 Section 6 of the Life of Ludwig von Beethoven, Volume 1 by Alexander Wheelock Thayer, translated by Henry Edward Crebel. This leverbox recording is in the public domain. Chapter 4. Beethoven, a pupil of Neath, his talent and skill put to use, first efforts at composition, Johann von Beethoven's family, domestic tribulations. Christian Gottlob Neath succeeded the persons mentioned as Beethoven's master in music when the studentship began and ended, and whether or not it be true that the elector engaged and paid him for his services in this capacity, as affirmed by divers writers here again positive evidence is wanting. Neath came to Bonn in October 1779, received a decree of succession to the position of court organist on February 15, 1781, and was thus permanently engaged in the elector's service. The unsatisfactory nature of the earlier instruction as well as the high reputation of Neath placed in the strongest light before the Bonn public by those proceedings which had compelled him to remain there would render it highly desirable to Johann von Beethoven to transfer his son to the latter's care. It would create no surprise, should proof hereafter come to light, that this change was made even before the issue of the decree of February 15, 1781, that even then the pupil was profiting by the lessons of the zealous bachist. Whether this was so or not, it was more than ever necessary that the boy's talents should be put to profitable use, for the father found his family still increasing. The baptism of a daughter named Anna Maria Francisca after her sponsors Anna Maria Clemmers, Dick Decox, and Franz Rovantini, court musician, is recorded in the San Remigius Register, February 23, 1779, and her death on the 27th of the same month. The baptism of Auguste Franciscas, Giorgius von Beethoven, Franz Rovantini, Musicus Olicus and Helene Aberdonk-Patrini follows nearly two years later, January 17, 1781. There is no minister of state now to lend his name to a child of Johann von Beethoven, nor any Lady Abbas, Rovantini, one of the youngest members of the orchestra, relative and friend of the family, and of Frau Cox, a young contralter whose musical education the father had superintended take their places another indication that the head of the family is gradually sinking in social position. It is Schlosser who states that the elector urged Nief to make it his particular care to look after the training of the young Beethoven, how much weight is to be attached to this assertion of a man who hastily threw a few pages together soon after the death of the composer and who begins by adopting the old era of 1772 as the date of his birth and naming his father Anton may safely be left to the reader. That this story may possibly have some foundation in truth is not denied, but the probabilities are all against it. Just in these years Max Friedrich is busy with his trick track, his balls, his new operettas and comedies, and with his notion of making the theater a school of morals. The truth seems to be, and it is the only hypothesis that suggests itself corresponding to the established facts, that Johann von Beethoven had now determined to make an organist of his son as the surest method of making his talents productive. The appointment of Nief necessarily destroyed Ludwig's hope of being van den Eden's successor, but Nief's other numerous employments would make an assistant indispensable and to this place the boy might well aspire. It will be seen in the course of the narrative that Beethoven never had a warmer, kinder and more valuable friend than Nief proved throughout the remainder of his van life. That in fact his first appointment was obtained for him through Nief, although this is the first hint yet published, that the credit does not belong to a very different personage, but then so natural, so self-evident, as that Nief foreseeing the approaching necessity of someone to take charge of the little organ in the chapel at times when his duties to the Grossmann Company would prevent him from officiating in person should gladly undertake the training of the remarkable talents of van den Eden's pupil with no wish for any other remuneration than the occasional services which the youth could render him. Nief's influence on Beethoven. Dr. Begler remarks, Nief had little influence upon the instruction of our Ludwig, who frequently complained of the two severe criticisms made on his first efforts in composition. The first of these assertions is evidently an utter mistake in 1793 Beethoven himself at all events thought differently. I thank you for the counsel which you gave me so often in my progress in my divine art. If I ever become a great man, yours shall be a share of the credit. This will give you the greater joy, since you may rest assured, etc. Thus he wrote to his old teacher, as to the complaint of harsh criticism that may be remarked that Nief reared in the strict leitzig school must have been greatly dissatisfied with the direction which the young genius was taking under the influences which surrounded him and that he should labor to change its course. He was still a young man and in his zeal for his pupil's progress may well have criticized his childish compositions without severity which though no more than just and reasonable may have so contrasted within judicious praise from other quarters as to wound the boy's self-esteem and leave out staying behind, especially if Nief indulged in a tone that all contemptuous, a common fault of young men in light cases, probably in some conversation upon this point Beethoven may have remarked to Begler that Nief had criticized him in his childhood rather too severely. The two returned from the broad field of hypothesis to the narrow path of facts. On the stage June 20, 1782, Nief writes of himself and the Grossmann company, we entered upon our journey to Munster with the the elector also went. The day before my predecessor court organist Van Den Eden was buried. I received permission, however, to leave my duties in the hands of a vicar and go along to Westphalia and then to the Michael Musfair at Frankfurt. The Düsseldorf documents proved that this vicar was Ludwig von Beethoven, now just 11 and a half years of age. In the course of the succeeding winter, Nief prepared that very valuable and interesting communication to Kramer's magazine, which has been so largely quoted. In this occurs the first printed notice of Beethoven, one which is honorable to head and heart of its author. He writes under date of March to 1783, Louis von Beethoven, son of the tenor singer mentioned a boy of 11 years and of most promising talent. He plays the clavier very skillfully and with power, reads at sight very well and to put it in a nutshell, he plays chiefly the well tempered clavichord of Sebastian Bach, which her knee put into his hands. Kramer knows this collection of preludes and fugues and all the keys, which might almost be called the non-plues zultra of our art, we'll know what this means. So far as his duties permitted, her knee has also given him instruction and thorough base. He is now training him in composition and for his encouragement has had nine variations for the piano forte written by him on a march by Ernst Christoph Dressler, engraved at Mannheim. This youthful genius is deserving of help to enable him to travel. He would surely become a second Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, were he to continue as he has begun. This allusion to Mozart, who had not then produced those immortal works upon which his fame now principally rests, speaks well for the insight of Niefen, renders his high appreciation of his pupil's genius the more striking. Had this man then released so little influence upon its development, as Weigler supposed, that CPE Bach's works were included in Nief's course of instruction is rendered nearly certain by the following facts. He was himself a devout student of them. The only reference to his father, made by Beethoven and all the manuscripts examined for this work, an official document or two accepted, is upon an unfinished copy of one of Bach's cantatas in these words. Written by my dear father and one of the works most used by him in compiling his material in Führkontrapunkt in 1809 was Bach's Ver such uber die bar Art das Klavier zu Spielen. The unlucky remark of Weigler founded to possibly upon some expression of Beethoven's in a moment of spleen, but certainly not in justice has cast a shadow upon the relation between Niefen and his pupil. Writer after writer has copied without examining it. Does it bear examination? Possibly if it be supposed to relate only to execution upon the pianoforte and organ, but in no other case, it is self evident that serious study in the severe school of the box was necessary to counteract the influence of the light and trivial music of the bond stage upon the young genius. And to Nief the credit of seeing this and acting accordingly must be given. The reader's attention is called particularly to the words he is now training him in composition and for his encouragement has had nine variations for the pianoforte written by him on a march by Dressler engraved at Mannheim in Nief's notice of Beethoven above sighted and the date of the article from which it is taken March to 1783. Is it not perfectly clear that these variations have been recently composed and very recently printed yet upon the title stands par Jean Amateur Louis von Beethoven agé de dix ans? If this were a solitary case of apparent discrepancy between the boy's age and the year given, it would attract and deserve no notice. But it is one of many and adds its weight to the evidence of that falsification already spoken of. A second work belonging to this period is a two part fugue in D for the organ. Beethoven as Nief's assistant to return to the young organist who since the publication of Begler's notizen has always been supposed to have been placed at that instrument by the Elector Max Franz in the year 1785 as a method of giving him pecuniary aid without touching his feelings of pride and independence. The place of assistant to Nief was no sinecure, although not involving much labor, it brought with it much confinement. The old organ had been destroyed by the fire of 