Beethoven the Colossus
1770–1827
Let us see what was happening in the world into which Beethoven was
born.
The French Revolution had closed the 1700s with blood and terror, and
the American Colonies were uneasy under British rule, and before
Beethoven was six, the American Revolution was in full blast.
It was another time like the Renaissance, when people began to think for
themselves. In other words, the individual was commencing to count more
than the nation.
Slowly we see the idea die out that only the nobles and the wealthy had
the right to life, liberty and happiness, and we see the ideas of
freedom and equality taking the place of serfdom and slavish obedience
to over-lords. All this may seem strange to appear in a book on music
but art always mirrors the life and feelings of the people of its time.
Then came Napoleon, who dragged the French army through the continent of
Europe, until he was defeated at Waterloo by the English.
Then, too, came the War of 1812 between England and America, and unrest
seemed to be over the face of the world.
But through it all came the insistent demand of the people for more
democratic governments, and these new demands grudgingly granted by
monarchs caused revolts and uprisings everywhere.
This was the time when men like Goethe, Schiller, Kant, Fichte and other
famous poets and philosophers did their thinking and writing.
And into this world, the great democrat, Beethoven, came to add his
contribution to life, liberty, and beauty, as have few others of our
race.
And so the road is made easy for the people who followed
Beethoven,—Weber, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Schumann and Chopin, and later
Wagner, who helped make the 19th century, a great musical era.
ROMANTICISM
Instead, now, of people writing around a well known song, as they did in
the cantus-firmus days, originality was the keynote; instead of
conventional forms, composers began to find new forms and to compose
from the heart; instead of writing dainty and graceful music, they wrote
music of power; instead of holding back what they wanted to say, they
poured out in rich melody their very deepest, loveliest and most exalted
feelings,—caring more for what they felt themselves than for the effect
on their audiences. Instead, too, of mathematical rules, they wrote
themselves, their hopes and their fears into their compositions, and
this freedom is labeled the Romantic Movement in Music.
Now appeared the great vocal and instrumental soloists (virtuosi). They
developed because of the advance in the making of instruments. Beethoven
could write more richly with the piano he had, than if he had lived in
Bach’s time. For the advance in instruments helps the composer and the
composer, the instruments.
Since music became of age, we have seen many things happen to it: the
advance in instruments, of the orchestra, and opera, and the development
of the sonata and symphony.
Ludwig van Beethoven was the bridge between the classic writers and
those to follow him: Schubert, Schumann, Mendelssohn, Chopin, and Liszt,
members of the “Romantic School.”
Before explaining what Beethoven did to advance music, you must hear
about his life, for he was so interesting that knowing him will help you
to understand his work.
Although born in Bonn, Germany, his ancestors on his father’s side were
of Dutch-Flemish stock like our old friends, Okeghem and Willaert. You
will notice that the syllable before his last name is “van.” If his name
had been German, it would have been “von.” He was proud of his Dutch
origin and corrected anyone who misspelled it. This frankness, you will
see, was a part of his character.
AN UNHAPPY BOYHOOD
He was born December 16th, 1770, and his mother was the chief cook in
the Castle of Ehrenbreitstein. His father, a tenor, and his grandfather
were musicians in the band of the Elector of Cologne at Bonn. His mother
was sweet and loving, but his father was unkind and intemperate.
According to some accounts, his boyhood was spent in poverty and his
father tried to drive him to earn money for the family. It was very hard
on Beethoven that his mother should have died early in his life.
At four years of age Ludwig’s father insisted upon his learning to play
the piano, and as he did not want to practise, he was whipped often.
Later he started to work in earnest and in spite of hating it, played in
public when he was eight and at eleven he had mastered Bach’s
forty-eight Preludes and Fugues, a difficult task even for a grown up.
Besides, he had written three piano sonatas published in 1781. We think
he wasted little time after his first whippings!
When thirteen, he went on the opera staff where he played accompaniments
for rehearsals, without pay. Not a bad job for a lad!
