New-York tribune., 1907-09-15
BEETHOVEN LISTENING TO THE BIRDS.
Childhood Of Beefboye7.

About one hundred and thirty years ago, at the
tine when orr ancestors were fighting for the IN
dependence OF our country. IN certain pubic
school il the city Of Bonn, the river Rhine,
thsre was one little boy who seemed to want
70 talk or play with the other boys He did not
appear TO be very happy, but as ne talked little
there were few who ever learned the cause OF his
sadness TIad they followed him home. however,
they would soon nave found out why little Ludwig
was not happy. His father was Johann Beethoven
ore Of the musicians the employ o. the Eector
Of Cologne. who had his court at ls)nn Musicians
did not often secure large salaries IN those days
snd Ludwig's father was no more fortunate t4;tn
Others Of MS profession lie had not much money
and was not even careful to spend the little he
had wisely Some that should have bought food
and clothes for Ludwig and his three little broth
for drink instead
Then, too Johann Beethoveil'S temper, Wi1ich was
not a good one at best. was not improved Dy iii5
wine drinking. and you can well imagine that his
wife and children were never very glad 70 haE
io.l,e '.iiQ a Il ,f ~ e 5y.ias lie but she had not
much 10 give her children besides Iohe LOT SlIg sue
was not strong enough II mind or D99y 70 u9 toi
There yras stiI another cause for LUdwig's unr
happiness that did not affect the oIef % 3s "a
musical instrument thai looked ike a very sIlall
old fashioned piano and that we may can d n ca
Always somewhere near Ihe @ Go + 90 ecbooI he
& violin and when Ludwig was not d. -
nnents instead of playing at games as 1ar IN mad
eiscovered his musical talent and begun 10 i5 Is
him to play the violin and claFleI t - his
haTshness often caused his son 10 shed Inny Re-
But better days We're 10 come t Ip had learned all
his father could teach him and ne was r 5eiI nan
ten he became the pupil Of the court orsdlist d h
Neefe, who recognlzeo ne o., 6Ill be bad becn
teaching his small pupil somewhat Lloi -,
i5 b ne - 9n his place at the chapel organ when
he be away from the cl5y Lor ..df u ba goes
on as he has begun, he will certainly become d
n %as not very long before Ludwig began 70
play fn the orchestra Of the court theatre as |e zen
piaying hut ii gave him just the sort Of practice
that he needed before he could nope TO 1e pnji pa
fgeofor died and one Of the first things the new
Elector cid was TO give LadWls WI, rSai amount he
received must have been great heip u lis
when Ludwig was sixteen be made his first yiSl' S
. Vienna, and this was great event IA @ l.o +d
expensive one in those days. and some one h!Hsl
ttane snl1plied Ilin WIN VIII @ IG On his visit he
bsnefactor was is not Known. On l-.sia3 tI that
played for the great Mozart, who pr0pheSled la
Soon after his return home his mother, OF whom
he was very fond, died ana for time ne seetle9
helped TO make things brighter was his aequaint-
nained among his truest friends throughout his
Ife- They cultivated and intellectual peo,
their so:ety was q great advantage to him and
nslped @ TO make up for the extreme me9greiieSs ,
met Count Waldstein. excellent amateur musi-
Ian, VINO EeipeG ana encouraged MIN III many
Mays The count probably did not know that by
petrlencing the young musician he was doing the
pest thing he could to make himself known "a
Iufure generations. Several years later Beethoven
dedicated a sonata o him. This is usually known
ny his name, which many people would otherwise
never have heard Of
Beethoven remained in Bonn until he twen-
ssy-two years old, doing his work chapel and
,n1ea-re musician. with increase OF salary In
these years the ElectOr had given no sign thai
"a was Of the presence of genius among
rs musicians, but he did find it out at last, and
st,r.ssaeo that Beethoven should go TO Vienna "a
sssuoy az his expense. Accordingly the young man
Sa lett for that city. faloweq by t5s best wishes