The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1870-12-01

Neefe discerned at once the genius 0
| his pupil, and initiated HIM into tn
mighty conceptions Of Bach ant
Handel. Their sublime works warm
: ed the Imagination of the young ar
tist. and inspired him with an admi
ration which never diminished, an
which at the close Of Of his life resem
bled a sort of worship. At the age
Of twelve years his skill in eXecutinl
these difficult compositions was al
ready very great; and his irresistible
instinct for composition was begin,
ming to show itself Three sonata'
for the piano-forte, some variations
and songs, were the fruits of this ear.
" zeal. He had as yet DO knowledge
Of the rules Of harmony; incOherency
harsh modulatiOus, and disorder reign.
ed throughout them. They were pub.
lished: though Beethoven afterwards
ldisayowed them, and recognized as
his first work, the Piano TriOs, pub,
lished at Vienna. More skilled al
this period Of his life In the art of i'm
provising than of writing, he aston
ished all who heard him, with the
richness of his imagination. In 179Gi
he went to Vienna to hear Mozart,
whose music he passiOnately loved,
and to whom he had letters of recon-
mendation. Mozart invited him to
play; he commenced to imprOvise,
! and was at first listened to with in
difference, by the great artist, who
thought he was playing from memo
! ~. Beethoven was piqued, and ask
ed for a theme. Mozart gave him a
ehromatic fugue-subject; and his
skillful treatment of it showed so
much power, originality and genius,
as to elicit from Mozart this remark
TO his bystanders: "Listen to that
youth you viii hear of him some
dayW
In 1893, Beethoven went to Vienna
60 complete his musical studies, under
Haydn's direction. He was now
twenty two years old; and nOtwith-
standing his genius, had bat confused
notions of the art Of writing. Haydn
saw at once the necessity of contrap-
untaI study; but having been called 20
London to compose his twelve grand
symphonies, he entrusted the young
artist to the care of his friend Al
brechtsherger, then the most learned
DEOleseDI III 0Gl u4dLlls ~ - EUUC-
thing very curious and interesting to
see this bold and fantastic imagina-
ton, subjected to the scholastic rigOr
of the severest musician of theage. A
mind, burning with the fever of in
vention, is but lily adapted to the dry
study of cOunterpOint. The master
had but little philosophy, and did not
understand the guidance Of his eecen-
trIc pupil; subjecting him to his ordi-
nary method of progressive studies,
excellent when employed with pupils
of tender age, but requiring mOdifi-
cation in the education OF a man of
twenty. Nothing is more curious
than to witness in BeethOven's Thor
ough Bass studies (which have been
published) the struggle between his
determination to learn rules, and his
Imagination, which was continually
leading him to infringe them. One
sees in many parts Of his works his
love for scientific forms, and at the
same time the resistance which they
were constantly offering.
Soon after his coming to Vienna,
his talent for execution drew upon
him the eyes of the public, and he
passed for a pianist Of the highest or
der. Towards the close of the centu-
~ rival, named WOelh, presented
himself. Each had his partisans-the
Beethoven faction, headed by the
Prince Lichnowsky, and the other bv
the Baron WeZZlar. Many a friendly
contest between these rival artists de-
lighted the ears of a select assembly
at the charming villa of this latter
nobleman, where they abandoned
themselves without reserve to the in
spiration of the occasion, sometimes
alternately vieing with each other i'm
the treatment of themes mutually ex-
changed, and sometimes performing
together a caprice, which, if it could
have Jeen transcribed as fast as it was
eomLJsed, would have enjoyed a last.
ing fame. 1t was at the period of
these contests that Beethoven first
betrayed his pC7lchdlt for the sombre
and mysterious.
The war in Germany, and the death
of the ElectOr of Cologne, in 1901, de-
prived Beethoven of the hope of es-
tablishment at the electoral court, and
of the pension which had for a long
time furnished him with the means
of support. These events added to his
habitual sadness, and increased his
distance from society. His love of
solitude first betrayed itself in 1896. AT
the time when he felt the first an
proach of his infirmity-a deafness
which resisted every species of treat
ment, which was continually increas-
ing upon him, and which finally de-
prived him altogether of the pleasure
Of hearing music. It seemed to affect
him with a sense of shame; and at
times he was so unhappy as to be al
most induced TO take his life. "Arf
alone" he writes to a friend, s'has de-
TERED me; it seemed impossible for
me to leave the world before prOduc-
ing all that felt I ought. Hence ]
have prolonged this life, oh! how
miserable! with an organization SO
nervous that q mere nothing can re-
duce me from the happiest to the
most distressed condition"
Nevertheless, ,Beethoven's fame was
beginning 20 spread; his instrumental
works were already in the hands OF
every distinguished artist and anna
teur. At the instigation Of his friends
ne wrote his Opera of "Fidelio.r y
which was first represented at Prague.
in 1915, and though now so greatlyad.
mired, then met with poor success.
Between this, and 1908, his genius
took a lofty flight, producing the
"Heroic," Pastoral, ,"and c minoI
symphonies, his three best concerts.
and finest sOnatas for piano. These
works were performed at Vienna foi
his benefit; and the proceeds of these
were his principal source OF
income. His compositions brought
little or nothing, and from the impair
tial court he received no patronage.
Finally, in 1909, he had been induced
to accept the position of chapel-mas.
ter which Jerome Napoleon, King OF
Westphalia had offered him, when
the Archduke ROdolph determined {,
preserve for Austria the illustriOus
man whom he considered its glory,
and with others procured the passags
of an act, securing to the celebrated
artist an annual income of four thou
sand forms, on condition that be
should not leave the empire without
the consent of his patrons. Beeth-
oven was overwhelmed with graft /
tuae, renounced his project, and es-
taolished himself at Vienna. or rathel
az me pretty village of Baden. five
leagues from the capital; for il was
there that he passed the greater mar
OF the year. Here he used to wall
entire days in solitary spots. commas |
ing, and never writing down one not.
until the piece was finished in III,
head. Interruption was a great an
noyance. He always appeared tronb.
led at the presence Of a stranger. b1,
if any thing removed the un6lessant |
impression, be was at once affable anS |
cordial, though any allusion 10 his
infrmity, OF 10 the means of curino |
il, was fatal TO farther intercourse
One of his ruling passions was to b,
changing his abode. foI
he could never be long satisfied witt
any. Another was TO be continually
walking, whatever the season o.
weather. The whole population OF |
Vienna knew him from these Ions
walks, and even tie lowest classes had |
such admiration and respect for hi !
genius, as to step aside that he might |
pass on undisturbed. He was never
married, though at one time he was