1777 and a small chamber instrument still supplied its place. It was the constantly recurring necessity of being present at the religious services, which made the position onerous on all Sundays and regular festivals. Says the court calendar, high mass at eleven a.m. and vespers at three, sometimes four p.m. The vespers will be sung throughout in Capellus Salamnibus by the musicians of the electoral court. The middle vespers will be sung by the court clergy and musicians corally as far as the Magnificat, which will be performed musically. On all Wednesdays in Lent, the Miserere will be sung by the chapel at five p.m. and on all Fridays, the Stabit Mater. Every Saturday at three p.m. the litanies at the altar of our Lady of Loretta. Every day throughout the year, two masses will be read, the one at nine, the other at eleven on Sundays, the latter at ten. Such a program gave the organ of something at least to do. And when Neath left Bond at Fort Munster, June 20, 1782, he left his pupil no easy task. Before the close of the theatrical season of the next winter, 1782 to 83, the master was obliged to call upon the boy for still father assistance. In the winter of 1784, writes the widow Neath, my husband of blessed memory was temporarily entrusted with the direction of the church music as well as other music at court, while the electoral chapel master, L, was absent on a journey of several months. The date is wrong for Lucey's petition for leave of absence was granted April 26, 1783. Thus overwhelmed with business, Neath could no longer conduct. At the Piano Forte, the rehearsals for the stage and Ludwig von Beethoven, now 12 years old, became also symbolist in the orchestra. In those days, every orchestra was provided with a harpsichord or Piano Forte, seated it with the director guided the performance playing from the score. Here, then, was in part the origin of that marvelous power of which in later years Beethoven astonished his contemporaries of reading and playing the most difficult and involved scores at first sight. The position of symbolist was one of equal honor and responsibility. Handel and Matheson's duel grew out of the fact that the former would not leave the harpsichord on a certain occasion before the close of the performance. Gassman placed the young soliary at the harpsichord of the imperial opera house as the best possible means of training him to become the great conductor that he was. This was the high place of honor given to Haydn when in London in Ludwig von Beethoven's case, it was the place in which he, as Mosul says of soliary, could make practical use of what he learned from books and scores at home. Moreover, it was a place in which he could even in boyhood here do satiety, the popular Italian, French and German operas of the day, and learn to feel that something higher and nobler was necessary to touch the deeper feelings of the heart, a place which had the elector live ten years longer, might have given the world a mother, not merely great, but prolific, an inexhaustible operatic composer. The symbolist's duties, doubtless came to an end with the departure of the elector for Munster in May or June, and he then had time for other pursuits of which composition was won. A song, Shalder, Young, Ines Med Shenz by him was printed this year in Bostler's Blumen least, Führer, Liebhaber and a rondo in C for Piano Forte Anonymous, which immediately follows, was also of his composition. A more important work, which before the close of the year was published by Bostler with a magniliquent dedication to Max Friedrich, was the three sonatas for Piano Forte, according to the title, if true, composed by Ludwig von Beethoven, aged eleven years, the reader can judge whether or not the eleven should be twelve. To turn for a moment to the Beethoven family matters this summer, 1783, had brought them some sorrow again. The child Franz Georg, now just two and a half years old, died August 16th. This was another stroke of bad fortune, which not only wounded the heart, but added to the pecuniary difficulties of the father, who was now losing his voice and whose character is described in an official report made the next summer by the words of tolerable conduct. If the duties of Nief during the last season had been laborious in the coming one, 1783 to 84, they were still more arduous. It was the first under the new contract by which the elector assumed all the costs of the theater and a woman, Madame Grossmann, had the direction. It was all important to singers, actors and whoever was concerned that the result of the experiment should be satisfactory to their employer. And as the opera was more to his taste than the spoken drama, so much the more difficult was Nief's task. Besides his acting as chapel master in the place of Lucchisi, still absent, there was every forenoon rehearsal of opera as Madame Grossmann wrote to Councilor T, at which, of course, Nief had to be present. There was ever new music to be examined, arranged, copied, composed, what not, all which he must attend to. In short, he did everything to do which could be imposed upon a theatrical music director with a salary of 1,000 florals. It therefore became a busy time for his young assistant, who still had no recognition as member of the court chapel, not even as accessist. The last excessist organist was Maris. And consequently, no salary from the court. But he had now more than completed the usual year of probation to which candidates were subjected and his talents and skill were well enough known to warrant his petition for an appointment. The petition has not been discovered, but the report made upon it to the privy council has been preserved together with the following endorsement. I, Lord Stuart Count von Saum, referring to the petition of Ludwig von Beethoven for the position of assistant court organist, is of the humble opinion that the grace ought to be bestowed upon him together with a small compensation. The endorsement is dated, bond February 29, 1784. The report upon the petition is as follows. Appointed assistant court organist, most Reverend Archbishop and elector, most gracious Lord, Lord, your electoral grace has graciously been pleased to demand a beautiful report from me on the petition of Ludwig von Beethoven to your grace under date, the 15-inch. Obediently and without delay, I report that sublian's father was for 29 years, his grandfather for 46, in the service of your most reverend electoral grace and your electoral grace's predecessors, that the sublian has been amply proved and found capable to play the court organ as he has done in the absence of organist knee, also at rehearsals of the plays and elsewhere and will continue to do so in the future, that your grace has graciously provided for his care and subsistence, his father no longer being able to do so. It is therefore my humble judgment that for these reasons, the sublian well deserves to have graciously bestowed upon him the position of assistant at the court organ and an increase of remuneration. Commending myself to the goodwill of your most reverend electoral grace, I am your most reverend grace's most humble and obedient servant. Sigismund, Alter, Graf, Zu, Saum, Uint, Reifer, Scheid, Bonn, February 23, 1784. The action taken is thus indicated. Odd, Sup. Ludwig von Beethoven on the obedient report, the sublian's submissive prayer granted, Be'eru Het, Bonn, February 29, 1784. Again on the cover, Odd, Sup. Ludwig von Beethoven granted, Be'eru Het, Sig, Bonn, February 29, 1784. The necessity of the case, the warm recommendation of Saum, Reifer, Scheid, very probably to the elector's own knowledge of the fitness of a candidate and perhaps the flattery in the dedication of the sonatas for these were the days when dedications but half-disguised petitions for favor were sufficient inducements to his transparency at length to confirm the young organist in the position which Nief's kindness had now for nearly two years given him. Opinions differ as to the precise meaning of the word Be'eru Het translated granted in the above transcripts, but this much as certain Beethoven was not appointed assistant organist in 1785 by Max Franz of the instance of Count Waldstein, but at the age of 13 in the spring of 1784 by Max Friedrich and upon his own petition supported by the influence of Nief and of Saum, Reifer, Scheid. The appointment was made, but the salary had not been determined on when an event occurred which brought an entire change in the position of theatrical affairs at Bonn. The elector died on April 15 and the theatrical company was dismissed with four weeks wages. There was no longer a necessity for a second organist. And fortunately it was for the assistant that his name came before Max Friedrich's successor in the report soon to be copied as being a regular member of the court chapel, although without salary. Lucey returned to Bonn. Nief had nothing to do but play his organ, cultivate his garden outside the town and give music lessons. It was long before such a conjunction of circumstances occurred as would have led the economical Max Franz to appoint an organist adjunct. Happy was it therefore that one of the deceased electors last acts secured young Beethoven to place. Early efforts at composition, the excellent Frau Karth, born in 1780, could not recall to memory any period of her childhood down to the death of Johann von Beethoven when he and his family did not live in the lodging above that of her parents. This fact together with the circumstance that no mention is made of the Beethoven's in the account of the great inundation of the Rhine in February 1782, when all the families dwelling in the Fisher House of the Rhine Gosse were rescued in boats from the windows of the first story added to the strong probability that Beethoven's position was but the first formal step of the regular process of confirming an appointment already determined upon. These points strongly suggest the idea that to Ludwig's advancement, his father owed the ability to dwell once more in a better part of the town. That is in the pleasant house number 462, Wenzelgassen, the house is very near the Minerite Church, which contained a good organ concerning the pedal measurements of which, as we have seen, Beethoven