Beethoven’s observations on this subject were called out by his
experiences in securing an education for his nephew Karl, son of his
like-named brother, a duty which devolved on him on the death of his
brother in the winter of 1815. He loved his nephew almost to idolatry,
and hoped that he would honor the name of Beethoven in the future. But
there was a frivolous vein in Karl, inherited probably from his
mother, who was on easy footing with morality both before and after her
husband’s death. She sought with all her might to rid her son of
the guardianship of his uncle. Karl was sent to various educational
institutions and to these Beethoven sent many letters containing advice
and instructions. The nephew grew to be more and more a care, not wholly
without fault of the master. His passionate nature led to many quarrels
between the two, all of which were followed by periods of extravagant
fondness. Karl neglected his studies, led a frivolous life, was fond of
billiards and the coffee-houses which were then generally popular,
and finally, in the summer of 1826, made an attempt at suicide in the
Helenental near Baden, which caused his social ostracism. When he was
found he cried out: “I went to the bad because my uncle wanted to better
me.”
Beethoven succeeded in persuading Baron von Stutterheim, commander of
an infantry regiment at Iglau, to accept him as an aspirant for military
office. In later life he became a respected official and man. So
Beethoven himself was vouchsafed only an ill regulated education. His
dissolute father treated him now harshly, now gently. His mother, who
died early, was a silent sufferer, had thoroughly understood her son,
and to her his love was devotion itself. He labored unwearyingly at his
own intellectual and moral advancement until his death.
It seems difficult to reconcile his almost extravagant estimate of the
greatest possible liberty in the development of man with his demands for
strict constraint to which he frequently gives expression; but he had
recognized that it is necessary to grow out of restraint into liberty.
His model as a sensitive and sympathetic educator was his motherly
friend, the wife of Court Councillor von Breuning in Bonn, of whom he
once said: “She knew how to keep the insects off the blossoms.”
Beethoven’s views on musical education are to be found in the chapters
“On Composition” and “On Performing Music.”