM THE COLLECTION OF DR.
LUDWIG RITTER VON KOeCHEL.
TRANSLATED BY
LADY WALLACE.
_WITH A PORTRAIT AND FAC-SIMILE._
IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. II.
BOSTON:
OLIVER DITSON & CO., 277 WASHINGTON STREET.
NEW YORK: C.H. DITSON & CO.
CONTENTS OF VOLUME II.
SECOND PART.
LIFE'S MISSION.
1815-1822.
(_Continued._)
216. To Steiner & Co.
217. To the Same
218. To Tobias Haslinger
219. To the Same
220. To Baroness Dorothea von Ertmann
221. To Zmeskall
222. To Steiner & Co.
223. To G. del Rio
224. To the Same
225. To the Same
226. To the Same
227. To the Same
228. To Czerny
229. To the Same
230. To the Same
231. To Zmeskall
232. To G. del Rio
233. To Frau von Streicher
234. To the Same
235. To the Same
236. To F. Ries, London
237. To Zmeskall
238. To the Same
239. To Frau von Streicher
240. To G. del. Rio
241. To Zmeskall
242. To the Same
243. To the Same
244. To the Same
245. To Frau von Streicher
246. To the Same
247. To the Same
248. To the Same
249. To the Archduke Rudolph
250. To G. del Rio
251. To the Same
252. To the Archduke Rudolph
253. To G. del Rio
254. To the Same
255. To Czerny
256. To F. Ries, London
257. To the Rechnungsrath Vincenz Hauschka
258. To the Archduke Rudolph
259. To the Same
260. To Ferdinand Ries
261. To the Same
262. To the Same
263. To the Philharmonic Society in Laibach
264. To Ferdinand Ries, London
265. To the Archduke Rudolph
266. To the Same
267. To the Same
268. To the Same
269. To the Same
270. To the Same
271. To the Same
272. To the Same
273. To the Same
274. To the Same
275. To the Same
276. To Herr Bloechlinger
277. Canon on Herr Schlesinger
278. To Artaria, Vienna
279. A Sketch by Beethoven
280. To Artaria
281. Petition to the Magistracy
282. To F. Ries, London
283. To the Archduke Rudolph
284. Memorandum
285. To the Archduke Rudolph
286. To the Same
287. To the Royal and Imperial High Court of Appeal
288. To the Archduke Rudolph
289. Testimonial in favor of Herr von Kandeler
290. To Theodore Amadeus Hoffmann
291. To Haslinger
292. To the Same
293. To the Archduke Rudolph
294. To the Same
295. To Artaria & Co.
296. To Bolderini
297. To the Archduke Rudolph
298. To Artaria & Co.
299. To Haslinger
300. To the Archduke Rudolph
301. To the Same
302. To Steiner & Co.
303. To a Friend
304. To the Archduke Rudolph
305. To F. Ries, London
306. To Herren Peters & Co., Leipzig
307. To the Same
308. To the Same
309. To Artaria
310. To Herr Peters, Leipzig
311. To the Archduke Rudolph
312. To Herr Peters, Leipzig
313. To F. Ries, London
314. To Ignaz Ritter von Seyfried
THIRD PART.
LIFE'S TROUBLES AND CLOSE
1823-1827.
