square Cyclopean figure was attired in a shabby coat with torn sleeves."]
424.
TO HIS NEPHEW.
Baden, June 15.
MY DEAR SON,--
I hope you received the 62 florins 30 kreutzers. If you wish to order
trousers of the same cloth, do so. You probably chose that at 25 florins,
and on such occasions the best quality should not be rejected for the sake
of a couple of florins. You may also order two pairs of trousers of the
gray cloth. You must let me know the amount of the tailor's bill, &c., &c.,
which shall be paid by me. "Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand
doeth." Such is the sentiment of noble-minded men. You have, alas! only
yourself to blame for my being forced to draw your attention to this. Do
not forget to call on Riess (??). May Aurora not only awaken you but speed
your industry.
Now for my every-day household matters. The maid came indeed, but is not to
remain; in the mean time I have spoken pretty plainly to the old woman, _so
far_ as it is possible to speak to such people.
But let us say no more of all this bedevilment. My brother _Asinanio_ has
written to me. What I find most trying of all is being alone at dinner, and
it is really surprising that I can write to you even tolerably from here.
Possibly I may come to town on Saturday, and if so you will perhaps drive
out here with me at six o'clock in the evening?
Now farewell, my darling! deserve this name. Retain what money you require;
anything you want shall be purchased for you when I come in. I embrace you,
and hope you will be my good, studious, noble son.
Now as ever, your attached
FATHER.
I should like to know that you received the money safely. Did the
Correpetitor come?
425.
TO HIS NEPHEW.
MY DEAR SON,--
I send you herewith the 90 florins. Get a written receipt from the landlady
to prevent all mistakes afterwards; this is the invariable custom with
those still under the control of guardians. My wafers are done; cannot you
manage to send me a box in some way or other? Acknowledge the receipt of
the money at once. God bless you! Do all you possibly can to rid me of that
old demon.
Do not involve yourself in any clandestine doings with my brother; above
all do nothing clandestine towards me; towards your attached father.
Goodnight. Farewell! farewell! The old witch and Satan and I?!
426.
TO HIS NEPHEW.
I rejoice, my dear son, that you take pleasure in this new sphere, and such
being the case you must zealously strive to acquire what is necessary for
it. I did not recognize your writing; I indeed look only to the _sense_ and
_meaning_, but you must now attain some outward elegance also. If it is too
hard a task for you to come here, give it up; but if you can by any
possibility do so, I shall rejoice in my desert home to have a feeling
heart near me. If you do come, the housekeeper will settle that you leave
Vienna at five o'clock, which leaves you ample time for your studies.
I embrace you cordially.
Your attached
FATHER.
P.S. Don't forget to bring the "Morgenblatt" and Ries's letter.[1]
[Footnote 1: A letter from Ries of this date, in the _Fischhof'sche
Handschrift_, is of sufficient interest to be given here at full length:--
Godesberg, June 9, 1825.
Dearest Beethoven,--I returned a few days ago from Aix-la-Chapelle, and
feel the greatest pleasure in telling you that your new Symphony [the 9th]
was executed with the most extraordinary precision, and received with the
greatest applause. It was a hard nut to crack, and the last day I rehearsed
the _finale_ alone for three hours; but I in particular, and all the
others, were fully rewarded by the performance. It is a work beside which
no other can stand, and had you written nothing but this you would have
gained immortality. Whither will you lead us?
As it will interest you to hear something of the performance, I will now
briefly describe it. The orchestra and choruses consisted of 422 persons,
and many very distinguished people among them. The first day commenced with
a new Symphony of mine, and afterwards Handel's _Alexander's Feast_. The
second day began with your new Symphony, followed by the _Davide Penitente_
of Mozart, the overture to the _Flaute Magico_, and the _Mount of Olives_.
The applause of the public was almost terrific. I had been in
Aix-la-Chapelle from the 3d of May on purpose to conduct the rehearsals,
and as a mark of the satisfaction and enthusiasm of the public, I was
called forward at the close of the performance, when an ode and a laurel
crown were presented to me by a lady (a very pretty one too), and at the
same moment another poem and a shower of flowers followed from the upper
boxes. All was pleasure and contentment, and every one says that this is
the finest of the seven Whitsuntide festivals held here.
I cannot sufficiently lament that your other music arrived too late to make
use of it. It was indeed utterly impossible to do so. I herewith send you,
my dear friend, a check for 40 Louis d'or on Heppenmayer & Co. in Vienna,
according to our agreement, and beg you will acknowledge the receipt, that
I may settle everything relating to Aix-la-Chapelle.
