New-York tribune., 1920-03-07
Society to Give
First American Hearine
OfROndO and Cantata
wv WV

used by Beethoven at his own concerts
in Vienna and Prague when thoughts
Of virtuoso's career still had lodg-
ment in his mind. 1t was at least
begun in Bonn and so, too, was the
rondo in the same key, the manuscript
of which was found among his posthu-
nous papers and published by Diabell.
A memorandum by Randhartinger
says that it was an unfinished work
which Carl Czerny completed and or
chestrated, but recent Investigations
have established the fact that Czerny's
part in the composition was confined to
writing the cadenzas and filling out the
passage work.
The cantata has q more interesting
history and is much more character
istic example of Beethoven's genius. Out
of it there already look the eyes of
the future giant. 1t was composed
shortly after the death of Joseph II,
Emperor of Austria and brother of the
Elector of Cologne, who was Bee
thoven's master as a court musician in
Bonn. Joseph died on February 20,
1890, when Beethoven was a little over
of work to clear up the history of the
composition.
Origin of the Cantata
There was reading club, or literary
society iLeseverein) in Bonn at the
time, which on February % held
meeting and determined to hold COM
Emperor. At that meeting one of the
speakers proposed that cantata, the
words of which had been sent to him, be
composed by some member of the club
or another musician for performance at
the service, or celebration, which was
set down for March 49,
Beethoven, though not himself
member, had friends in the club, among
them Count Waldstein, whom Bee
thoven has immortalized with the dedi-
cation of the pianoforte sonata in C,
though here we are without evidence,
that this influential and cultivated
amateur persuaded Beethoven to under
take the task of setting the cantata
referred to to music.
Two days before the celebration, the
minutes of the club attest, it was
resolved "for various reasons the pro-
posed cantata cannot be performed"
A remark by Wegeler has led to the
theory that the reason was the diff
Guilty of playing the wind instrument
the short time allowed the composer
he did not finish the work in time to
make it's performance possible. How
ever that may be, when Beethoven
went to Vienna two years later he car
ried the manuscript with him.
From that time until 1884 nothing
was heard or learned by any one of
Beethoven's biographers touching the
cantata. Thayer knew that it had once
existed, but in his chronological Cat
alogue" GS65) he could only record
the date Of its composition and the
fact that it's manuscript had not been
discovered, though included in the cat
alogue of the manuscripts of Baron
de Beine prepared for an auction sale
in 1873
At that sale, Hummel seems to have
bought it, and in 1884 Armin Fried
man, of Vienna, purchased it from List
& Francke, well known dealers in Sec
ond-hand books in Leipsic. DR.. Hans
lick published the news of the dis
covery, made possible by the retention
of the catalogue mark at the de Beine
sale, in the rNeue Freie Presse," of
Vienna. Brakms read the manuscript
at the pianof6rte and exclaimed,
Everything in it is thoroughly Bee
thoven. Even if there we're no name on
the title page, no one could surmise
another authorship"
Melody Used In "Fidelio"
Then there followed proofs Of Bee
thoven's own appreciation of the work.
Fifteen years had passed since ne
wrote it, but when occupied with the
composition OF "Fidelio" he intrOduced
the melody Of one Of its numbers, key
and oboe solo unchanged, in the finale
Of the last act of his opera. Not only
that, the hearers at next Tuesdays
concert will have an opportunity to
opening chords Of the first number
(also introduced in the last) as the be-
ginning Of the music to the dungeon
scene in "Fidelio."
The text Of the cantata, which was
written by q young cleric named Sew
erin Anton Averdonk, is such piece
Of fuIsome and bombastic eulogy of the
dead monarch as was usually perpe-
trated on all occasions designed to
hatter royalty at the time. Joseph the
Grsst, father Of immortal deeds. Is
dead! The monster Fanaticism had
risen from hell and darkened the
heavens with his wings; but Joseph, i'm
bue1 with divine strength, had crushed
its head and liberated humanity. For
this deed he was awaiting crown
eternal"-and such rubbish for guam
thy.
Far the purposes Of the impending
concert, the translator of the text took
the liberty Of freely paraphrasing it, 50
sas to make it applicable to any heroic
iiherator. He was compelled to pre-
sarve much of the original imagery,
however, because Of the dellneatlve
|ehaFacter Of Heethoyen's music. that
M had one OF his own heroes IN mind
pkebably will be guessed by she audi