315. To Zelter
316. To F. Ries, London
317. To Schindler
318. To the Same
319. To Herr Kind
320. To Cherubini
321. To Schindler
322. To Herr Peters, Leipzig
323. To Zelter
324. To the Archduke Rudolph
325. To Schindler
326. To F. Ries, London
327. To Herr Lissner, Petersburg
328. To Schindler
329. To the Same
330. To the Same
331. To the Same
332. To the Same
333. To the Same
334. To the Same
335. To the Same
336. To the Archduke Rudolph
337. To Schindler
338. To Pilat, editor of the "Austrian Observer"
339. To Schindler
340. To the Same
341. To the Same
342. To the Same
343. To the Same
344. To the Same
345. To the Archduke Rudolph
346. To F. Ries
347. To Herr von Koenneritz
348. To Herr von Koenneritz
349. To Schindler
350. To his Nephew
351. To the Archduke Rudolph
352. To the Same
353. To the Same
354. To F. Ries, London
355. To the Same
356. To the Archduke Rudolph
357. To the Same
358. To Schindler
359. To the Same
360. To the Same
361. To Herr Grillparzer
362. To Herr Probst, Leipzig
363. To Schindler
364. To Herr von Rzehatschek
365. To Prince Trautmannsdorf
366. To Count Moritz Lichnowsky
367. To Herr Schuppanzigh
368. To Schindler
369. To Herr von Sartorius
370. To Schindler
371. To the Same
372. To the Same
373. To the Same
374. To the Same
375. To Steiner & Co
376. To Haslinger
377. To Steiner & Co
378. To Haslinger
379. To the Same
380. To the Same
381. To M. Diabelli
382. To Herr Probst, Leipzig
383. To Haslinger
384. To Herr Schott, Mayence
385. To the Archduke Rudolph
386. To his Nephew
387. To Herr Peters
388. To Hans Georg Naegeli, Zurich
389. To his Nephew
390. To Herr Naegeli
391. To Herr Schott, Mayence
392. To Hauschka
393. To Herr Naegeli, Zurich
394. To the Archduke Rudolph
395. To Herr Schott, Mayence
396. To Carl Holz
397. To the Same
398. To Herr Schott, Mayence
399. To Friends
400. To Schindler
401. To Linke
402. To * * *
403. To F. Ries
404. To Herr Jenger, Vienna
405. To Schott
406. To Ludwig Rellstab
407. To * * *
408. To his brother Johann
409. To Herr von Schlemmer
410. To his Nephew
411. To the Same
412. To Dr. Braunhofer
413. To his Nephew
414. To the Same
415. To the Same
416. To the Same
417. To his Nephew
418. To the Same
419. To the Same
420. To the Same
421. To the Same
422. To the Same
423. To the Same
424. To the Same
425. To the Same
426. To the Same
427. To the Same
428. To the Same
429. To the Same
430. To the Same
431. To the Same
432. To the Same
433. To the Same
434. To his brother Johann, Gneixendorf
435. To his Nephew
436. To the Same
437. To the Same
438. To his Copyist
439. To his Nephew
440. To the Same
441. To Zmeskall
442. To Herr Friedrich Kuhlau
443. To his Nephew
444. To the Same
445. To Herr von Schlesinger
446. To his Nephew
447. To the Same
448. To the Same
449. To the Same
450. To the Abbe Maximilian Stadler
451. To Gottfried Weber
452. To Herr Probst, Leipzig
453. To Stephan von Breuning
454. To the Same
455. To the Same
456. Testimonial for C. Holz
457. To C. Holz
458. To the King of Prussia
459. To Wegeler
460. To Tobias Haslinger
461. To the Same
462. To Carl Holz
463. To Dr. Bach
464. To Wegeler
465. To Sir George Smart, London
466. To Herr Moscheles
467. To Schindler
468. To Baron von Pasqualati
469. To the Same
470. To Sir George Smart, London
471. To Baron von Pasqualati
472. To the Same
473. To Herr Moscheles
474. To Schindler
475. To Herr Moscheles
476. Codicil
BEETHOVEN'S LETTERS.
216.
TO STEINER & CO.
The Adjutant's innocence is admitted, and there is an end of it!
We beg you to be so good as to send us two copies in score of the Symphony
in A. We likewise wish to know when we may expect a copy of the Sonata for
Baroness von Ertmann, as she leaves this, most probably, the day after
to-morrow.
No. 3--I mean the enclosed note--is from a musical friend in Silesia, not a
rich man, for whom I have frequently had my scores written out. He wishes
to have these works of Mozart in his library; as my servant, however, has
the good fortune, by the grace of God, to be one of the greatest blockheads
in the world (which is saying a good deal), I cannot make use of him for
this purpose. Be so kind therefore as to send to Herr ---- (for the
_Generalissimus_ can have no dealings with a petty tradesman), and desire
him to _write down the price of each work_ and send it to me with my two
scores in A, and also an answer to my injunction about Ertmann, as early
to-day as you can (_presto, prestissimo_!)--_nota bene_, the _finale_ to be
_a march in double-quick time_. I recommend the best execution of these
orders, so that no further obstacle may intervene to my recovery.