One of his first teachers was Pfeiffer, who belonged to the opera troupe
and boarded with the Beethovens. Beethoven now was growing most
enthusiastic about music and took up the study of the organ. Not only
this, but he wrote a funeral cantata for organ, which excited the whole
town.
He played the piano very beautifully, as did Mozart, and when he went to
Holland with his mother, at eleven, he played at many private houses,
and gained confidence in himself.
Think of it! When Beethoven was twelve, Neefe, his teacher and organist
at Bonn, left town and Beethoven took his place. This proves his great
ability, because playing for services was complicated. He was so
successful that Neefe prophesied he would become a second Mozart!
In 1787, Beethoven, despite his poverty, went to Vienna, where Mozart
said that he would “make a noise in the world,” and gave the young
pianist a few lessons. Not long afterwards, Beethoven was recalled to
Bonn where his life was much saddened by the deaths of his mother and
his little sister.
At this time he made the acquaintance of the von Bruening
family,—mother, three boys and a girl, whose friendship was one of the
inspiring events of his boyhood. He gave lessons to Eleanore and to a
brother, and was a close friend to them all. Here he was introduced to
the marvels of literature, which proved to be a lifelong love and a
solace for the sad hours after he became deaf. He also accompanied the
von Bruenings on holidays in the country, and through them met Count
Waldstein, a young noble and amateur musician, who was most enthusiastic
over Beethoven’s budding talent. Through Count Waldstein he was brought
to the attention of the Elector of Bonn, who gave the young musician a
place as viola player in the orchestra of his national theatre. Here he
made several lifelong friends,—Franz Ries, who probably taught him to
play the violin and viola, the two Rombergs, Simrock and Stumpff. His
old teacher Neefe, was pianist and stage manager in the theatre.
Now his home became most unhappy because of his father’s drunkenness and
bad habits. The Court, however, in 1799, looked after Beethoven and saw
that part of his father’s salary was paid to him to help him care for
the family. In addition to this the money he earned by playing and by
giving lessons enabled him to support his brothers and sister.
HE MEETS PAPA HAYDN
When Papa Haydn passed through Bonn on his way to London, Beethoven went
to visit him, and brought with him, instead of candy or flowers, a
cantata which he had written for the occasion. Haydn was delighted with
him and offered to teach him if he would go to Vienna. So, in 1792, on
the advice of Count Waldstein, we see him again in Vienna, studying
counterpoint with Haydn. At first he frankly imitated his master, and
although he leaned more toward Mozart’s colorfulness of style than
Haydn’s, from the older composer he learned how to treat and develop
themes, and how to write for the orchestra.
When Haydn left Vienna for his second visit to England, Beethoven
studied with Albrechtsberger, also with Schenck, Salieri and Förster.
Although he was an amazing student his teachers were afraid of and for
him, for his ideas were ahead of his day. They failed to see in him the
great pathfinder, and naturally thought he was a dangerous radical or
“red” as we would say.
BEETHOVEN’S FRIENDSHIPS
The story of Beethoven’s life is a story of a few faithful friendships.
He was not befriended for his personal beauty, but for his inner beauty.
His head was too big for his body, he did not care what sort of clothes
he wore, nor did he have any regard for conventions, fashions or great
personages. He was a real democrat and cared nothing for titles and the
things smaller men respect. Once Beethoven’s brother called on him and
left his card upon which was written, next his name, “Man of Property.”
Beethoven in return sent his card on which he wrote, “Man of Brains.”
Thinking that Napoleon was going to free mankind, he dedicated the
_Eroica_, the third symphony, to him. But when he heard that Napoleon
had set himself up as Emperor, in a violent rage, he trampled on the
dedication page.
One day he and Goethe were walking along the street when the King passed
by. Goethe stood aside with uncovered head but Beethoven refused to
alter his path for royalty and kept on his hat, for he felt on an
equality with every man and probably a little superior. But he lost his
friendship with Goethe because of his many failures to conform to
customs.
