New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-07-20
OBITUARY..
ALEXANDER WHEELOCK THAYER.

Mr. Alexander Wheelock Thayer, whose death IS
announced fro Trieste the author OF the
most trustworthy and $50 far as 1t goes) complete
biography OF Beethoven ever written Untortu-
nately the work never finished. and the three
volumes which have been printed covering the
composers life down TO the end or the year Ielo
are TO be had only in German.
Mr. Thayer was born at South Natick. Mass, on
October -. 1917 He was graduated from Harvard
College In lS4S and Immediately afterward went to
work in the college library. While thus employed
he formed the resolve the execution of which oc-
cupied him for the of his life lie went TO
Germany. where he lived for two years. collect
ing materials studying German and otherwise ht-
ting himself for the task which he had set him.
self, meanwhile writing letters for newspapers
When he came back to the United States. in 1872.
he became a member OF the staff of The New
York Tribune but music engrossed his attention,
his health gave way and he gave up the prores-
sion of Journalism. though he never ceased writ
ing articles subjects connected with music until
he could write more. In 1854 he went back TO
Europe and barring two years which he spent IN
Boston from 1856 to 1885, that country his
abiding place. The Boston interim brought him
into close association with Lowell Mason. who
employed him to catalogue his library and helped
him otherwise. In 1853, largely supported by funds
contributed by Mrs. Mehetabel Adams. of Cam
bridge and Mr. Mason, Mr.. Thayer returned to
Europe In 1862 he entered the service Of the United
States Legation at Vienna, anu Hot iohs "itoi
President Lincoln appointed him United States Con-
su, at Trieste That city became his permanent
home though all the time that he could spare
from his duties given to travels undertaken to
gather material for the Beethoven biography.
The first fruits OF his special study were given
to the world in his Acknowledgements Verzeichniss
der Werke Ludwig Beethovens." published In
Berlin In 1863. The next year appeared Volume /
of the biography, entitled Ludwig van Beetho-
ven's Leben" This like the succeeding volumes
Uhe second published In 1872. the third in 1870.
was written in English and translated by Her
mann Dciters a well-known German writer on
musical subjects and author of a biography OF
Brahms.
During the last ten years Mr.. Thayer did little
work on his magnum opus. He complained that
the concentration of his thoughts the stupen-
dous of material which he had gathered
caused his head TO ache so that whenever he be-
gan he Obliged to abandon 1t in an hour'
Whether not he made any progress on Volume
". with which he hoped TO finish the biography.
will not be known till details OF his death come
from Trieste. He was not married. but lived IN a
house filled with beethoven reGS (WHICH was KeP
interest In the musical dongs Of the town. especial
ly of singing society Of which ne was president
Thayer's biography of Beethoven is the final and
authoritative account OF the ne ana work OF tne
the history of Beethovens career on solid basis
OF fact. rectifying the great mass OF fable ana
gence or partisan bias OF the composers friends
and previous bographers, and bringing to light
quantities OF facts and unknown letters. Mr..
Ihayer's method has been that or the modern Ger
man school OF exact research. as exemplitied in
the Mozart biography of jain and that OF Bach
by Spitta-a method that leaves nothing to the M
verified statements of the careless and partial and
that ruthlessly clears away the accumulation or
fable and legend that naturally grows up around
the memory OF a great man. and that seems espe-
cay apt TO do so in the case OF a great musician
Thayer's Beethoven" has been accepted In Ger
many everywhere else as the suitable ana
worthy memorial of its subject.