I am glad that you have not accepted any engagement in England. If you
choose to reside there, you must previously take measures to ensure your
finding your account in it. From the Theatre alone Rossini got £2500. If
the English wish to do anything at all remarkable for you, they must
combine, so that it may be well worth your while to go there. You are sure
to receive enough of applause, and marks of homage, but you have had plenty
of these during your whole life. May all happiness attend you. Dear
Beethoven, yours ever,
FERDINAND RIES.]
427.
TO HIS NEPHEW.
Baden, June 28, 1825.
MY DEAR SON,--
As in this heat you may perhaps wish to bathe, I send you two more florins.
You must be careful to take a written receipt from those to whom you pay
money; for that errors do occur is proved by the blue cloth, and the three
florins for the looking-glass. You are a thorough Viennese, and although I
do not expect you to become a W.W. (depreciated Vienna currency), still it
is no disgrace at your age to give an exact account of all that you
receive, as no one is considered to be of age till five and twenty, and
even if you had property of your own, you would be obliged to account for
it to your guardian at your present years. Let us not refer to the past; it
would be easy to do so, but only cause me pain; at last it would come to
this, "You are indeed a first-rate guardian," &c. If you had any depth of
feeling you would have acted very differently in most things.
Now as to my domestic rabble; yesterday the kitchenmaid was off again and
got a fresh place; the cause is difficult to discover from my old witch,
who is now once more all smiles, and no longer persists in declaring that
she has incurred any _loss_ from the weekly bills; what do you think of
that?
[The last page of this letter is an illegible fragment.]
428.
TO HIS NEPHEW.
Baden.
MY DEAR GOOD CARL,--
I have just got your letter this evening, and could not help laughing at
it. It was not right in the people at Mayence to have acted thus, but since
the thing has occurred, it does not signify. Our epoch requires strong
minds to scourge those frivolous, contemptible, malicious beings, repulsive
as it is to my feelings to cause pain to any man. Besides, I intended a
mere jest, and it was far from my intention to let such a thing be
printed.[1]
You must ascertain instantly from a magistrate the proper mode of
converting the Bank obligations into Rothschild's Austrian Loan, that you
may get the authority from a magistrate (not from the _Court_ of those
_pseudo_-guardians!)
Be good and honest; you have here an instance how people rejoice when such
men are properly estimated. Be my own dear precious son, and imitate my
virtues, but not my faults; still, though man is frail, do not at least
have worse defects than those of
Your sincere and fondly attached
FATHER.
Write to me about the conversation on Sunday--it is of the _Court,
courtly_, so you must be on your guard. Holz did not come to-day; whether
he is trustworthy I cannot say.
[Footnote 1: There is no doubt that he alludes to the severe castigation of
Haslinger in No. 405 and the _canonization_ of the two others. See also No.
440, which shows that there was something amiss with Haslinger.]
429.
TO HIS NEPHEW.
To-day is Friday, to-morrow Saturday.
Here comes _Satanas_. To-day her raging fury and madness have somewhat
subsided, but if she applies to you, refer her to me the day after
to-morrow. During the whole week I was forced to submit and to suffer like
a saint. Avaunt! such dregs of the people! What a reproach to our
civilization to stand in need of a class like this, and to have those whom
we despise so constantly near us. Go with her to-morrow as formerly to the
Carolin Thor about the Seltzer water; if the small bottles are as genuine
as the larger ones, order some of them, but I think the larger size are
more likely to be the _safest_; _ce dépend de votre esprit, votre
distinction_, &c. Now farewell, my dear son; take care to get me the
genuine, and _not_ the artificial Seltzer water, and go yourself to see
about it, or I might get Heaven knows what! Farewell again, my good fellow;
we are well affected towards you, and shall expect you the day after
to-morrow at eight o'clock. Breakfast shall be ready for you, if that early
meal does not become as usual a late meal. _Ah! au diable avec ces grands
coquins de neveux, allez-vous en, soyez mon fils, mon fils bien aimé.
Adieu; je vous baise, votre père sincère comme toujours._
430.
TO HIS NEPHEW.
The old goose is the bearer of this. She has given you the quills, and you
have again told an untruth. Alas! farewell. I await your report about the
book. She is going to-day to Katel, so she will have very little time for
her stupid blundering. May the Lord one day deliver me from her! _Libera me
Domine de illis_, &c.