At twenty-seven Beethoven began to grow deaf. It made him very morose
and unhappy. In 1800 he wrote to his friend Wegeler, the husband of
Eleanore von Bruening, “My hearing during the last three years has
become gradually worse. I can say with truth that my life is very
wretched. For nearly two years past I have avoided all society because I
find it impossible to say to people ‘I am deaf.’ In any other profession
this might be tolerable but in mine, such a condition is truly
frightful.”
Beethoven was forceful and noble in spirit, quick tempered,
absent-minded, gruff, and cared little for manners and customs except to
be honest and good. But although he was absent-minded he never neglected
his work or his obligations to any man, and his compositions show the
greatest care and thought. He worked a piece over and over before it was
finished and not, like Mozart, did it bubble from him whole and perfect.
He was too high-strung and impatient to teach much and Ferdinand Ries,
the son of Franz, and Czerny seem to be his only well-known pupils. But
he taught many amateurs among the nobility, which probably accounts for
many of his romances. In later years, he withdrew unto himself and
became irritable and suspicious of everybody, both because of his
deafness and the misery his family caused him.
Yet this great man, tortured with suspicions and doubt, and storming
often against his handicap, always stood upright and straight and never
did anything dishonorable or mean. In fact, he was a very moral man, who
lived and composed according to the dictates of his soul and never wrote
to please or to win favor.
He made valuable friends among music lovers and patrons such as Prince
and Princess Lichnowsky, Prince Lobkowitz, Count Rasomouwsky, Empress
Maria Theresa and others, to whom he dedicated many of his great works.
This he did only as a mark of his friendship rather than for gain.
He was clumsy and awkward and had bad manners and a quick temper, and he
had a heavy shock of black hair, that was always in disorder, but the
soul of the man shone out from his eyes and his smile lit up his face.
Although he is said to have been unkempt, he was exceedingly clean, for
when he was composing he would often interrupt his work to wash.
When the _Leonore_ overture was being rehearsed, one of the three
bassoon players was missing. Prince Lobkowitz, a friend of Beethoven,
jokingly tried to relieve his mind by saying, “It doesn’t make any
difference, the first and second bassoon are here, don’t mind the
third.” Beethoven nearly pranced with rage, and reaching the street
later, where the Prince lived, he crossed the square to the gates of the
Palace and stopped to shout at the entrance, “Donkey of a Lobkowitz!”
and then passed on, raving to himself. But there was a warm, sweet
streak in his nature for his friends loved him dearly, and he was very
good to his nephew Carl, who lied to him and deceived him. Carl added to
Beethoven’s unhappiness, for when he was lonely and in need of him, Carl
never would come to him unless for money.
Beethoven had a high regard for women and loved Countess Guicciardi, who
refused many times to marry him, but he dedicated _The Moonlight Sonata_
and some of his songs to her.
We see his great heart broken by his nephew, we see his sad letters
begging him to come and take pity on his loneliness, we see him struggle
to make money for him; and all Carl did was to accept all and give
nothing. Finally this ungrateful boy was expelled from college because
he failed in his examinations. This was such a disgrace that he
attempted to commit suicide. As this was also looked upon as a crime he
was given twenty-four hours to leave Vienna and so enlisted in the army.
Nevertheless Beethoven made Carl his sole heir. Doesn’t this show him to
be a really great person?
BEETHOVEN THE PIANIST
While at Vienna he met the great pianists and played far better than any
of them. No one played with such expression, with such power or seemed
worthy even to compete with him. Mozart and others had been charming
players and composers, but Beethoven was powerful and deep, even most
humorous when he wanted to be.
He worked well during these years, and with his usual extreme care
changed and rechanged the themes he found in his little sketch books
into which, from boyhood he had put down his musical ideas. Those
marvelous sketch books! What an example they are! They show infinite
patience and “an infinite capacity for taking pains” which has been
given by George Eliot as a definition of genius.
