The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-08-10
From the Kansas City Star.
 pT HE musical temperament IS | strange thing. It leads men to

| From the Kansas City Star /" HE musical temperament is strange thing. It leads men to l x tear their hair to stamp, to weep, to curse and to do many other things
 not ordinarily considered good form among our-best families. but permissible if one is gifted with temperament. Thus | Ludwig Van Beethoven, the composer, was a social favorte, although his be- havior at times was strongly reminiscent | of a spoiled child But Beethoven was possessed of genius which made 1t worth while for his noble patrons to put up Win | his occasional rudeness, and his game ness'' under affiiction compels ones ad- 1 miration.
 | Beethoven was born in ITO in the Ger man city of Bonn His father, Jonann I Van Beethoven, tenor singer at the chapel of the elector of Cologne, was an | habjtual drunkard and it was one of Lud- wigs duties as a small boy to bring his inebriated parent home from the tavern or persuade the police to release him | The elder Beethoven and a musician named Pfeiffer would suddenly remem- her that he had forgotten to give little Ludwig his days music lesson and would hurry to the home of Beethoven. drag the child from ped and Keep him practicing until daybreak.
 | Ludwig's mother was the daughter or A cook at the electors palace. Old Bee l%hoven recognized early his sons mu- sical talent and used to make great plans for him over his cups with
 Pfeiffer: some day the boy was TO
 make them both rich, and then they could remain drunk all the time With l out having to bother about earning d living. Before this beautiful dream could come true however, Johann Bee
 thoven died and the elector of Cologne,
 when he heard of 1t. wrote:
 "Beethoven is dead; it is serious | joss to the duties on spirits. l Ludwig then looked after the educa- ton of his brothers. earning hvins | by teaching music and playing, as well as by the sale of a few compositions. He took lessons from the composer Haydn and from Albrechtsbeuger, but neither of them thought much Of him. He was too obstinate and arrogant, these masters said. and when told that something was wrong would shout, T say 1t is right Beethoven himself said that he learned nothing from Haydn. and the older composer could see no
 future for Beethoven. But there were other musicians who were more dis cerninr. among whom was Mozart. He heard Beethoven play as boy and steppins into the next room said soft r. ly:
 "Pay attention to this younsster he
 r,,u n.ke a noise in the world one of these days
 When he was 22 years old Beethoven decided to leave Bonn, where his chance for future was slight and he made hls home in vienna thereafter. He was soon taken up by rich people of title. who act ed as his patrons, but certainly no one can accuse Beethoven of ever having koadied to these folk. One. of his chief patrons was certain Prince Lichnowski. At a recital at his patrons home one night Prince Lobkowitz, one of the guests. ventured a remark which Beethoven con sidered ignorant Beethoven ran into the
 courtyard of his patrons palace shout ing:
 Ass or LoDhoWitz! fooi oA
 kowitz.
 Beethoven was neither handsome noi courtly, but he was decidedly socia
 favorite. The noble women or Niehha
 were fascinated by his rudeness; they
 enjoyed hearing him roar angriiy ourins
 . lesson stamp up and down the room
 and tear up the music
 Upon one occasion he was asked wnetn'
 CT the Van before his name sisninec
 that he was of noble descent. Placing hi'
 hand upon his head and heart he ex
 claimed:
 My ncbiity'is here and here.
 Beethoven's brother, Johann, who has
 become arrogant over some newly ac
 quired wealth, once sent up his card ts the musician. It bore the inscriptions