L. VAN BEETHOVEN,
The best _generalissimus_ for the good,
But the devil himself for the bad!
217.
TO STEINER.
The Lieutenant-General is requested to send his _Diabolum_, that I may tell
him myself my opinion of the "Battle," which is _printed in the vilest
manner_. There is much to be altered.
THE G----S.
218.
TO TOBIAS HASLINGER.
MY GOOD ADJUTANT,--
Best of all little fellows! Do see again about that house, and get it for
me. I am very anxious also to procure _the treatise on education_. It is of
some importance to me to be able to compare my own opinions on this subject
with those of others, and thus still further improve them. As for our
juvenile Adjutant, I think I shall soon have hit on the right system for
his education. Your
CONTRA FA,
_Manu propria._
219.
TO THE HIGH-BORN HERR HASLINGER, HONORARY MEMBER OF THE HOeFEN GRABENS AND
PATER NOSTER GAeSSCHEN.
BEST OF ALL PRINTERS AND ENGRAVERS,--
Be kinder than kind, and throw off a hundred impressions of the
accompanying small plate.[1] I will repay you threefold and fourfold.
Farewell!
Your
BEETHOVEN.
[Footnote 1: This is possibly the humorous visiting-card that Beethoven
sometimes sent to his friends, with the inscription _Wir bleiben die Alten_
("We are the same as ever"), and on reversing the card, a couple of asses
stared them in the face! Frau Eyloff told me of a similar card that her
brother Schindler once got from Beethoven on a New Year's day.]
220.
TO BARONESS DOROTHEA VON ERTMANN.[1]
Feb. 23, 1817.
MY DEAR AND VALUED DOROTHEA CECILIA,--
You have no doubt often misjudged me, from my apparently forbidding manner;
much of this arose from circumstances, especially in earlier days, when my
nature was less understood than at present. You know the manifestations of
those self-elected apostles who promote their interests by means very
different from those of the true Gospel. I did not wish to be included in
that number. Receive now what has been long intended for you,[2] and may it
serve as a proof of my admiration of your artistic talent, and likewise of
yourself! My not having heard you recently at Cz---- [Czerny's] was owing
to indisposition, which at last appears to be giving way to returning
health.
I hope soon to hear how you get on at St. Polten [where her husband's
regiment was at that time quartered], and whether you still think of your
admirer and friend,
L. VAN BEETHOVEN.
My kindest regards to your excellent husband.
[Footnote 1: It was admitted that she played Beethoven's compositions with
the most admirable taste and feeling. Mendelssohn thought so in 1830 at
Milan, and mentions it in his _Letters from Italy and Switzerland_.]
[Footnote 2: Undoubtedly the Sonata dedicated to her, Op. 101.]
221.
TO ZMESKALL.
DEAR Z.,--
I introduce to your notice the bearer of this, young Bocklet, who is a very
clever violin-player. If you can be of any service to him through your
acquaintances, do your best for him, especially as he is warmly recommended
to me from Prague.[1]
As ever, your true friend,
BEETHOVEN.
[Footnote 1: Carl Maria Bocklet, a well-known and distinguished pianist in
Vienna. He told me himself that he came for the first time to Vienna in
1817, where he stayed six weeks. On April 8th he gave a violin concert in
the _Kleine Redoutensaale_. He brought a letter of introduction to
Beethoven, from his friend Dr. Berger in Prague.]
222.
TO STEINER & CO.
The Lieutenant-General is desired to afford all aid and help to the young
artist Bocklet from Prague. He is the bearer of this note, and a virtuoso
on the violin. We hope that our command will be obeyed, especially as we
subscribe ourselves, with the most vehement regard, your
GENERALISSIMUS.
223.
TO G. DEL RIO.
