The Project Gutenberg eBook, Beethoven, by George Alexander FischerThis eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and withalmost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away orre-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License includedwith this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.netTitle: BeethovenAuthor: George Alexander FischerRelease Date: February 22, 2005 [eBook #15141]Language: EnglishCharacter set encoding: ISO-8859-1***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BEETHOVEN***E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Karina Aleksandrova, Ralph Janke,and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading TeamNote: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes sound files and the original illustrations. See 15141-h.htm or 15141-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/1/5/1/4/15141/15141-h/15141-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/1/5/1/4/15141/15141-h.zip)Transcriber's Notes: 1. Corrected spelling of Maelzel's invention in one place from 'Panharmonican' to 'Panharmonicon'. 2. In the index, corrected 'Krumpholtz' to 'Krumpholz', 'Origen of the dance' to 'Origin of the dance', and 'Neafe' to 'Neefe'.BEETHOVENA Character Study together with Wagner's Indebtedness to BeethovenbyGEORGE ALEXANDER FISCHEREs kann die Spur von meinen ErdentagenNicht in Aeonen untergehn. ...
The Project Gutenberg eBook, Beethoven, by George Alexander Fischer
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net
Title: Beethoven
Author: George Alexander Fischer
Release Date: February 22, 2005 [eBook #15141]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BEETHOVEN***
E-text prepared by Juliet Sutherland, Karina Aleksandrova, Ralph Janke,
and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team
Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which
includes sound files and the original illustrations.
See 15141-h.htm or 15141-h.zip:
(http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/1/5/1/4/15141/15141-h/15141-h.htm)
or
(http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/1/5/1/4/15141/15141-h.zip)
Transcriber's Notes: 1. Corrected spelling of Maelzel's invention in one
place from 'Panharmonican' to 'Panharmonicon'.
2. In the index, corrected 'Krumpholtz' to
'Krumpholz', 'Origen of the dance' to 'Origin of
the dance', and 'Neafe' to 'Neefe'.
BEETHOVEN
A Character Study together with Wagner's Indebtedness to Beethoven
by
GEORGE ALEXANDER FISCHER
Es kann die Spur von meinen Erdentagen
Nicht in Aeonen untergehn.
GOETHE.
New York
Dodd, Mead and Company
The Trow Press, New York
1905
[Illustration: BEETHOVEN]
TO THE MEMORY OF
My father
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I. Early Promise
II. The Morning of Life
III. The New Path
IV. Heroic Symphony
V. Fidelio
VI. The Eternal Feminine
VII. Victory from Defeat
VIII. Meeting with Goethe
IX. Optimistic Trend
X. At the Zenith of His Fame
XI. Methods of Composition
XII. Sense of Humor
XIII. Missa Solemnis
XIV. Ninth Symphony
XV. Capacity for Friendship
XVI. The Day's Trials
XVII. Last Quartets
XVIII. In the Shadows
XIX. Life's Purport
WAGNER'S INDEBTEDNESS TO BEETHOVEN
INDEX
CHAPTER I
EARLY PROMISE
God acts upon earth only by means of superior chosen men.
--HERDER: _Ideas Toward a History of Mankind_.
As life broadens with advancing culture, and people are able to
appropriate to themselves more of the various forms of art, the artist
himself attains to greater power, his abilities increase in direct ratio
with the progress in culture made by the people and their ability to
comprehend him. When one side or phase of an art comes to be received,
new and more difficult problems are invariably presented, the
elucidation of which can only be effected by a higher development of the
faculties. There is never an approach to equilibrium between the artist
and his public. As it advances in knowledge of his art, he maintains the
want of balance, the disproportion that always exists between the genius
and the ordinary man, by rising ever to greater heights.
If Bach is the mathematician of music, as has been asserted, Beethoven
is its philosopher. In his work the philosophic spirit comes to the
fore. To the genius of the musician is added in Beethoven a wide mental
grasp, an altruistic spirit, that seeks to help humanity on the upward
path. He addresses the intellect of mankind.
Up to Beethoven's time musicians in general (Bach is always an
exception) performed their work without the aid of an intellect for the
most part; they worked by intuition. In everything outside their art
they were like children. Beethoven was the first one having the
independence to think for himself--the first to have ideas on subjects
unconnected with his art. He it was who established the dignity of the
artist over that of the simply well-born. His entire life was a protest
against the pretensions of birth over mind. His predecessors, to a great
extent subjugated by their social superiors, sought only to please.
Nothing further was expected of them. This mental attitude is apparent
in their work. The language of the courtier is usually polished, but
will never have the virility that characterizes the speech of the free
man.
As with all valuable things, however, Beethoven's music is not to beenjoyed for nothing. We must on our side contribute something to the
enterprise, something more than simply buying a ticket to the
performance. We must study his work in the right spirit, and place
ourselves in a receptive attitude when listening to it to understand his
message. Often metaphysical, particularly in the work of his later
years, his meaning will be revealed only when we devote to it earnest
and sympathetic study. No other composer demands so much of one; no
other rewards the student so richly for the effort required. The making
a fact the subject of thought vitalizes it. It is as if the master had
said to the aspirant: "I will admit you into the ranks of my disciples,
but you must first prove yourself worthy." An initiation is necessary;
somewhat of the intense mental activity which characterized Beethoven in
the composition of his works is required of the student also. There is a
tax imposed for the enjoyment of them.
Like Thoreau, Beethoven came on the world's stage "just in the nick of
time," and almost immediately had to begin hewing out a path for
himself. He was born in the workshop, as was Mozart, and learned music
simultaneously with speaking. Stirring times they were in which he first
saw the light, and so indeed continued with ever-increasing intensity,
like a good drama, until nearly his end. The American Revolution became
an accomplished fact during his boyhood. Nearer home, events were fast
coming to a focus, which culminated in the French Revolution. The magic
words, Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, and the ideas for which they
stood, were everywhere in the minds of the people. The age called for
enlightenment, spiritual growth.
On reaching manhood, he found a world in transition; he realized that he
was on the threshold of a new order of things, and with ready prescience
took advantage of such as could be utilized in his art. Through
Beethoven the resources of the orchestra were increased, an added range
was given the keyboard of the piano, the human voice was given tasks
that at the time seemed impossible of achievement. He established the
precedent, which Wagner acted on later, of employing the human voice as
a tool, an instrument, to be used in the exigencies of his art, as if it
were a part of the orchestra.
Beethoven's birthplace, Bonn, no doubt proved a favorable soil for the
propagation of the new ideas. The unrest pervading all classes, anoutcome of the Revolution, showed itself among the more serious-minded
in increased intellectuality, and a reaching after higher things. This
_Zeitgeist_ is clearly reflected in his compositions, in particular the
symphonies and sonatas. "Under the lead of Italian vocalism," said
Wagner, speaking of the period just preceding the time of which we
write, "music had become an art of sheer agreeableness." The beautiful
in music had been sufficiently exploited by Mozart and Haydn. Beethoven
demonstrated that music has a higher function than that of mere