The amiable and respected Kapellmeister Schulz, in mentioning to an old
friend the contents of this letter, merely added: "All this may be true;
but why tell it me so rudely?"[24]
No doubt the most praiseworthy royal musicians are those who make it
less their object to be accomplished players, composers, or theorists,
than to discover and to assist really talented professional musicians,
and thus to promote the advancement of the art. Prince Louis Ferdinand
of Prussia, who lost his life in the battle of Saalfeld in 1806, at the
age of 34 years, may be noticed as a remarkable exception. He was a
distinguished pianist; a fine composer,--perhaps the best of all the
royal musicians whose compositions have been published or are otherwise
known; and a true patron of the art,--which he showed by his cultivation
of classical music as well as by his kindness to Beethoven, Dussek,
Spohr, and other eminent composers. This is the prince of whom it is
told that Beethoven, on hearing him play, exclaimed with surprise: "Your
Royal Highness does not play like a Prince; you play like a musician!"
As a true patron of music, who in this capacity has been more useful to
the art than if he had composed operas and symphonies, must be mentioned
Rudolph, Archduke of Austria, the pupil of Beethoven. The subjoined
letter by him, translated from the German, speaks for itself:--
"Dear Beethoven,
I shall return to Vienna as early as Tuesday, August 5th, and I
shall then remain in town for several days. I only wish that your
health may permit you to come then to town. In the afternoon, from
four to seven o'clock, I am generally at home.
My brother-in-law, Prince Anton, has written to me already that the
King of Saxony expects your beautiful Mass.
Respecting D----r, I have spoken with our gracious Monarch, and
likewise with Count Dietrichstein. I do not know whether this
recommendation will be of use, as there is to be a competition for
the appointment in question, in which any one wishing to obtain it,
has to prove his fitness. It would be a gratification to me if I
could be useful to that clever man, whom I heard with pleasure
playing the organ last Monday in Baden,--especially as I am
convinced that you would not recommend an unworthy person.
I hope you have written down your Canon, and I pray you, in case it
might be injurious to your health to come to town, not to exert
yourself too soon out of attachment to me.