made a memorandum in a notebook which he carried with him to Vienna. In the Neuen Blumenlies für Klavier-Liebhaber of this year, part one, pages 18 and 19, appeared a ronde for Piano Forte in a major Dalsig, Dalsignor von Beethoven, and part two, page forty-four, the Arioso, an einen Saugling von Honorable Beethoven, un concert pour Le Klavissen or Forte to Piano composé par Louis von Beethoven, Agé de Duzan, 32 pages manuscript written in a boy's hand may also belong to this year, and judging by the handwriting to that period may also be assigned a movement in three parts of four pages formally in the Artaria collection without title, date or remark of any kind. The widow court perfectly remembered Johann von Beethoven as a tall, handsome man with powdered head. Rhys and Simrock described Ludwig to Dr. Mueller as a boy powerfully almost clumsily built. How easily fancy pictures them. The tall man walking to chapel or rehearsal with the little boy trotting by his side through the streets of Bonn and the gratified expression of the father as the child takes the place and performs the duties of a man. End of section six. Section seven of the life of Ludwig von Beethoven, volume one by Alexander Wheelock-Fayer, translated by Henry Edward Crabill. This Lieberbach's recording is in the public domain. Chapter five, Maria Teresia, appearance and character of Elector Max Franz, musical culture in the Austrian imperial family, a royal violinist, his admiration for Mozart, his court music. Maria Teresia was a tender mother, much concerned to see all her children well provided for in her lifetime and as independent as possible of her eldest son, the heir to the throne. This wish had already been fulfilled in the case of several of them. The youngest son, Maximilian, born in Vienna, December 8th, 1756, was already chosen co-adjector to his paternal uncle, Duke Carl of Lorraine, grandmaster of the Teutonic Order, but to provide a more bountiful and significant support. Prince Carl Nitz formulated a plan which pleased the maternal heart of the monarch and whose execution was calculated to extend the influence of the court of Vienna in the German Empire. It was to bestow more ecclesiastical principalities upon the Archduke, Maximilian, his eyes fell first upon the Archbishopric and electorate of Cologne and the Archbishopric and Principality of Münster. These two countries had one in the same region, Maximilian Friedrich, descended from the Swabian family of Gerneseck, rose and fells counts of the Empire. In view of the advanced age of this ruler, his death did not seem far distant, but it was thought best not to wait for that contingency, but to secure the right of succession at once by having the Archduke, Elector Adjutur in Cologne and Münster. Their possession was looked upon as a provision worthy of the son of an emperor's queen as elector-in-law of the renaissance shore, simultaneously co-director of the Vestalian circuit, a dignity associated with the Archbishopric of Münster. He could be useful to his house and oppose the Prussian influence in the very part of Germany where it was largest. Thus, Dome begins the seventh chapter of his Denk-Werdig-Kaiten, where in a calm and passionless style he relates the history of the intrigues and negotiations which ended in the election of Maria Theresa's youngest son on August 7, 1780 as co-adjutor to the elector of Cologne and on the 16th of the same month to that of Münster and secured him the peaceful and immediate succession when Max Friedrich's functions should cease. The news of the election at Cologne reached Bonn on the same day, about one o'clock p.m. The elector proceeded at once to the church of the Franciscans, used as a chapel since the conflagration of 1777, where a musical Tedeum was sung while all the city bells were ringing. Bonn-Kleis Regiment fired a triple salvo, which the cannon on the city walls answered, that noon a public dinner was spread in the palace, one table setting fifty-four, another twenty-four covers. In the evening at eight and a half o'clock followed the finest illumination ever seen in Bonn, which the elector enjoyed writing about in his carriage. After this came a grand supper of eighty-two covers, then a masked ball to which every decently clad subject, as well as any stranger, was admitted and which did not come to an end till nearly seven o'clock. Max Franz, the new elector, Max Franz was in his twenty-eighth year when he came to Bonn, he was of middle stature, strongly built and already inclining to that corpulence, which in his last years made him a prodigy of obesity. If all the absurdities of his eulogists be taken for truth, the last elector of Cologne was endowed with every grace of mind and character that ever adorned human nature. In fact, however, he was a good-looking, kindly, indolent, somewhat choleric man, fond of a joke, affable, a hater of stiff ceremony, easy of access, an honest, amiable, conscientious ruler who had the wisdom and will to supply his own deficiencies with enlightened and skillful ministers and the good sense to rule through their political foresight and sagacity, with an eye as much to the interests of his subjects as his own. In his boyhood, he was rather stupid. Swinburne dismisses him in two lines. Maximilian is a good natured, neither here nor there, kind of youth. The brilliant witty, shrewdly observant Mozart wrote to his father November 17, 1781, to whom God gives an office. He also gives an understanding. This is really the case with the Archduke before he became a priest. He was much wittier and more intellectual and talked less, but more sensibly. You ought to see him now. Stupidity looks out of his eyes. He talks eternally, always in falsetto. He has a swollen neck in a word. The man is completely transformed. His mother had supplied him with the best instructors that Vienna afforded and had sent him traveling pretty extensively for an Archduke in those days. One of his journeys was to visit his sister Marie Antoinette in Paris, where his awkwardness and breaches of etiquette caused as much amusement to the anti-Ospian party as they did annoyance to the Queen and afterwards to his brother Joseph when they came to his ears. In 1778, he was with Joseph in the campaign in Bavaria. An injury to his knee caused by a fall of his horse is the reason alleged for his abandonment of a military career upon which he was prevailed upon. So the historic Tosch and Buch to Vienna 1806 expresses it to become a candidate for the co-adjuder ship of Cologne. If he had to be prevailed upon to enter the church, the more to his credit was the course he pursued when once his calling and election were sure. The rigid economy which he introduced at court immediately after his accession in 1784 gave rise to the impression that he was panurious and maybe said in his defense that the condition of the finances required retrenchment and reform, that he was simple in his taste and cared nothing for show and magnificence, except upon occasions when, in his opinion, the electoral dignity required them. Then like his predecessors, he was lavish. His personal expenses were not great. And he waited until his revenues justified it before he indulged to any great extent his passion for the theater, music and dancing. Stout as he was, he was a passionate dancer and his table. He was through the nature of his physical constitution and enormous eater, though his drink was only water. The influence of a ruler upon the tone and character of society in a small capital is very great. A change for the better had begun during the time of Max Friedrich. But under his successor, a new life entered bond. New objects of ambition were offered to the young men. The church and cloister ceased to be all in all. One can well understand how Begler, in his old age, as he looked back half a century to the years when he was student and professor and such a half century with its revolutionary and Napoleonic wars, its political, religious and social changes. Should write, notizen page 59. In fact, it was a beautiful and in many ways active period in bonds so long as the genial Elector Max Frans, a rectoraceous youngest son and favorite, reigned there how strongly the improved tone of society impressed itself upon the characters of the young is discernible in the many of them who in after years were known as men of large and liberal ideas and became distinguished as jurists, theologians and artists or in science and letters. These were the years of Beethoven's youth and early manhood. And those great mental powers were in the main exercise to fund his art. There is still to be observed through all his life, a certain breadth and grandeur in his intellectual character, owing in part no doubt to the social influences under which it was developed. It is highly honorable to the young Max Frans that he refused to avail himself of a privilege granted him in a papal bull obtained for him by his mother, that of deferring the assumption of priestly vows for a period of 10 years, but chose rather as soon as he had leisure for the step to enter the seminary in Cologne to fit himself for consecration. He entered November 29 rigidly submitted himself to all the discipline of the institution for the period of eight days. When on December 8, the Nuntius Bellisoni ordained him subdeacon after another eight days on the 16th deacon and on the 21st priest, thus showing that if there be no royal road to mathematics, there is a railway with express train for royal personages in pursuit of ecclesiastical science. Returning to Bonn, he read his first mass on Christmas Eve in the Florian Chapel. The cause of science and education, the elector had really at heart. In 1785, he had established a botanic garden. Now he opened a public reading room in the palace library and sent a message to the theological school in Cologne that if the improved course of instruction adopted in Austria was not introduced, he should found other seminaries. On the 26th of June, he was present at the opening of a normal school. And on August 9th came the decree raising the ban Hock, shul to the rank of university by authority of an imperial diploma. Upon the suppression of the Jesuits in 1774, Max Friedrich devoted their