New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-29

Rics begs YOU to dedicate the symphony
10 bim.-Shares.-Yo must not refuse
bluntly until you have the shares. j."
the symphony ready 10 be taken away
Then YOU can get 1t and the hrotheI
will come here The symphony must noi
he published for a year. Did you dodi-
cate the overture 20 him; You might
dedicate it 10 him"
Johann "a short time afterward) writes
.J[irchhoffcr was here and says ducats
have depreciatcd in value, and We ought
to inform ourselves at once. lie wants
me to bring him the two documents ana
the symphony, when he will at once hand
over the two shares. ] beg YOU thcre-
fore 20 sign this now. so that ] can be
with him at 10 O'Clock. ] will bring the
two shares at once.-The girl can carry
the symphony with me now. As regards
the dedication Of the symphony, II was
only a question put for Ries by kirch-
hotter. and must in no case be. lie "ould
have liked to see Ries (gct ITO, because
he is going to leave London soon. told
him It could not well be in the case OF
this work, WhereupOn he said no more
In no event does he count on 1t longer
When finally in 1896 Beethoven decided
that the symphony should be dedicated
TO the King of Prussia, he obtained per-
mission from Prince Hatfield, the Prns-
sian Ambassador, to do 50. DR.. Spicker,
the Kings librarian, was I'm Vienna al
the time. and arrangements were made
to transmit a copy we fear very much
that the thought on one side went to
the autograph Ito HIM through him TO
Berlin. Holz had talk with him and
advised him concerning the preparation
of the presentation copy, and also dis
cussed the possibility OF decoration as
a reward Spicker told Holz to have Bee
thoven copy the title Of the printed work
on the title page in his natural and ha-
bitual handwriting, without any attempt
at Identification. This, he said, would
enhance the value of the score in the
eyes of the King, and he would put 1t
in his private library To get the order
would be an easy matter. for the King
was predisposed In Beethoven's favor.
Spicker also visited Beethoven, being pre-
scented by Haslnger. Beethoven wrote
the title page, the score was handsome
IL bound by his publishers, steiner &
co. Beethoven made the corrections in
his own hand. and the volume was placed
in the hands of DR. Spicker, together
with the following letter:
Your Majesty: 1t is a piece OF great
good fortune in my life that your maj
esty has graciously allowed me to deii-
cate the present work 10 you.
Your majesty is not only the father
Of your subjects, but also protector OF
the arts and sciences; how much more.
therefore must | rejoice in your gra-
clous permission. since | am also 50
fortunate as to count myself citizen
of Bonn, and therefore one of your sub
iects.
81 beg your majesty graciously TO ac-
cent this work as a slight token Of the
high reverence which l give 10 all your
virtues.
Your majesty's most obedient servant
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
The King of Prussia's acknowledgment
was as follows:
In view OF the recognized worth Of
your compositions. it was very agreeable
10 me TO receive the new work which
you have sent me. l thank you for send
ing il, and hand YOU the accompanying