I only yesterday read your letter attentively at home. I am prepared to
give up Carl to you at any moment, although I think it best not to do so
till after the examination on Monday; but I will send him sooner if you
wish it. At all events it would be advisable afterwards to remove him from
here, and to send him to Moelk, or some place where he will neither see nor
hear anything more of his abominable mother. When he is in the midst of
strangers, he will meet with less support, and find that he can only gain
the love and esteem of others by his own merits.
In haste, your
BEETHOVEN.
224.
TO G. DEL RIO.
I request you, my dear friend, to inquire whether in any of the houses in
your vicinity there are lodgings to be had at Michaelmas, consisting of a
few rooms. You must not fail to do this for me to-day or to-morrow.
Your friend,
L. VAN BEETHOVEN.
P.S.--N.B. Though I would gladly profit by your kind offer of living in
your garden-house, various circumstances render this impossible. My kind
regards to all your family.
225.
TO G. DEL RIO.
HOUSE OF GIANNATASIO!--
The treatise on the piano is a general one,--that is, it is a kind of
compendium. Besides, I am pleased with the Swiss [probably Weber, a young
musician who had been recommended to him], but the "Guaden" is no longer
the fashion.
In haste, the devoted servant and friend of the Giannatasio family,
BEETHOVEN.
226.
TO G. DEL RIO.
You herewith receive through Carl, my dear friend, the ensuing quarter due
to you. I beg you will attend more to the cultivation of his feelings and
kindness of heart, as the latter in particular is the lever of all that is
good; and no matter how a man's kindly feeling may be ridiculed or
depreciated, still our greatest authors, such as Goethe and others,
consider it an admirable quality; indeed, many maintain that without it no
man can ever be very distinguished, nor can any depth of character exist.
My time is too limited to say more, but we can discuss verbally how in my
opinion Carl ought to be treated on this point.
Your friend and servant,
L. VAN BEETHOVEN.
Alser Vorstadt--Beim Apfel, 2ter Etage,
No. 12, Leiberz, Dressmaker.
227.
TO G. DEL RIO.
This is at any rate the first time that it has been necessary to remind me
of an agreeable duty; very pressing business connected with my art, as well
as other causes, made me totally forget the account, but this shall not
occur again. As for my servant bringing home Carl in the evening, the
arrangement is already made. In the mean time I thank you for having been
so obliging as to send your servant for him yesterday, as I knew nothing
about it, so that Carl probably must otherwise have remained at Czerny's.
Carl's boots are too small, and he has repeatedly complained of this;
indeed, they are so bad that he can scarcely walk, and it will take some
time before they can be altered to fit him. This kind of thing ruins the
feet, so I beg you will not allow him to wear them again till they are made
larger.
With regard to his pianoforte studies, I beg you will keep him strictly to
them; otherwise his music-master would be of no use. Yesterday Carl could
not play the whole day, I have repeatedly wished to hear him play over his
lessons, but have been obliged to come away without doing so.
"_La musica merita d'esser studiata._"
Besides, the couple of hours now appointed for his music lessons are quite
insufficient. I must therefore the more earnestly urge on you their being
strictly adhered to. It is by no means unusual that this point should be
attended to in an institute; an intimate friend of mine has also a boy at
school, who is to become a professor of music, where every facility for
study is afforded him; indeed, I was rather struck by finding the boy quite
alone in a distant room practising, neither disturbing others, nor being
himself disturbed.
I beg you will allow me to send for Carl to-morrow about half-past ten
o'clock, as I wish to see what progress he has made, and to take him with
me to some musicians.
I am, with all possible esteem, your friend,
L. VAN BEETHOVEN.
228.
TO CZERNY.
DEAR CZERNY,--
I beg you will treat Carl with as much patience as possible; for though he
does not as yet get on quite as you and I could wish, still I fear he will
soon do even less, because (though I do not want him to know it) he is
over-fatigued by the injudicious distribution of his lesson hours.
Unluckily it is not easy to alter this; so pray, however strict you may be,
show him every indulgence, which will, I am sure, have also a better effect
on Carl under such unfavorable circumstances.