possessions and revenues to the cause of education. New professorships were established in the gymnasium. And in 1777, an academy was formed. This was the first step. The second was to found an independent institution called the Lyceum. And at his death, an application was before the emperor for a university charter. Max Franz pushed the matter, obtained the charter from his brother. And Monday, the 20th of November, 1786, was the day appointed for the solemn inauguration of the new institution. The court calendar for the next year names six professors of theology, six of jurisprudence, civil and ecclesiastical, four of medicine and ten of philology and other branches of learning. In later editions, new names are added in that of 1790. Begler is professor of midwifery. The economical Max Franz drew many a man of superior abilities, men of letters and artists to bond. And before that bursting of the storm, which was even then gathering over the French border, his little capital might well have had a place in German literary history, not inferior to that of Weimar. Nor are instances wanting in which he gave generous aid to young talent, struggling with poverty, though that he did so much for Beethoven, as is usually thought is at least doubtful. This man, not a genius, not overwhelmingly great mentally, nor on the other hand, so stupid as the stories told of his boyhood seem to indicate, but honest, well-meaning, ready to adopt and enforce wise measures devised by skillful ministers, easy jocos and careless of appearances, very fond of music and a patron of letters and science, this man to whom in that period of vast intellectual fermentation, the index expurgatorious was a dead letter gave the tone to bond society. That solid musical education which she had received from her father, Maria Teresia bestowed upon her children and their attainments in the art seem to have justified the time and labor spent in 1749. At the age of seven and six, Christina Maria Elizabeth took part in one of the festive musical pieces. Marie Antoinette was able to appreciate, click and lead the party in his favor in later years at Paris. Joseph is as much known in music as in civil and political history. When emperor, he had his daily hour of music in his private apartments, playing either of several instruments or singing according to the whim of the moment. And Maximilian, the youngest, acquired a good degree of skill, both in singing and in the treatment of his favorite instrument, the viola. Beethoven once told Schindler that the collector thought very highly of Matheson in his reminiscence as of a visit to Vienna in 1783, J. F. Reichart gives high praise to the musical interest, skill and zeal of Emperor Joseph and his brother, Archduke Maximilian. And a writer in Kramer's magazine, probably need tells of a remarkable concert which took place at court in Bonn on April 5, 1786, at which the collector played the viola, Duke Albrecht, the violin and the fascinating countess of Belderbouche, the clavier, most armingly. Maximilian had become personally acquainted with Mozart in Salzburg in 1775, where the young composer had set Matas D'Azio's ill-ray pastore to music to be performed in his honor, April 23, from which time to his credit be it said he ever held the composer and his music in kind as remembrance. When in 1781 Mozart determined to leave his brutal archbishop of Salzburg and remain in Vienna, the Archduke showed at all events a desire to aid him. Yesterday, writes the composer, November 17, 1781, the Archduke Maximilian summoned me to him at three o'clock in the afternoon. When I entered, he was standing before a stove in the first room awaiting me. He came towards me and asked if I had anything to do today. Nothing, your royal highness, and if I had it would always be a grace to wait upon your royal highness. No, I do not wish to constrain anyone. Then he said that he was minded to give a concert in the evening for the court of Bertam Berg. Would I play something in a company of the aria? I was to come to him again at six o'clock, so I played there yesterday. Mozart was everything to him, continues Jan. He signalized him at every opportunity and said if he were elector of Cologne, Mozart would surely be his chapel master. He had also suggested to the princess of Bertam Berg that she appoint Mozart, her music teacher, over see their proply, that if it rested with her, she would have chosen him. But the emperor for him, there is nobody but Salieri, cries out Mozart. He visually had recommended Salieri because of the singing and she had to take him for which she was sorry. Jan gives no reason why Mozart was not engaged for Bond. Perhaps he would have been had Lucey resigned in consequence of the reduction of his salary, but he kept his office of chapel master and could not well be dismissed without cause. Matioli's resignation was followed by the call of Joseph Raika to that place of concert master, but for Mozart no vacancy occurred at that time. Maximilian was in Vienna during most of the month of October 1785 and may have desired to secure Mozart in some way, but just about time the latter was, as his father wrote, overhead in ears busy with the opera, the notes say, D Figaro, old chapel master Bono could not live much longer, which gave him hope should the opera succeed of obtaining a permanent appointment in Vienna. And in short, his prospects seemed just then so good that his determination, if he should really receive an offer from the elector to remain in the great capital rather than to take his young wife so far away from home and friends as the Rhine then was and in a manner bear himself in a small town where so few opportunities would probably be given him for the exercise of the vast powers, which he was conscious of possessing, need not surprise us. Was it the good or the ill fortune of the boy Beethoven that Mozart came not to Bonn, his marvelous original talents were thus left to be developed without the fostering care of one of the very greatest of musical geniuses and one of the profoundest of musical scholars. But on the other hand, it was not oppressed, perhaps crushed by daily intercourse with that genius and scholarship. Maximilian immediately after reaching Bonn as a collector ordered full and minute reports to be made out concerning all branches of the administration of the public and court service and of the cost of their maintenance upon these reports were based his arrangements for the future. Those relating to the court music are too important and interesting to be overlooked for they give us details which carry us instantly into the circle which young Beethoven had just entered and in which through his father's connection with it he must from earliest childhood have moved. They are three in number, the first being a list of all the individuals constituting the court chapel, the second, the detailed description of the singers and players together with estimates of their capabilities. The third consists of recommendations touching a reduction in salaries. A few paragraphs may be presented here as most intimately connected with significant personages in our history. They are combined and given in abstract from the first two documents. Among the tenors we find father and son in the court chapel. J. Bonn Beethoven, age forty four, born in Bonn, married. His wife was thirty two years old, has three sons living in the electorate, aged thirteen, ten and eight years, who are studying music, has served twenty eight years, salary three hundred and fifteen Florence. His voice has long been stale, has been long in the service, very poor, a fair deportment and married. Among the organist Christian Gottlob, Neath, age thirty six, born at Chemnitz, married. His wife was thirty two, has served three years with formerly chapel master, was siler, salary four hundred Florence. Christian Neath, the organist in my humble opinion, might well be dismissed in as much as he is not particularly versed on the organ. Moreover, is a foreigner having no maritan, whatever, and of the Calvinistic religion. Ludwig von Beethoven, age thirteen, born at Bonn, has served two years, no salary. Ludwig Beethoven, a son of the Beethoven, sub number eight, has no salary. But during the absence of the chapel master, Lou Cheesy, who played the organ, is a good capability, still young, of good and quiet, department and poor. One of the items of the third report, proposing reductions of salaries and removals, has a very special interest as proving that an effort was made to supplant Neath and give the post of court organist to young Beethoven. It reads, item, if Neath were to be dismissed, another organist would have to be appointed who, if he were to be used only in the chapel, could be had for one hundred and fifty Florence, the same as small young and a son of a court musicie, and in case of need, has filled the place for nearly a year very well. The attempt to have Neath dismissed from the service failed, but a reduction of his salary to the pittance of 200 Florence had already led him to look about him, to find an engagement for himself and wife in some theater, and Maximilian having become acquainted with his merits, notwithstanding his Calvinism, restored his former allowance by a decree dated February 8, 1785, when Joseph Schreiker came to bond in Montioli's place, is still undetermined with exactness, but a decree raising him from the position of concert master to that of concert director in increasing his salary to 1,000 Florence, bears date June 20, 1785. In the general payroll of this year, Reicha's salary is stated to be six hundred and sixty six dollars, fifty two all tenorist Beethoven's two hundredth dollar, Beethoven, Jr., one hundredth dollar. End of chapter five, section eight of the life of Ludwig von Beethoven volume one by Alexander Wheelock Thayer, translated by Henry Edward Crabbele. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter six, Beethoven again, the young organist, the first visit to Vienna, death of Beethoven's mother, sympathetic acquaintances, Dr. Weigler's noticing, some questions of chronology. Schindler records and on such points, his testimony is good, that he had heard Beethoven attribute the marvelous development of Mozart's genius in great measure to the consistent instruction of his father, thus implying his sense of the disadvantages under which he himself labored from the want of regular and systematic musical training through the period of his childhood and youth. It is, however, by no means certain that had Ludwig von Beethoven been the son of Leopold Mozart, he would ever have acquired that facility of expression which enabled Wolfgang Mozart to fill up the richest and most varied scores almost as rapidly as his pen could move and so as hardly to need correction as if the development of musical idea was to him a work of mere routine or perhaps better to say, of instinct. Poeta, Nassetuer, non fit, not only in respect to his thoughts, but to his power of clothing them in language. Many a man of profoundest ideas can never by any amount of study and practice acquired the art of conveying them in a lucid and elegant manner. On the other hand, there are those whose thoughts never rise above the ordinary level, but whose essays are very models of style. Handel said of the elder Telemann that he could compose in eight parts as easily as he, Handel, could write a letter and Handel's own facility in composition was something astonishing. Beethoven, on the contrary, as his original scores prove, earned his bread by the sweat of his brow, but no amount of native genius can compensate for the want of thorough training. If therefore it be true that nature, at in some degree, limited his powers of expressing his musical as well as his intellectual ideas, so much greater was the need that at the age which he had now reached, he should have opportunity to prosecute uninterruptedly a more profound and systematic course of study, hence the death of Max million Friedrich, which must have seemed to the Beethoven's, at first a sad calamity proved in the end a blessing in disguise for while it did not deprive the boy of the pecuniary benefits of the position to which he had just been appointed, it gave him two or three years of comparative leisure, uninterrupted, saved by his share of the organist's duties for his studies, which there is every reason to suppose he continued under the guidance of his firm friend, Neath. These three years were a period of theatrical inactivity and bond for the carnival season of 1785. This group during its short season may have furnished the young organist with valuable matter for reflection for in the list of newly studied pieces from October 1783 to the same month 1785, thus including the engagement in bond, our Gluck's, Alceste and Orpheus, for opera, for the first time in his life, and the first time in his life, and the first time in his life, and the first time in his life, for operas of salieri, the Armida among them, Sartes, Frat du Litiganti, and Langkang Nieto in German translation, Holzbauer's Gunther von Schwartzberg, and five of Pi's Ciello's operas. There were, says the report in the theater calendar, 1786, in addition to the old and familiar French operettas, Zemur et Esor, Sylvain, Lucille, der Prachtig, der Hausfrunde, et cetera, et cetera. The three series Vienna operas, Alceste, Orpheus and Armida, in such broad contrast to the general character of the stock pieces of the Rennesch companies, point directly to Max Millen and the Bond season. The elector of Hess-Cassell, being then in funds by the sale of his subjects to George III for the American Revolutionary War, just closed, supported a large French theatrical company, complete in the three branches of spoken and musical drama and ballet. Max Franz, upon his return from Vienna in November 1785, spent a few days in Cassell and upon the death of the elector and the dismissal of the actors, a part of this company was engaged to play in Bond during January and February 1786. The performances were thrice a week, Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, and with but two or three exceptions consisted of a comedy followed by a light opera or operetta. The list contains eight of grates, compositions, three of days, say Edie's, two by Fillador and one each by Sacchini, Champagne, Purgolici, Gosec, Brizieri, Monsigny and Schwarzendorf called Martini. All of light and pleasing character and enjoying then a wide popularity not only in France, but throughout the continent. Meantime Grossmann had left Frankfurt and with close previously a manager in Hamburg had formed a new company for the Cologne, Bond and Düsseldorf stages. This troupe gave the carnival performances in 1787, confining them so far as appears to the old round of familiar pieces. Each of these companies had its own music director with Berm was mayor, composer of the ear licked and several ballets with the French company Jean Baptiste Rochefort was music master and Grossmann had recently engaged Berg Mueller of the Bello Mo company, composer of incidental music for Macbeth. Hence during these years, Nief's public duties extended no farther than his service as organist for Lugese and Raika relieved him from all the responsibilities of the church and concert room. That the organ service was at this time in part performed by the assistant organist is a matter of course. There is also an anecdote related by Berg Mueller on the authority of Franz Reese, which proves it. On Tuesday, Friday and Saturday of Holy Week, portions of the Lamentations of Jeremiah were included in the chapel service presided by a single voice accompanied on the piano for T the organ being interdicted to the familiar Gregorian chant team. The boy organist confounds a singer. On one occasion in the week ending March 27, 1785, the vocalist was Ferdinand Heller to get a musician to be easily disconcerted. The accompanist Ludwig von Beethoven now in his 15th year. While the singer delivered the long passages of the Latin text to the reciting note, the accompanist might indulge his fancy restricted only by the solemnity fitted to the service. Begler relates that Beethoven asked the singer who sat with unusual firmness in the tonal subtle, if he would permit him to throw him out and utilize the somewhat too readily granted permission to introduce so wide an excursion in the accompaniment while persistently striking the reciting note with his little finger that the singer got so bewildered that he could not find the closing cadence. Father Reese, the first violinist, then music director of the Electoral Chapel, Still Living, tales with detail, South Chapel master Lucey, who was present, was astonished by Beethoven's playing. In his first access of rage, Heller entered a complaint against Beethoven with the Elector, who commanded a simpler accompaniment. Although the spirit is an occasionally waggish young prince was amused at the occurrence, Schindler adds that Beethoven, in his last years, remembered the circumstance and said that the Elector had reprimanded him very graciously and forbidden such clever tricks in the future. The date is easily determined in Holy Week 1784. Neither Maximilian nor Lucey was in bond in 1786. Beethoven's skill would no longer have astonished the chapel master of the other characteristic anecdotes related of Beethoven's youth. There is not one which belongs to this period, May 1784 to April 1787, although some have been attributed to it by previous writers. Nothing is to be added to the record already made except that on the authority of Stephen von Brunig, the youth was once a pupil of Franz Reese on the violin, which must have been at this time, that according to Begler, his composition of the song, then Yaman, Ina, Risa, Thut fell in this period in that he wrote three piano quartets, the original manuscript of which bore the following title, Trois, Quart, Trois, pour Clavecin, Violin, Violin et Basso, 1785, Composé par de L. Louis von Beethoven, Argy, 13 ans. The reader will remark and understand the discrepancy here between the date and the author's age were these quartets intended for publication and for dedication to Max Franz as the sonatas have been for Max Friedrich. During their author's life, they never saw the light, but their principal themes, even an entire movement, became parts of future works. They were published in 1832 by Artaria and appears as numbers 75 and 77, series 10 in the complete works. One family event is recorded in the Paris register of Saint Remigius, the baptism of Maria, Marguerite, Joseph, daughter of Johann von Beethoven on May 5 1786. There is a letter from Bond dated April 8 1787 in Kramer's magazine to 1385, which contains a passing illusion to Beethoven. It affords another glimpse of the musical life there. Our resident city is becoming more and more attractive for music lovers through the gracious patronage of our beloved elector. He has a large collection of the most beautiful music and is expanding every day to augmented. It is to him, too, that we owe the privilege of hearing often virtuosity on various instruments. Good singers come seldom. The love of music is increasing greatly among the inhabitants. The piano forte is especially like there are here several Hammer Clavier by Stein of Augsburg and other correspondingly good instruments. The youthful Baron von Gouda now plays the piano forte right bravely. And besides young Beethoven, the children of the chapel master deserve to be mentioned because of their admirable and precociously developed talent. All of the sons of Herr von Mastier play the clavier well. As you already know from earlier letters of mine, this young genius deserves support to enable him to travel. Wrote Neath in 1783 in the springtime of 1787. The young genius was at length and able to travel. Went through how he obtained the means to defray the expenses of his journey, whether aided by the elector or some other mycenous or dependent upon the small savings from his salary and hardly possible from the savings from his music lessons, painfully and carefully ordered for the purpose does not appear. The series of papers that do so door is at this point broken so that not even the petition for leave of absence has been discovered. The few indications bearing on this point are that he had no father aid from the elector than the continued payment of his salary. What is certain is that the youth now 16 but passing for a year or two older visited