THE THREE PERIODS
At his first appearance as a pianist in Vienna he played his own C major
Concerto in 1795. From 1795 to 1803 he wrote all the works from opus 1
to 50. In these were included symphonies 1 and 2, the first three piano
concertos, and many sonatas for piano, trios and quartets, a septet and
other less important works.
This is the first period of Beethoven’s life. His second period in which
his deafness grew worse and caused him real physical illness, extended
to 1815—in this the trouble with his nephew and the deceit of his two
brothers preyed on his mind, to such an extent, that he became irascible
and unapproachable. His lodgings were the scene of distressing upheavals
and Beethoven was like a storm-beaten mountain!
For consolation, he turned to his music, and in the storm and stress he
wrote the noble opera _Fidelio_, and the third symphony, _Eroica_,
concertos, sonatas and many other things.
Someone once asked him, “Why don’t you write opera?” He replied, “Give
me a libretto noble enough for my music.” Evidently this is the reason
why he wrote only one opera. We find another example of his patience and
self-criticism, as he wrote four overtures for _Fidelio_. Three of them
are called _Leonore_ overtures and one _Fidelio_. The third _Leonore_
seems to be the favorite, and is often played.
By 1822, the beginning of the third period, the great music maker was
stone deaf! Yet he wrote the magnificent Mass in D and his last
symphony, the Ninth, with the “Hymn of Joy,” two of the great
masterpieces of the world, although he was unable to hear one note of
what he had composed as he could not hear his beloved violin even when
he held it close to his ears.
Imagine Beethoven—stone deaf, attending a performance of the Ninth
Symphony in a great hall—not knowing that it had had a triumphal success
until one of the soloists turned him around to see the enthusiastic
faces and the hands clapping and arms waving, for he could hear not a
sound! He who had built such beautiful things for us to hear, knew them
only in his mind!
Beethoven was a great lover of nature. He used to stroll with his head
down and his hands behind his back, clasping his note book in which he
jotted down the new ideas as they came to him. He wrote to a friend, “I
wander about here with music paper among the hills and dales and valleys
and scribble a bit; no man on earth could love the country as I do.”
BEETHOVEN MAKES MUSIC GROW
If you have ever seen a sculptor modeling in clay you know that his
great problem is to keep it from drying, because only in the moist state
can it be moulded into shape. In the same way, we have seen in following
the growth of music, that no matter how beautiful a style of composition
is, as soon as it becomes set in form, or in other words as soon as it
hardens, it changes. Let us look back to the period of the madrigal. You
remember that the early madrigals were of rare beauty but later the
composers became complicated and mechanical in their work and the beauty
and freshness of their compositions were lost. The people who felt this,
reached out for new forms of expression and we see the opera with its
arias and recitatives as a result. The great innovator Monteverde, broke
this spell of the old polyphonic form, which, like the sculptor’s clay,
had stiffened and dried.
The same thing happened after Bach brought the suite and fugue to their
highest. The people again needed something new, and another form grew
out of the suite, the sonata of Philip Emanuel Bach, Haydn and Mozart.
The works of these men formed the Classic Period which reached its
greatest height with the colossus, Beethoven. As we told you, he used
the form inherited from Haydn and Mozart, but added much of a peculiar
power which expressed _himself_. But again the clay hardened! Times and
people changed, poetry, science and philosophy led the way to more
personal and shorter forms of expression. Up to Bach’s time, music,
outside of the folk-song, had not been used to express personal feeling;
the art was too young and had grown up in the Church which taught the
denial of self-expression.
In the same way, the paintings up to the time of the 16th century did
not express personal feelings and happenings, but were only allowed to
be of religious subjects, for the decorating of churches and cathedrals.
Beethoven, besides being the peak of the classic writers, pointed the
way for the music of personal expression, not mere graceful expression
as was the fashion, which was called the “Romantic School” because he
was big enough to combine the sonata form of classic mould with the
delicacy, humor, pathos, nobility and singing beauty for which the
people of his day yearned.
