New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-28

cuuistaNCe NRat large aNu SAkhAANt"'N
portion Of Thgyer'S "hie OF bee,
thoven" should reach the eyes OF
American and English readers Tor the
first time through Che columns oil nc
Tribune. Some sixty years ago Mr.,
mayer was member Of the editor,S'
staff of this Journal lie left il 10 de-
vote himself 10 his life task, tho writ
inr OF Bccthovcn's biography. lie died
with that task only partly fulfilled,
but leaving a literary monument when
musical historians have ever since ac-
claimed as the most marvellous cN-
ample Of Intelligent, laborious. patient
and painstaking research and direct,
logical and convincing presentation OF
fact that biographical literature can
show
What writer for The Tribune be-
gan writer for The Tribune has
brought to completion. Messrs.
Charles Scwbnes's Sons will probably
place the complete biography in the
hands Of the public within year. II
will hc g vastly different work from
tina. which Thayer dreamed of when
he .i~s; conceived the idea Of bring
inc order and consistency into the
fraglnentary and highly COlored ac-
counts Of the composers life upon
which he fed hls mind when q col
lece student: 6uS il viii he in all
things true 10 his conception OF what
biography should be. knowledge o.
Beethoveu's life has nightly increased
since Thsyer began his work. The
first publication Of some of the re-
suits Of his Investigations IN his
chronological Catalogue" Of Beetho-
ven's compositions in 1866, and the first
volume Of the biography in 1866,
stirred uD the activities Of critical
historians throughout Europe. For
them he had opened up hundred ave
nues of research and pointed out a
hundred subjects for special study.
At once collectors Of photographic
brought forth their treasures, OLD men
opcned up the books Of their memories,
librarians gave eager scarchers access
10 their dusty shelves, churches pro
duced their archives. the hieroglyphlc
sketches which had been scattered all
over the world and looked upon only
with curious interest we're deciDhered
by scholars and yielded up chronology
cal information of estimable value. To
all this Thaver had pointed the way,
end thus a tremendous mass OF fact
WIS added 10 the already tremendous
mass which Thayer had accumulated.
Nor did his labors in the field end with
his first publications. So long as he
lived. he gathered, ordered and sifted
the new material and prepared 1t for
incorporation into later volumes and
later editions. After ne was dead his
editors continued the work.
THAYER AND HIS LIFE WORK.
II is proper that a short history of
Alexander Wheelock Thayer and his
work be told here. He was born IN
South Natick, Mass, on October p,
1917. and acquired collegiate education
at Harvard. whence he was graduated
in 1843. He probably felt that he was
cut out for a literary career, for his
first work after graduation was done
in the library Of his Alma Mater.
There interest in Beethoven took hold
Of him. With the plan in his mind of
revising and simplifying the paraphrase
Cf Schindler's biography of the com
TCser made by Moscheles originally
without the name Of SCHNEIDER on the
title page and of bringing it and the
little book called "Biographische Noti-
zen. etc." by Wegeler and Ries, besides
the few English accounts which had
appeared in print at the time into
harmony, he went to Europe in 1S49
and spent two years in Bonn, Berlin,
Prague and Vienna. SCHNEIDER, Wege-
Ter and Ries had all been associated
with Beethoven in his lifetime, the
former his secretary without salary"
as he called himself in his book, and
"L'Ami de Beethoven" as he preten-
tiously designated himself on his Wis
iting cards, Wegeler and Ries as towns
people and family friends.
In 1852 Thayer came to New York
and attached himself to The Tribune
II was an attachment in a double
sense; illness compelled him to aban-
don daily journalism and sever his
connection with The Tribune within
two years, but his interest in the
paper he never gave up. He read it
until the day of his death, and his ac-
duaintance with the member of The
Tribune's staf who was destined to
have hand in the completion of his
lifework began when, a little more
than a generation after he had gone
away, he opened correspondence with
him touching some Of the musical ar
ticles printed by this paper. Ever and
anon after that until shortly before
his death he gave evidence that he was
following the current of musical af-
fairs in America by reading The Trib-
une's columns. After the death Of Mr..
Greeley there was nobody connected
with The Tribune who reached back
to his day with whom he had a per-
sonal acquaintance, except Thomas
Rocker, then the treasurer Of The
Tribune Association, but in the earlier
DAYS foreman of the composing room.
Rocker was always remembered in his
letters with affectionate regard.
In 1854 he went to Europe a second
time, still fired with the ambition to
rid the life history Of Beethoven OF
the errors and defects which maIred
it as told il the current books.
SCHNEIDER had sold the memorabilia"
which he had received from Beethoven
and Stephan Won Breuning, Beethoven
EXECUTOR to the Prussian government,