Vienna where he received a few lessons from Mozart. Reese in notice in page 86 that his stay was short and that honest, my home, he was forced to borrow some money in Augsburg. When he made the journey is equally doubtful, Schindler was told by some old acquaintances of Beethoven that on the visit, two persons only were deeply impressed upon the lifelong memory of the youth of 16 years, the emperor, Joseph and Mozart. If the young artist really had an interview with the emperor, it must have occurred before the 11th of April or after the 30th of June for those were the days which began and ended Joseph's absence from Vienna upon his famous tour to the Crimea with the Russian Empress Catherine. If before that absence, then Beethoven was at least three months in the Austrian capital and had that bond before the date of Neve's letter to Kramer's magazine, in which case, how could the writer in speaking of his young colleague have omitted all mention of the fact? How, too, could so important a circumstance have been unknown to or forgotten by Dr. Weigler and have found their place in his notice in which moreover were prepared under the eyes of both Franz Reese and Madame von Bruning. It will soon be seen that Beethoven was again in bond before July 17, a date which admits the bare possibility of the reported meeting with Joseph after his return from Russia. If in an opinion which indeed is a little more than a conjecture, it should be hazarded in relation with his visit. It is this that if at any time the missing archives of Maximilian's court should come to light, it would be found that not until after the busy week for organists and chapel musicians ending with Easter was the absence granted to Beethoven and that, too, with no further pecuniary aid from the elector than possibly a quarter or two of his salary in advance. In 1787, Easter Monday fell upon the 9th of April, the day after the date of Nietzsche's letter making due allowance of time for the necessary preparations for so important a journey as in those days it was from Bonne to Vienna. It may be reasonably conjectured that sometime in May the youth reached the latter city. Let another conjecture find place here. It is that Johann von Beethoven had not yet abandoned the hope of deriving pecuniary profit from the pocusity of his son's genius that he still expected the boy after replacing his hard organ style of playing by one more suited to the character of the pianoforte to make his dream of a wonder child in some degree a reality. Hence at what fearful cost to the father in his poverty, we know not. Ludwig is sent to the most admirable pianist, the best teacher than living. Mozart. Beethoven's introduction to Mozart. But enough of conjecture, the oft-repeated anecdote of Beethoven's introduction to Mozart is stripped by Professor Jan of Seyfried's superlatives and related in these terms. Beethoven, who as a youth of great promise came to Vienna in 1786, question mark, but was obliged to return to Bonne after a brief sojourn was taken to Mozart and at that musician's request played something for him, which he, taking it for granted that it was a showpiece prepared for the occasion, praised in a rather cool manner. Beethoven observing this bag, Mozart to give him a theme for improvisation. He always played admirably when excited and now he was inspired to by the presence of the master whom he reverenced greatly. He played in such a style that Mozart, whose attention and interest grew more and more, finally went silently to some friends who were sitting in and adjoining room and said, vivaciously, keep your eyes on him. Someday he will give the world something to talk about. Reese noticed him. Page 86, Millie says, during his visit to Vienna, he received some instruction from Mozart, but the latter, as Beethoven lamented, never played for him. Contrary to the conjecture above mentioned as to Johann von Beethoven's object in sending his son to Vienna, it seems from the connection in which Reese introduces this remark that the instruction given by Mozart to the youth was confined to composition. The lessons given were few, a fact which accounts for the circumstance that no member of Mozart's family in after years when Beethoven had become world-renowned has spoken of them. If it be considered that poor Mozart lost his beloved father May 28, 1787, and that his mind was then fully occupied with his new operatic subject, Don Giovanni, it will not be thought strange that he did not exhibit his powers as a pianist to a youth just beginning with him, a course of study in composition, especially as the pupil in his eyes was a little undersized boy of 14, as there is every reason to believe that pupil's power of handling a theme since Mozart probably knew nothing of his five years' practice at the organ and in the theater may well have surprised him, but in execution as a pianist, he probably stood far, far below the master when at the same age, below the little humble at that very time, an inmate of Mozart's family and certainly below Cesarius Scheidl, forgotten name, age 10, who had played a pianoforte concerto between the parts of an oratoria no longer go than the preceding 22nd of December in the grand concert of the Society of Musicians. Had not Beethoven's visit been so abruptly, unexpectedly and sorrowfully brought to an end, he would doubtless have had nothing to regret on the score of his master's playing. In some written talks to Beethoven in the years of his deafness still preserved are found two illusions at least made by his nephew to this personal acquaintance with Mozart. In the first case, the words of these, you knew Mozart, where did you see him? In the other two or three years later was Mozart a good pianoforte player. It was then still in its infancy. Of course, Beethoven's replies are wanting and herewith is exhausted. All that during the researches for this work has been found relating to his first visit in Vienna. The Vienna newspapers of the time contain notices of the wonder of children, Hamel and Scheidl, but none whatever of Beethoven. Acquaintances in Augsburg that the youth in passing through Augsburg must have become acquainted with the pianoforte maker Stein and his family is self evident. There's something in a conversation book which seems to prove this and also to have evidence to the falsification of his age. It is this in the spring of 1824, Andreas Streicher and his wife, the same Stein's model, whose appearance at the pianoforte when a child of eight and a half years or so precontly described by Mozart called upon Beethoven on their way from Vienna into the country. A few sentences of the conversation written in the hand of the composer's nephew are preserved. The topic for a time is the packing of moveables and Beethoven's removal into country lodgings for the summer. At a link, they come upon the instruments manufactured by Streicher, after which Carl writes, Frau von Streicher says that she is delighted that at 14 years of age, you saw the instruments made by her father and now see those of her son. True, it may be said that this refers to Beethoven's knowledge of the Stein hammer clavier then in bond, but to any one thoroughly conversant with the subject. These words are like yagos, trifles light as air, confirmation strong of the other view. His introduction to the family of the advocate, Dr. Schaden in Augsburg is certain Reich Hart was in that city in 1790 and wrote of Frau Nanette von Schaden as being of all the women he knew, those of Paris not accepted, far and away the greatest pianoforte player, not excel perhaps by any virtuoso in skill and certainty, also a singer with much expression and excellent declamation in every respect and amiable and interesting woman. The earliest discovered letter of Beethoven to Schaden and dated bond September 15, 1787 proves the friendship of the Shadans for him and fully explains the causes of his sudden departure from Vienna and the abrupt termination of his studies with Mozart. I can easily imagine what you must think of me and I cannot deny that you have good grounds for an unfavorable opinion. I shall not, however, attempt to justify myself until I have explained to you the reasons why I hope my apologies will be accepted. I must tell you that from the time I left Augsburg, my purefulness as well as my health began to decline. The near I came to my native city, the more frequent were the letters from my father urging me to travel with all possible speed as my mother was not in a favorable state of health. I therefore hurried forward as fast as I could, although myself far from well, my longing once more to see my dying mother overcame every obstacle and assisted me in surmounting the greatest difficulties. I found my mother still alive, but in the most deplorable state her disease was consumption and about seven weeks ago after much pain and suffering, she died. She was such a kind, loving mother to me and my best friend, Ah, who was happier than I when I could still utter the sweet name Mother and it was heard and whom can I now speak it only to the silent image resembling her evoked by the power of the imagination. I've passed very few pleasant hours since my arrival here, having during the whole time been suffering from asthma, which may, I fear, eventually develop into consumption due to this is added melancholy, almost as great an evil as my malady itself. Imagine yourself in my place when I shall hope to receive your forgiveness for my long silence. You showed me extreme kindness and friendship by lending me three Carolants in Augsburg, but I must entreat your indulgence for a time. My journey cost me a great deal, and I have not the smallest hopes of earning anything here, fate is not propitious to me in bond. Pardon my detaining you so long with my chatter. It was necessary for my justification. I do entreat you not to deprive me of your valuable friendship. Nothing do I wish so much as in some degree to become worthy of your regard. I am with the highest respect, your most obedient servant and friend, L.V. Beethoven, court organist to the Elector of Cologne. Death of Beethoven's mother. The Bond Intelligent's block res supplies a pendant to this sad letter. 