This led again to the crashing of the large and dried forms made perfect
by Beethoven and we see him as the bridge which leads to Mendelssohn,
Chopin, Schubert and Schumann and we see them expressing in shorter form
every possible human mood.
Beethoven was great enough to bring music to maturity so that it
expressed not only forms of life, but life itself.
How and what did he do? First, he became master of the piano and could
from childhood sit down and make marvelous improvisations. He studied
all forms of music, counterpoint, harmony, and orchestration. At first
he followed the old forms, as we see in the first two symphonies. In the
third symphony, the _Eroica_, he changed from the minuet (a relic of the
old dance suite) to the scherzo, an enlarged form of the minuet with
more chance for musical expression,—the minuet grown up. In sonatas like
_The Pathetique_, he used an introduction and often enlarged the coda or
ending, to such an extent that it seems like an added movement, so rich
was he in power in working over a theme into beautiful musical speech.
Later we see him abandoning set forms and writing the _Waldstein_ Sonata
in free and beautiful ways. Even the earlier sonatas like _The
Moonlight_ and its sister, Opus 27, No. 2, are written so freely that
they are called Fantasy Sonatas, so full of free, flowing melody has the
sonata become under his hand.
His work becomes so lofty and so grand, whether in humorous or in
serious vein, that when we compare his compositions to those of other
men, he seems like one of the loftiest mountain peaks in the world,
reaching into the heavens, yet with its base firmly standing in the
midst of men.
A COMPOSER OF INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC
Beethoven was distinctly a composer of instrumental music, although he
wrote the opera _Fidelio_, also the Ninth Symphony in which he made
great innovations in symphonic form and introduced the Choral.
Up to this time, composers in the Classic School had paid more attention
to the voice and to the soloists in the concertos than to the orchestra.
Thus we see men like Mozart leaving a space toward the end of the
movement in a concerto for the soloist to make up his own closing salute
to his audience before the orchestra ended the piece. These cadenzas
became acrobatic feats in which the players wrote the most difficult
“show-off” music. Beethoven, with his love for the orchestra and his
feeling that the soloist and the orchestra should make one complete
unit, wrote the cadenza _himself_ and thereby made the composition one
beautiful whole rather than a sandwich of the composer, soloist and
composer again.
Fancy all this from a man who, when he multiplied 14 × 26 had to add
fourteen twenty-sixes in a column! We saw this column of figures written
on a manuscript of Beethoven’s in an interesting collection, and the
story goes that Beethoven tried to verify a bill that was brought to him
in the midst of a morning of hard work at his composing.
Besides his symphonies, concertos and sonatas in which are light moods,
dark moods, gay and sad moods, spiritual heights and depths, filling
hearers with all beauty of emotion,—he wrote gay little witty things,
like the German Dances, The Fury over the Loss of a Penny (which is
really funny), four overtures, many English, Scotch, Irish, Welsh and
Italian folk-song settings. He also wrote one oratorio called _The Mount
of Olives_, two masses, one of which is the magnificent _Missa
Solemnis_, one concerto for the violin that is the masterpiece of its
kind, and the one grand opera _Fidelio_.
Thus we have told you about the bridge to the “Romantic Movement” which
will follow in the next chapter.
Beethoven could have said with Robert Browning’s “Abt Vogler”
Ye know why the forms are fair, ye hear how the tale is told;
It is all triumphant art, but art in obedience to laws....
And I know not if, save in this, such gift be allowed to man,
That out of three sounds he frame, not a fourth sound, but a star.
[Illustration:
_Johann Sebastian Bach._
]
[Illustration:
_George Frederick Handel._
]
[Illustration:
_Franz Josef Haydn._
]
[Illustration:
_Carl Maria von Weber._
]
Three Classic Composers and an Early Romantic Composer.
[Illustration:
_The Piano and Its Grand-parents._
_Courtesy of Morris Steinert & Sons, Company_
]