With respect to his playing with you, when he has finally acquired the
proper mode of fingering, and plays in right time, and gives the notes with
tolerable correctness, you must only then first direct his attention to the
mode of execution; and when he is sufficiently advanced, do not stop his
playing on account of little mistakes, but only point them out at the end
of the piece. Although I have myself given very little instruction, I have
always followed this system, which quickly forms a _musician_; and this is,
after all, one of the first objects of art, and less fatiguing both to
master and scholar. In certain passages, like the following,--
[Music: Treble clef, sixteenth notes.]
I wish all the fingers to be used; and also in similar ones, such as
these,--
[Music: Treble clef, sixteenth notes.] &c.
[Music: Treble clef, sixteenth notes.] &c.
so that they may go very smoothly; such passages can indeed be made to
sound very _perles_, or like a pearl, played by fewer fingers, but
sometimes we wish for a different kind of jewel.[1] More as to this some
other time. I hope that you will receive these suggestions in the same
kindly spirit in which they are offered and intended. In any event I am,
and ever must remain, your debtor. May my candor serve as a pledge of my
wish to discharge this debt at some future day!
Your true friend,
BEETHOVEN.
[Footnote 1: Carl Czerny relates in the Vienna _A.M. Zeitung_ of 1845, No.
113, as follows:--"Beethoven came to me usually every day himself with the
boy, and used to say to me, 'You must not think that you please me by
making Carl play my works; I am not so childish as to wish anything of the
kind. Give him whatever you think best.' I named Clementi. 'Yes, yes,' said
he, 'Clementi is very good indeed;' and, added he, laughing, 'Give Carl
occasionally what is _according to rule_, that he may hereafter come to
what is _contrary to rule_.' After a hit of this sort, which he introduced
into almost every speech, he used to burst into a loud peal of laughter.
Having in the earlier part of his career been often reproached by the
critics with his _irregularities_, he was in the habit of alluding to this
with gay humor."]
229.
TO CZERNY.
DEAR CZERNY,--
I beg you will say nothing _on that particular subject_ at Giannatasio's,
who dined with us on the day you were so good as to call on me; he
requested this himself. I _will tell you the reason_ when we meet. I hope
to be able to prove my gratitude for your patience with my nephew, that I
may not always remain your debtor. In haste,
Your friend,
BEETHOVEN.
230.
TO CZERNY.
DEAR CZERNY,--
Can you in any way assist the man I now send to you (a pianoforte maker and
tuner from Baden) in selling his instruments? Though small in size, their
manufacture is solid. In haste,
Your friend,
BEETHOVEN.
231.
TO ZMESKALL.
Wednesday, July 3, 1817.
DEAR ZMESKALL,--
I have changed my mind. It might hurt the feelings of Carl's mother to see
her child in the house of a stranger, which would be more harsh than I
like; so I shall allow her to come to my house to-morrow; a certain tutor
at Puthon, of the name of Bihler, will also be present. I should be
_extremely_ glad if you could be with me about six o'clock, but not later.
Indeed, I earnestly beg you to come, as I am desirous to show the Court
that you are present, for there is no doubt that a _Court Secretary_ will
be held in higher estimation by them than a man _without an official
character, whatever his moral character may be!_
Now, jesting apart, independent of my real affection for you, your coming
will be of great service to me. I shall therefore expect you without fail.
I beg you will not take my _badinage_ amiss. I am, with sincere esteem,
Your friend,
BEETHOVEN
232.
TO G. DEL RIO.
Your friend has no doubt told you of my intention to send for Carl early
to-morrow. I wish to place his mother in a more creditable position with
the neighborhood; so I have agreed to pay her the compliment of taking her
son to see her in the company of a third person. This is to be done once a
month.
As to all that is past, I beg you will never allude to it again, either in
speaking or writing, but forget it all--as I do.
233.
TO FRAU VON STREICHER.
