Beethoven - A Memoir

Elliot Graeme

Description

First published in 1870, “Beethoven - A Memoir” is a biographical sketch of Beethoven written by Elliot Graeme. Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven's musical prowess was recognised from an early age, and he soon became famous as a virtuoso pianist and composer. However, after having gone almost completely deaf by 1814, Beethoven ceased public performances and appearances entirely. One of the most celebrated composers in Western history, Beethoven's music remains amongst the most commonly-performed classical music around the world. His most notable compositions include: “Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21”, “Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61” and “Piano Concerto No. 5 in E♭ major, Op. 73”. Contents include: “Introductory”, “Boyhood”, “Youth”, “Lehrjahre”, “The Virtuoso”, “Conflict”, “Love”, “Victory and Shadow”, “The Pianoforte Sonatas”, “Classification of Beethoven's Pianoforte Sonatas”, and “List of Beethoven's Works”. This volume offers a unique insight in to the life and mind of this incredible composer and will appeal to those with an interest in classical music. Read & Co. Books is republishing this classic memoir now in a new edition complete with an introductory essay by Ferdinand Hiller.

Sujets

• Classical music
• Musician

Informations

• Publié par: Read Books Ltd.
• Date de parution: 14 août 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781528790918
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

BEETHOVEN
A MEMOIR
By
ELLIOTT GRAEME
WITH AN INTRODUCTORY ESSAY BY FERDINAND HILLER

First published in 1870



Copyright © 2020 Read & Co. Books
This edition is published by Read & Co. Books, an imprint of Read & Co.
This book is copyright and may not be reproduced or copied in any way without the express permission of the publisher in writing.
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Read & Co. is part of Read Books Ltd. For more information visit www.readandcobooks.co.uk


"How glorious it is to live one's life a thousand times!"
Beethoven


Contents
PREFACE
PREFACE TO THE SE COND EDITION
THE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF BEETHOVE N'S BIRTH [1]
An Essay by Ferd inand Hiller
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTORY
CHAPTER II
BOYHOOD
CHAPTER III
YOUTH
CHAPTER IV
LEHRJAHRE
CHAPTER V
THE VIRTUOSO
CHAPTER VI
CONFLICT
CHAPTER VII
LOVE
CHAPTER VIII
VICTOR Y AND SHADOW
THE PIANOFORTE SONATAS [33]
CLASSIFICATION OF BEETHOVEN'S PIANOF ORTE SONATAS
LIST OF BEETH OVEN'S WORKS




BEETHOVEN
More mighty than the hosts of mortal kings,
I hear the legions gathering to their goal;
The tramping millions drifting from one pole,
The march, the counter-march, the flank that swings.
I hear the beating of tremendous wings,
The shock of battle and the drums that roll;
And far away the solemn belfries toll,
And in the field the careless shepherd sings.
There is an end unto the longest day.
The echoes of the fighting die away.
The evening breathes a benediction mild.
The sunset fades. There is no need to weep,
For night has come, and with the night is sleep,
And now the fiercest foes are reconciled.
Maur ice Baring, 1920


ON HEARING A SYMPHONY OF BEETHOVEN
Sweet sounds, oh, beautiful music, do not cease!
Reject me not into the world again.
With you alone is excellence and peace,
Mankind made plausible, his purpose plain.
Enchanted in your air benign and shrewd,
With limbs a-sprawl and empty faces pale,
The spiteful and the stingy and the rude
Sleep like the scullions in the fairy-tale.
This moment is the best the world can give:
The tranquil blossom on the tortured stem.
Reject me not, sweet sounds; oh, let me live,
Till Doom espy my towers and scatter them,
A city spell-bound under the aging sun.
Music my rampart, and my only one.
Edna St. Vinc ent Millay, 1928


PREFACE
The following brief sketch can lay no claim to originality; it is merely a slight résumé of the principal events in the master's life (from the works of Schindler, Ries, and Wegeler, and more especially from Marx and Thayer), and is intended for those who, without the leisure to go deeply into the subject, yet desire to know a little more about the great Tone-poet than can be gathered from the pages of a concert programme, however skilfull y annotated.
The few letters introduced have been translated as nearly as possible in the manner in which they were written. Beethoven's epistolary style was simple, fervent, original, but certainly n ot polished.
The author feels convinced that any shortcomings in the "Memoir" will be more than atoned for by Dr. Hiller's eloquent and appreciative " Festrede ," which seems to have been dictated by that poetic genius, the possession of which he so modestl y disclaims.
E. G.
London, 17th Dec ember, 1870.


PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION
The first edition of this little book was exhausted within a few months of publication, and I have repeatedly been asked since to reprint it, but have hitherto withheld my consent, trusting to be able to undertake a more comprehensive work on the subject. As, however, the necessary leisure for this is still wanting to me, and the demand for the "Memoir" continues, it is fated to reappear, and I can but commend it again to the kind indulgence of the reader.
Several rectifications as to dates, &c., have been made throughout, in accordance with the recent researches of Alexander Thayer, and the chapter entitled Lehrjahre has been partly rewritten on the basis of Nottebohm's Beethoven's Studien ( Part I., Unterricht bei Haydn und Albrechtsberger ) by far the most important contribution to Beethoven-literature which has appeared for some time. It may, indeed, be considered the first step to the systematic study of the Master, and as such deserves to be better known in England than is at prese nt the case.
E. G.
London, August, 1876


THE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF BEETHOVEN'S BIRTH [1]
An Essay by Ferdinand Hiller
" Quasi Fantasia. "
The year 1749 brought us Goethe; 1756, Mozart; 1759, Schiller; and 1770, Beethoven. Thus, within the short space of twenty-one years four of the greatest poetic geniuses were born—four men of whom not only the German Fatherland, but all mankind mu st be proud.
And even more happy than proud, since the most splendid gift which the Divine Being from time to time vouchsafes to poor humanity is that of genius. Through it we receive the highest good in which we are capable of participating—the forgetfulness of self in a nobler life. Genius it is that gives us, if but for a few short hours, that which the believer awaits with earnest hope in another and a b etter world.
Has there ever existed a poet who transported our souls into his ideal kingdom with more irresistible force than our Beethoven? Certainly not. More universal effects have been achieved by others, but none more deep or noble. Nay, we may say without exaggeration that never did an artist live whose creations were so truly new ;—his sphere was the unforeseen.
Amidst so much that is trivial and dispiriting in art and life, the widely diffused interest, the delight in the creations of the wondrous man is a bright sign of our times. I do not say the comprehension of them; that is not, and cannot be the case. But there are, perhaps, no poems in the love and admiration of which so many of the highest intellects concur as the tone-poems of our master. To the essential nature of our Art, which bears within itself the all-reconciling element of love, must we attribute the fact that against it the most violent differences in religious, political, and philosophical opinion make no stand—it is the might of Beethoven's genius which subdues the proudest minds, while quickening the pulsations of the simp lest hearts.
If in anything the will of man shows itself weak, nay, helpless, it is in the matter of intellectual creation. A very strong will (is not even this beyond the reach of most?) may lead to great learning, to brilliant technical acquirements, to virtue itself—a spontaneous poetic thought in word, tone, or colour, it will never be able to bring forth. Thus, the true relation of genius to us is that of a star, diffusing light and warmth, which we enjoy and admire. Since, however, to the higher man recognition and gratitude are necessities, since he desires to add intelligence and reverence to his admiration, and would willingly offer up love also to the subject of it, he begins to investi gate. He asks, what the divine germ, existing even in the lisping child, demanded for its development; what brought it out into blossom—what influences worked upon it beneficially—to what extent he who was so nobly gifted was supported and furthered by moral strength—how he used the talent committed to him—finally, how he fought through the life-struggle from which no morta l is exempt.
And then he inquires again and further; which of his qualities, which of the properties peculiar to himself, affect us most strongly?—in what relation does he stand to the development of his art—in what to that of his nation?—how does he appear with regard to his own century?
A mere attempt at answering these questions, and the many connected with them, would require an enormous apparatus of a biographic and æsthetic nature, including a knowledge of the history of art and culture, and an acquaintance with musical technicalities. It does not fall either within our power or the scope of these pages to make any approach to such a task. A few slight hints may suffice to prevent our forgetting (amid the extraordinary and all-engrossing occurrences of the present time) the day which sent to us a hundred years ago the no less extraordinary man, who, a prophet in the noblest sense of the word, foresaw and declared (though only in tones) the nobleness and greatness which will be revealed by the German people, if friendly stars shine upon t heir future.
A species of caste seems to have been implanted in man by nature—there are families of statesmen, warriors, theologians, artists. It will nevertheless be admitted that while it is often the case that circumstances, family traditions, cause the sons to follow in their fathers' footsteps, it frequently happens that the calling lays hold of the man, becomes, in the truest sense of the word , a calling .
Several of our first composers have sprung out of families in which the profession of music was chiefly followed—but certainly not many. One thing, however, was common to nearly all—they were marvellous children, prodigies. Prodig