This little book came into existence as if it were by chance. The
author had devoted himself for a long time to the study of Beethoven and
carefully scrutinized all manner of books, publications, manuscripts,
etc., in order to derive the greatest possible information about the
hero. He can say confidently that he conned every existing publication
of value. His notes made during his readings grew voluminous, and also
his amazement at the wealth of Beethoven’s observations comparatively
unknown to his admirers because hidden away, like concealed violets, in
books which have been long out of print and for whose reproduction there
is no urgent call. These observations are of the utmost importance for
the understanding of Beethoven, in whom man and artist are inseparably
united. Within the pages of this little book are included all of them
which seemed to possess value, either as expressions of universal
truths or as evidence of the character of Beethoven or his compositions.
Beethoven is brought more directly before our knowledge by these his own
words than by the diffuse books which have been written about him. For
this reason the compiler has added only the necessary explanatory notes,
and (on the advice of professional friends) the remarks introductory to
the various subdivisions of the book. He dispensed with a biographical
introduction; there are plenty of succinct biographies, which set forth
the circumstances of the master’s life easily to be had. Those who wish
to penetrate farther into the subject would do well to read the great
work by Thayer, the foundation of all Beethoven biography (in the new
revision now making by Deiters), or the critical biography by Marx, as
revised by Behncke. In sifting the material it was found that it fell
naturally into thirteen subdivisions. In arranging the succession
of utterances care was had to group related subjects. By this means
unnecessary interruptions in the train of thought were avoided and
interesting comparisons made possible. To this end it was important that
time, place and circumstances of every word should be conscientiously
set down.
Concerning the selection of material let it be said that in all cases
of doubt the authenticity of every utterance was proved; Beethoven is
easily recognizable in the form and contents of his sayings. Attention
must be directed to two matters in particular: after considerable
reflection the compiler decided to include in the collection a few
quotations which Beethoven copied from books which he read. From the
fact that he took the trouble to write them down, we may assume that
they had a fascination for him, and were greeted with lively emotion as
being admirable expressions of thoughts which had moved him. They are
very few, and the fact that they are quotations is plainly indicated. By
copying them into his note-books Beethoven as much as stored them away
in the thesaurus of his thoughts, and so they may well have a place
here. A word touching the use of the three famous letters to Bettina
von Arnim, the peculiarities of which differentiate them from the entire
mass of Beethoven’s correspondence and compel an inquiry into their
genuineness: As a correspondent Bettina von Arnim has a poor reputation
since the discovery of her pretty forgery, “Goethes Briefwechsel mit
einem Kinde” (Goethe’s Correspondence with a Child). In this alleged
“Correspondence” she made use of fragmentary material which was genuine,
pieced it out with her own inventions, and even went so far as to
turn into letters poems written by Goethe to her and other women. The
genuineness of a poem by Beethoven to Bettina is indubitable; it will
be found in the chapter entitled “Concerning Texts.” Doubt was thrown on
the letters immediately on their appearance in 1839.
Bettina could have dissipated all suspicion had she produced the
originals and remained silent. One letter, however, that dated February
10, 1811, afterward came to light. Bettina had given it to Philipp von
Nathusius. It had always been thought the most likely one, of the set
to be authentic; the compiler has therefore, used it without hesitation.
From the other letters, in which a mixture of the genuine and the
fictitious must be assumed so long as the originals are not produced,
passages have been taken which might have been thus constructed by
Beethoven. On the contrary, the voluminous communications of Bettina
to Goethe, in which she relates her conversations with Beethoven, were
scarcely used. It is significant, so far as these are concerned, that,
according to Bettina’s own statement, when she read the letter to him
before sending it off, Beethoven cried out, “Did I really say that? If
so I must have had a raptus.”
In conclusion the compiler directs attention to the fact that in a few
cases utterances which have been transmitted to us only in an indirect
form have been altered to present them in a direct form, in as much
as their contents seemed too valuable to omit simply because their
production involved a trifling change in form.
--Elberfeld, October, 1904. Fr. K.