I have been occupied in arranging my papers; an immense amount of patience
is required for such an affair as putting them in order, but having once
summoned it to our aid we must persevere, or the matter would never be
completed. My papers, both musical and unmusical, are nearly arranged at
last; it was like one of the seven labors of Hercules![1]
[Footnote 1: Ries (in Wegeler's _Notizen_) relates: "Beethoven placed very
little value on the MSS. of his pieces written out by himself; when once
engraved they were usually scattered about the anteroom, or on the floor in
the middle of his apartment, together with other music. I often arranged
his music for him, but the moment Beethoven began to search for any piece,
it was all strewed about again."]
234.
TO FRAU VON STREICHER.
You see what servants are! [He had gone out and taken the key with him.]
Such is housekeeping! So long as I am ill, I would fain be on a different
footing with those around me; for dearly as I usually love solitude, it is
painful to me now, finding it scarcely possible, while taking baths and
medicine, to employ myself as usual,--to which is added the grievous
prospect that I may perhaps never get better. I place no confidence in my
present physician, who at length pronounces my malady to be _disease of the
lungs_. I will consider about engaging a housekeeper. If I could only have
the faintest hope, in this corrupt Austrian State, of finding an honest
person, the arrangement would be easily made; but--but!! [He wishes to hire
a piano and pay for it in advance; the tone to be as loud as possible, to
suit his defective hearing.]
Perhaps you do not know, though I have not always had one of your pianos,
that since 1809 I have invariably preferred yours.
It is peculiarly hard on me to be a burden on any one, being accustomed
rather to serve others than to be served by them.
235.
TO FRAU VON STREICHER.
I can only say that I am better; I thought much of death during the past
night, but such thoughts are familiar to me by day also.
236.
TO F. RIES,--LONDON.
Vienna, July 9, 1817.
MY DEAR FRIEND,--
The proposals in your esteemed letter of the 9th of June are very
flattering, and my reply will show you how much I value them. Were it not
for my unhappy infirmities, which entail both attendance and expense,
particularly on a journey to a foreign country, I would _unconditionally_
accept the offer of the Philharmonic Society. But place yourself in my
position, and consider how many more obstacles I have to contend with than
any other artist, and then judge whether my demands (which I now annex) are
unreasonable. I beg you will convey my conditions to the Directors of the
above Society, namely:--
1. I shall be in London early in January.
2. The two grand new symphonies shall be ready by that time; to become the
exclusive property of the Society.
3. The Society to give me in return 300 guineas, and 100 for my travelling
expenses, which will, however, amount to much more, as I am obliged to
bring a companion.
4. As I am now beginning to work at these grand symphonies for the Society,
I shall expect that (on receiving my consent) they will remit me here the
sum of 150 guineas, so that I may provide a carriage, and make my other
preparations at once for the journey.
5. The conditions as to my non-appearance in any other public orchestra, my
not directing, and the preference always to be given to the Society on the
offer of equal terms by them, are accepted by me; indeed, they would at all
events have been dictated by my own sense of honor.
6. I shall expect the aid of the Society in arranging one, or more, benefit
concerts in my behalf, as the case may be. The very friendly feeling of
some of the Directors in your valuable body, and the kind reception of my
works by all the artists, is a sufficient guaranty on this point, and will
be a still further inducement to me to endeavor not to disappoint their
expectations.
7. I request that I may receive the assent to and confirmation of these
terms, signed by three Directors in the name of the Society. You may easily
imagine how much I rejoice at the thoughts of becoming acquainted with the
worthy Sir George Smart [Music Director], and seeing you and Mr. Neate
again; would that I could fly to you myself instead of this letter!
Your sincere well wisher and friend,
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN.
[P.S. ON A SEPARATE SHEET OF PAPER.]
DEAR RIES,--
I cordially embrace you! I have purposely employed another hand in my
answer to the Society, that you might read it more easily, and present it
to them. I place the most implicit reliance on your kindly feelings toward
me. I hope that the Philharmonic Society may accept my proposals, and they
may rest assured that I shall employ all my energies to fulfil in the most
satisfactory manner the flattering commission of so eminent a society of
artists. What is the strength of your orchestra? How many violins, &c.?
Have you _one or two sets of wind instruments_? Is the concert room large
and sonorous?
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