431.[1]
DEAR SON, DEAR BOY,--
Do not omit the point about "the happiness." I know from my experience of
the late Lichnowsky, that those so-called great personages do not like to
see an artist, who is at all events their equal, prosperous. _Voilà le même
cas, votre Altesse_, sometimes in the context V.A. The address "à son
Altesse Monseigneur le Prince," &c., &c. We cannot tell whether he may have
that weakness or not. A blank sheet ought to follow with my signature. You
might add that he must not regard the newspaper trash, the writers of
which, if I chose, would loudly trumpet forth my merits. The Quartet did
indeed fail the first time that it was played by Schuppanzigh; for on
account of his corpulence he requires more time than formerly to decipher a
piece at a glance, and many other circumstances concurred in preventing its
success, which were indeed predicted by me; for although Schuppanzigh and
two others receive pensions from royal personages [Rasumowsky], their
quartet-playing is not what it was when all four were in the habit of
constantly playing together. On the other hand, it has been six times
performed in the most admirable manner by other artists, and received with
the greatest applause; it was played twice over in one evening, and then
again after supper. A violinist of the name of Böhm means also to give it
at his benefit, and I must now let many others have it.
Mention the Grand Quartet in your letter to Peters at Leipzig; lose no time
about this, and desire him to send me an early reply. Mischances of this
kind cannot well be avoided, and we must appear rather coy. Seal the
enclosed letter to my brother and send it to the post. Desire the tailor in
the Kärntnerstrasse to get lining for trousers for me, and to make them
long and without straps, one pair to be of kerseymere and the other of
cloth. The great-coat can be fetched from Wolf's. The shoemaker's shop is
in the "Stadt" in the Spiegelgasse, in front when coming from the Graben.
His name is Magnus Senn, at the Stadthaus, No. 1093. Call on Hönigstein [a
banker] and be _candid_, that we may really know _how this wretch has
acted_; it would be wise to ascertain this before the letter to Galitzin is
sent off. It is probable that something else may be found for you this
winter, but we can talk over the matter. Before coming here on Saturday
call on Zinbrachen in the Naglergasse about the knives, which you can send
at once; the old woman made a fine mess of it! When driving home yesterday
I met Clement, Holz, Linke, and Rtschaschek [Rzehatschek] in Neudorf; they
had all been to call on me while I was in town. They wish to have the
Quartet again. Holz drove straight back here from Neudorf and supped with
me in the evening, when I gave him the Quartet to take back with him.
The attachment of genuine artists is not to be despised, and cannot be
otherwise than gratifying.
Let me hear from you as soon as you have spoken with Hönigstein; write the
dedication of the Overture in C [Op. 124] to Galitzin. If the H.'s
undertake to forward it, give it to them, but look sharp about it. God be
with you, my dear son; I shall expect a letter from you without fail. May
God bless you and me. The end must soon come of your attached father.
Good-by, you scamp!
N.B. Do not forget in your letter to Galitzin to mention that the Overture
is already announced and about to appear, engraved and dedicated to him.
[Footnote 1: He refers to Prince Boris Gallizin and the Quartets he had
ordered. The production of the first of them in E flat major had been a
failure. See No. 399.]
432.
TO HIS NEPHEW.
MY DEAR SON,--
Send this letter at once to my _pseudo_-brother, and add something
yourself. It is impossible to permit this to continue any longer; no soup
to-day, no beef, no eggs, and at last _broiled meat_ from the inn!
When Holz was with me lately, there was really almost nothing to eat at
supper; and such is the woman's bold and insolent behavior, that I have
told her to-day I will not suffer her to remain beyond the end of the
month. No more to-day. All that is necessary about the magistrate is for me
to write a note authorizing you to draw the money, but it would be as well
were you to take the opportunity of asking what you are to do about
converting the bank shares into a share in Rothschild's Loan. I shall say
nothing further, except that I always look on you as my dear son, and one
who deserves to be so. _Little_ as I require what nourishes the body, as
you know, still the present state of things is really too bad, besides
being every moment in danger of being poisoned.
Farewell! Be careful, my dear son, of your health in this heat; I trust you
will continue well. Shun all that may enervate or diminish your youthful
energies. Farewell! A pleasant talk together would be far better than all
this writing. Ever your loving and attached father, who fondly presses you
to his heart.
433.