1787, July 17 died Maria Magdalena, Gauverich, sick, named Bond Beethoven, aged 49 years. Winferdon Rhys, some 13 years later, presented his father's letter of introduction to Beethoven in Vienna. The latter read the letter through and said, I cannot answer your father just now. But do you write to him that I have not forgotten how my mother died? He will be satisfied with that. Later, as Rhys, I learned that the family being greatly in need, my father had been helpful to him on this occasion in every way. A petition of Johann von Beethoven offered before the death of his wife, describing his pitiable condition and asking aid from the elector has not been discovered, but the substance of it is found in a volume of Geheimer-Staatz protocol for 1787 informed following. Your electoral highness has taken possession of this petition. July 24, 1787, court musician makes obedient representation that he has got into a very unfortunate state because of the long continued sickness of his wife and has already been compelled to sell a portion of his effects upon others and that he no longer knows what to do for a sick wife and many children. He prays for the benefaction of an advance of one hundred Reich taller on his salary. No record is found in the Dusseldorf archives of any grant of aid to the Dusseldorf family, and so far as now appears the only successful appeal for assistance was made to Franz Rhys, then a young man of 32 years who generously aided in every way his unfortunate colleague, where then was the ruining family where Graf Waldstein to these questions or applies that Beethoven was still unknown to them, a reply which involves the utter rejection of the chronology adopted by Dr. Weigler in his notes and of that part of the composer's life. This mistake, if indeed it proved to be such is one which has been adopted without hesitation by all who have written upon the subject. The reader here for the first time finds Weigler's account of Beethoven's higher intellectual development and his introduction into a more refined social circle placed after instead of before the visit to Vienna and his introduction to the broonings and Waldstein dated at the time when the youth was developing into the man and not at a point upon the confines of childhood and youth. This demands some explanation. Dr. Weigler's chronology corrected the history of Beethoven's bond life would be so sadly imperfect without the noticing of Dr. Weigler, which bear in every line such an impressive perfect candor and honesty that they can be read only with feelings of gratefulness, remembrance of their author and with fullest confidence in their authenticity. But no more in his case than in others can the reminiscences of an aged man be taken as conclusive evidence in regard to facts and occurrences of years long since past when opposed to contemporary records are involving confusion of dates. Some slight lapse of memory, misapprehension or unlucky adoption of another's mistake may lead to stray and be the abundant source of error. Still, it is only with great diffidence and extreme caution that one can undertake to correct an original authority so trustworthy as Dr. Weigler such corrections must be made. However, for only by this can many a difficulty be removed. An error in the doctor's chronology might easily be occasioned by the long accepted false date of Beethoven's birth insensibly influencing his recollections. And certainly when Dr. Weigler, Madame von Brunning and Franz Ries, all alike, venerable in years as in character, sit together discussing in 1837 to eight occurrences of 1785 to eight with nothing to aid their memories and control their reminiscences, but an old court calendar or two. They may well to some extent have confounded times and seasons in the vacant misty distance of so many years. The more easily because the era is one of about two or three years at most. Bearing upon the point in question is the fact that Frau Cart, who distinctly remembers the death of Madame von Beethoven, has no recollections of the young Brunnings in Wallstein until after that event. Some words of Dr. Weigler in an unprinted letter to Beethoven, 1825, in as much as the house of my mother-in-law was more your domicile than your own, especially after you lost your noble mother, seemed to favor the usually accepted chronology, but if Beethoven was thus almost a member of the Brunning family as early as 1785 or 1786, how can the tone of the letter to Dr. Schaden be explained? Or how account for the fact that when he reached von again and found his mother dying in his father in a very unfortunate state and compelled to sell a portion of his effects and pawn others anew not what to do, it was to Franz Reese, he turned for aid. The good doctors certainly mistaken us to the time when Beethoven found the messenuses in the elector in Wallstein. Why not equally so in relation to the Brunning family? If now his own account of his intimacy with the young musician given in the preface to the notism be examined, it will be found to strengthen what has just been said, born in Bonn in 1765. I became acquainted in 1782 with the 12 years old lad, who, however, was already known as an author and lived in most intimate association with him uninterruptedly until September 1787. And still he could forget that Franz absence in Vienna only a few months before when to finish my medical studies. I visited the Vienna schools and institutions after my return in October 1789, we continued to live together in an equally cordial association until Beethoven's later departure for Vienna towards the close of 1792, whether I also emigrated in October 1794. For more than two years then and just at this period, Dr. Begler was not in Bonn. Let's still another circumstance be noted. Nothing has been discovered either in the notism or elsewhere, which necessarily implies that Begler himself intimately knew the Brunnings until after his return from Vienna in 1789. Moreover, in those days when the distinctions of rank were so strongly marked, it is to say the least exceedingly improbable that the son of an immigrant alzation shoemaker should have obtained entree upon the supposed terms of intimacy in a household in which the oldest job was some six years younger than himself and which belonged to the highest social if not titled rank until he by the force of his talents, culture and high character had risen to its level. That after so rising the obscurity of his birth was forgotten and the only daughter became his wife is alike honorable to both parties. It is unnecessary to pursue the point, father, the reader having his attention drawn to it will observe for himself the many less prominent, but strongly corroborating circumstances of the narrative, which confirmed the chronology adopted in it. At all events, it must stand until new and decisive facts against it be found. A year of sadness and gloom. My journey cost me a great deal and I have not the smallest hope of earning anything here. Bate is not propitious to me in bond in poverty, ill, melancholy, despondent, motherless, ashamed and depressed by his father's ever increasing moral infirmity, the void prematurely owed from the circumstances in which he'd been placed since his eleventh year, and he had to bear another sling and error of outrageous fortune. A little sister now year and a half old, but here is the notice from the inter-intelligence block, died November 25, Margaret, daughter of the court musician Johann von Beethoven, aged one year, and so faded the last hope that the passionate tenderness of Beethoven's nature might find scope in the purest of all relations between the sexes, that of brother and sister. Thus in sadness and gloom, Beethoven's seventeenth year ended. End of Section 8, Section 9 of the Life of Ludwig von Beethoven, Volume 1 by Alexander Wee Like Thayer, translated by Henry Edward Krabiel. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter 7. The von Bruning family, Beethoven brought under refining influences. Count Wollstein is miscellaneous. The young musician is forced to become head of the family. In 1527, the year in which the administration of the office of Hockmeister of the Teutonic Order was united with that of the Deutschmeister, whose residence had already been fixed at Murgentheim. In 1525, this city became the principal seat of the order. From 1732 to 1761, Clemens Augustus was Hockmeister of the order. According to the French edition of the Court Calendar of 1761, Christophe von Bruning was conseiller des tas et un referendaire, having succeeded his father-in-law, von Meyer Hoppen, in the office. Beethoven's friends, the von Brunnings. Christophe von Bruning had five sons, Georg Yosef, Johann Lorenz, Johann Philippe, Immanuel Yosef, and Christophe. Lorenz became chancellor of the Archdenery of Bonn and the Freyade Liges, stiffed at Noos after the death of his brother, Immanuel. He lived in Bonn so that as head of the family, he might care for the education of the latter's children. He died there in 1796. Johann Philippe, born 1742 at Murgentheim, became canon and priest at Kerpen, a place on the old highway from Cologne to Aix-La-Chapelle, where he died, June 12, 1831. Christophe was court counselor at Dillingen. Immanuel Yosef continued in the electoral service at Bonn. At the early age of 20 years, he was already court counselor, conseiller, Aix-La-Chapelle. He married Helen, von Kerrick, born January 3, 1750. Daughter of Stefan von Kerrick, physician to the elector. Her brother, Abraham, von Kerrick, of Canon and Scholaster of the Archdienery of Bonn, died in Koblenz in 1821. A high opinion of the intellect and character of Madame von Bruning is enforced upon us by what we learn of her influence upon the youthful Beethoven. Court counselor von Bruning perished in a fire in the electoral palace on January 15, 1777. The young widow, she had barely attained her 28th year, continued to live in the house of her brother, Abraham von Kerrick, with her three children to whom was added a fourth in the summer of 1777. Immediately after the death of the father, his brother, the Canon, Lorenz von Bruning changed his residence from noose to Bonn and remained in the same house as guardian and tutor of the orphan children. These were one Christophe, born