TO HIS NEPHEW.
MY DEAR SON,--
The enclosed will show you all. Write this letter to Schlesinger.
To ---- Schlesinger, Berlin,
Emporium of Art and Science.
You can couch some things in better terms. I think we may calculate on 80
ducats. If indispensable, delay the letter to Galitzin, but be sure to
dispatch the one to Schlesinger on Saturday. I suppose you received the
packet? I beg you will bring me some shaving-soap, and at least one pair of
razors; the man who grinds them gets 2 florins. You will know if anything
is to be paid. Now pray practise economy, for you certainly receive too
much money. All in vain--a Viennese will always be a Viennese! I rejoiced
when I could assist my poor parents; what a contrast are you in your
conduct towards me! Thriftless boy, farewell!
Your attached
FATHER.
Bring the newspaper with you. You have a great deal to do this time. You no
doubt will write before Sunday. Do not flatter that wretch ----. He is a
miserable, weak-minded fellow. I embrace you. My health is _no better_.
434.
TO HIS BROTHER JOHANN,--GNEIXENDORF.
Baden, July 13, 1825.
MY WORTHY BROTHER,--
As you have taken such good care of the book, I beg you will take equal
care that it be returned to the proprietor here. Another pretty business!
As to your wish that I should come to see you, I long ago fully explained
myself on that point; so I request that you will never again allude to the
subject, for you will find me as immovable as ever. Pray spare me all
details, as I am unwilling to repeat what is disagreeable. You are happy,
and it is my desire that you should be so; continue thus, for every one is
best _in his own sphere_.
I only once made use of your lodgings, but the baking-oven nearly made me
ill, so I did not go again; as I have now a lodging of my own, it is not
probable that I shall even _once_ make use of the room you offer me. When
you write, be sure to _seal_ your letters, and address them to the care of
Carl, in Vienna, as such letters cost a great deal here. I once more urge
you to restore the book belonging to the machinist, _an dem Graben_, for
such occurrences are really almost incredible, and place me in no small
embarrassment. So the book! the book! to be sent to Carl in Vienna with all
possible haste and speed. Farewell, most worthy brother! Yours,
LUDWIG.
435.
TO HIS NEPHEW.
Baden, July 15.
MY DEAR SON,--
In your letter to Schlesinger don't forget to ask whether Prince Radziwill
is in Berlin. As to the 80 ducats, you can also write that they may be paid
in _Conventionsgulden_, at only 4 florins 30 kreutzers to the ducat; but I
leave this entirely to yourself, though gold ducats would not be too much
from one who has the right of publishing in England and also in France. You
must be quite decided too with respect to the four months' bill. A.
Mayseder receives 50 ducats for a set of violin variations! Do not fail to
call attention to the fact that my bad health and other circumstances
constrain me to look more closely after my interests than formerly.
Bargaining is odious to me, but it must be so! What are my feelings when I
find myself thus alone among these men! Be sure to forward my letter to my
brother, that the book may be restored--what a trick! I should have liked,
too, to do all I could to benefit my hearing, and here I should have had
time to do so. How melancholy to have such a brother! Alas! alas! Farewell!
I embrace you from my heart.
Your attached
FATHER.
P.S. Do not be dilatory, and rise early. If you would rather not, pray do
not come on Sunday; but at all events write, though not at present, for if
you can come we can discuss all matters together.
436.
TO HIS NEPHEW.
Baden, July 18, Monday.
MY DEAR SON,--
You will see from the enclosure all that you wish to know; only observe
_moderation_. Fortune crowns my efforts, but do not lay the foundation of
misery by mistaken notions; be truthful and exact in the account of your
expenses, and give up the theatre for the present. Follow the advice of
your guide and father; be counselled by him whose exertions and aspirations
have always been directed to your moral welfare, though without neglecting
your temporal benefit.
This Herr Thal will call on you, and he will also be at Herr Hönigstein's;
you can give him the Overture if you think fit. He is to stay three weeks.
You may invite him to dine here. Sunday would be best, as a certain scamp
comes on that day at an early hour, in a carriage that I will send for him.
Pray show some amiability of manner towards this man; art and science form
a link between the noblest spirits, and your future vocation[1] by no means
exempts you from this. You might take a _fiacre_ and drive to the copyist's
if you can spare time. With respect to the transcription of the Quartet,
you may tell him that I write very differently now, much more legibly than
during my illness; this Quartet must be written out twice, and I can send
it at once. I have had the offer of a copyist here, but I don't know what
he can do. I should be careful not to be too confidential at first with the
_Holz Christi_, or the splinter of the _Holz Christi_.
Write to me forthwith. Perhaps the old goose may go to Vienna the day after
to-morrow. Farewell! Attend to my advice.
Your attached
FATHER,
Who cordially embraces you.
You may possibly go to D---- with this Herr Thal; do not, however, show too
much anxiety about the money.
[Footnote 1: The nephew had now resolved on a commercial career, and on
this account entered the Polytechnic Institution.]
437.
TO HIS NEPHEW.
MY DEAR SON,--
So let it be! Bring G----'s letter with you, for I have scarcely read it
myself. My _Signor Fratello_ came the day before yesterday with his
brother-in-law [see No. 435]--what a contemptible fellow! The old witch,
who went almost crazy again yesterday, will bring you the answer about the
book from his brother-in-law. If it does not convey a positive certainty on
the subject, send this letter at once to the base creature! When Cato
exclaimed, with regard to Caesar, "This man and myself!" what can be done
in such a case? I don't send the letter, for it will be time enough a
couple of days hence. It is too late to-day. I impress my love, as with a
seal, on your affectionate attachment to me. If you are likely to miss your
work by coming here, then stay where you are.
As ever, your loving and anxious
FATHER.
Three times over:
________________
|: Come soon! :|
438.
TO THE COPYIST.[1]
Read _violino 2do_--the passage in the first _Allegretto_ in the 1st
violin--thus:--
[Music: Treble clef, sixteenth notes.] &c.
So write it in this way; in the first _Allegretto_, mark the signs of
expression in all the four parts:
[Music: Treble and Bass clefs.]
The notes are all right; so do not misunderstand me.
Now, my good friend, as to your mode of writing--_obbligatissimo_; but the
signs [Music: piano crescendo decrescendo] &c., are shamefully neglected,
and often, very often, in the wrong place, which is no doubt owing to
haste. For Heaven's sake impress on Kempel [a copyist] to copy everything
just as it stands; look carefully over my present corrections, and you will
find all that you have to say to him. When [Music: staccato mark] is put
over a note, [Music: staccatissimo mark] is not to take its place, and
_vice versa_. It is not the same thing to write [Music: three staccatissimo
quarter notes] and [Music: three staccato quarter notes]. The [Music:
crescendo] are often purposely placed after the notes. For
instance:--[Music: three notes, decrescendo on second note]. The ties to be
just as they are now placed. It is not synonymous to write [Music: three
notes, slurred] or thus [Music: three notes, slur over first two notes].
Such is our will and pleasure! I have passed no less than the whole
forenoon to-day, and yesterday afternoon, in correcting these two pieces,
and I am actually quite hoarse from stamping and swearing.
In haste, yours,
BEETHOVEN.
Pray excuse me for to-day, as it is just four o'clock. [The close of this
letter has not been deciphered by its possessor, who has traced over the
hieroglyphics with a pencil; it reads somewhat to this effect, "to go to
Carl at four o'clock. We were much amused," &c.]
[Footnote 1: This letter is evidently written about the same time that the
copying of the A minor Quartet (Op. 132) took place, of which the letter
treats, and is probably "the enclosure" named in the following note. The
corrections, or we ought rather to say revisions, of Beethoven, are all
fully and accurately reproduced, at all events in Breitkopf & Härtel's
edition.]
439.
TO HIS NEPHEW.
Tuesday, August 2.
MY DEAR SON,--
Send the enclosed to-morrow morning (Wednesday) to the post; as it refers
to corrections, _haste is absolutely necessary_. We must have done with
this evil old creature! I have scarcely enough to eat, and am forced also
to endure the sauciness and insolence of this most malicious old witch--and
with such wages too! I think I must ask my _pseudo_-brother to come, and
would be glad to engage again the woman from Winter's, in the Kothgasse,
who at least knew how to cook.
Write me a few lines to-morrow, and direct here. I send you another florin.
Do not neglect your bathing; continue well, and guard against _illness_.
Spend your money _on good objects alone_. Be my dear son! What a frightful
discord would it be, were you to prove _false_ to me, as many persons
maintain that you already are! May God bless you! Your attached
FATHER.
N.B. Send off the letter to-morrow (Wednesday). I have heard nothing as yet
of the knives, and my made pens also begin to fail.
440.