May 13, 1771, a student of jurisprudence at Bonn, Gertengen and Jena, municipal counselor in Bonn, Notary, president of the City Council, professor at the law school in Koblenz, member of the Court of Review in Cologne. And finally, Gerheimer Oberrevier-Jean Roth in Berlin. He died in 1841. To Eleanor Brigitte, born April 23, 1772, on March 28, 1802. She was married to Franz Gerhardt-Degler, a bull on Der Arr, and died on June 13, 1841 at Koblenz. Three, Stefan, born August 17, 1774. He studied law at Bonn and Caughton June and shortly before the end of the electorship of Max Franz was appointed to an office in the Teutonic Order at Murgentine. In the spring of 1801, he went to Vienna, where he renewed his acquaintance with Beethoven. They had simultaneously been pupils of rice in violin playing. The Teutonic Order offering no chance of advancement to a young man. He was given employment with the War Council and became court counselor in 1818. He died on June 4, 1827. His first wife was Yuli von Bering, daughter of Ritter von Bering, a military physician. She died in the eleventh month of her redded life. He then married Costanz, Ruchewitz, who became the mother of Dr. Gerhardt von Bering, born August 28, 1813, author of Aus dem Schwartz, Bernier Haus. Four, Lorenz, Caught Lenz, the posthumous child, born in the summer of 1777, studied medicine and was in Vienna in 1794 to 97, simultaneously with Begler and Beethoven. He died on April 10, 1798 in Bonn. Madame von Bruning, who died on December 9, 1838, after a widowhood of 61 years, lived in Bonn until 1815. Then in Carpen, Buhl, Ahn, Der R, Cologne, and finally with her son-in-law, Begler, in Koblenz. The acquaintance between Beethoven and Stefan von Bruning may have had some influence in the selection of the young musician as Piano Forte teacher for Eleanor and Lorenz, an event in consideration of circumstances already detailed and of the ages real and reputed of pupils and master, which may be dated at the close of the year 1787 and which was perhaps the greatest good that fate now become propitious could have conferred upon him, for he was now so situated in his domestic relations and at such an age that introduction into so highly refined and cultivated a circle was of the highest value to him both morally and intellectually. The recent loss of his mother had left a void in his heart which so excellent a woman as Madame von Bruning could alone in some measure feel. He was at an age when the evil example of his father needed a counter balance, when the extraordinary honors so recently paid to science and letters at the inauguration of the university would make the strongest impression. When the sense of his deficiencies in everything but his art would begin to be oppressive, when his mental power so strong and healthy would demand some change, some recreation from that constant strain in the one direction of music to which almost from infancy they had been subjected, when not only the reaction upon his mind of the fresh and new intellectual life now pervading bond society, but his daily contact with so many of his own age, friends and companions now enjoying advantages for improvement, denied to him, must have cost him many a pang. When a lofty and noble ambition might be aroused to lead him ever onward and upward, when the victim of a despondent melancholy, he might sink into the mere routine musician with no lofty aims, no higher object than to draw from his talents, means to supply his necessities and gratify his appetites. There must have been something very engaging in the character of the small pock-marked youth where he could not have so won his way into the affections of the widow of Von Bruning and her children. In his notice in Begler writes, in his house reigned an unconstrained tone of culture in spite of youthful willfulness. Christoph Von Bruning made early essays in poetry as was the case and not without success was Stefan Von Bruning much later. The friends of the family were distinguished by indulgence in social entertainments, which combined the useful and the agreeable. When we add that the family possessed considerable wealth, especially before the war, it will be easy to understand that the first joyous emotions of Beethoven found vent here. Soon he was treated as one of the children of the family, spending in the house not only the greater part of his days but also many nights. Here he felt that he was free, here he moved about without constraint. Everything conspired to make him cheerful and develop his mind. Being five years older than Beethoven, I was able to observe and form a judgment on these things. It must not be forgotten that besides Madame Von Bruning and her children, the scholastic Abraham Von Kerrick and the canon Lorenz Von Bruning were members of the household. The letter especially seems to have been a fine specimen of the enlightened clergy of Von who, according to Riesbeck, formed so striking a contrast to the priests and monks of Cologne, and it is easy to trace Beethoven's lifelong love for the ancient classics Homer and Plutarch at the head to the time when the young Brunnings would be occupied with them in the original under the guidance of their accomplished tutor and guardian. The uncle Philippe Von Bruning may also have been influential in the intellectual progress of the young musician, for to him at Kirpen, the family Von Bruning and their friends went annually for a vacation of five or six weeks, there too Beethoven several times spent a few weeks right merrily and was frequently urged to play the organ, as Begler tells us in the Notizen. There let him be left enjoying and profiting by his intimacy with that family and returning their kindness and some measure by instructing Eleanor and Lance in music while a new friend and benefactor is introduced. Count Vahlstein's arrival at Von, Emmanuel Philippe, Count Vahlstein and Wartenberg Von Dukes and his wife, a daughter of Emmanuel Prince Lichtenstein, were parents of eleven children. The fourth son was Ferdinand Ernst Gabriel, born March 24, 1762, uniting in his veins the blood of many of the houses of the Austrian empire. There was no career, no line of preferment open to younger sons of title families, which was not open to him or to which he might not aspire. It was determined that he should see activity in the two tonic order of which Max Franz was Grand Master. According to the rules and regulations of the order, the young nobleman came to Von to pass his examinations and spend his year of novice year. Could the time of his arrival there be determined with certainty the date would have the most important bearing, either to confirm or disprove the chronological argument of some of our earlier pages? But one may well despair of finding so unimportant an event as the journey of a young man of twenty five from Vienna to the Rhine anywhere upon record. One thing bearing directly upon this point may be read in the Weiner Zeitdunk of July two seventeen eighty eight. A correspondent in Bonn says that on the day before yesterday, that is June seventeen seventeen eighty eight, our gracious sovereign as Hock und Deutschmeister gave the accolade with the customary ceremonies to the Count Von Valdstein, who had been accepted in the two tonic order. Allowing for the regular year of novitiate, the Count was certainly in Bonn before the seventeenth of June, seventeen eighty seven. The misfortune of two unlucky bohemian peasants, strange as it may seem, gives us, after the lapse of a century, a satisfactory solution of the difficulty. Someone reports in the Weiner Zeitdunk of May nineteen seventeen eighty seven, that on the fourth of that month, two peasant houses were destroyed by fire in the village of Likwitz, belonging to Oseg and as Count von Von Valdstein, moved by a noble spirit of humanity, hurried from Dukes, took charge of affairs and was to be found wherever the danger was greatest. It was between May four and June seventeen seventeen eighty seven that Valdstein parted from his widowed mother and journeyed to the place of his novitiate. His name may easily have become known to Weigler before the latter's departure from Bonn for Vienna. Here follows what the good doctor says of the Count to what degree correct or mistake in the reader can determine for himself. The first and in every respect, the most important of the machinuses of Beethoven was Count Valdstein Knight of the Teutonic Order and what is of greater moment here, the favorite and constant companion of the young elector afterwards commander of the order at Wernsburg and Chancellor of the Emperor of Austria. He was not only a connoisseur, but also a practitioner of music. He it was who gave all manner of support to our Beethoven, whose gifts he was the first to recognize worthily. Through him, the young genius developed the talent to improvise variations on a given theme from him. He received much pecuniary assistance bestowed in such a way as to spare his sensibilities, it being generally looked upon as a small gratuity from the elector. Beethoven's appointment as organist is being sent to Vienna by the elector where the doings of the Count and Beethoven at a later date dedicated the great and important sonata in C major Opus 53 to him. It was only a proof of the gratitude which lived on in the mature man. It is to Count Valdstein that Beethoven owed the circumstance that the first sproutings of his genius were not nipped. Therefore we owe this my senus Beethoven's later fame. Frau Karth remembered distinctly the 17th of June upon which Valdstein entered the order, the fact being impressed upon her mind by a not very gentle reminder from the stock of a sentinels musket that the palace chapel was no place for children on such an occasion. She remembered Valdstein's visits to Beethoven in the years following. In his room in the Wenzelgasse and was confident that he made the young musician a president of a Piano Forte to save his line from extinction. The Count obtained a dispensation from his vows and married May 9, 1812. Maria Isabella, daughter of Count Razzuski. A daughter, Ludmilla, was born to him but no son. He died on August 29, 1823, and the family of Valdsteins of Dukes disappears. While all that Begler says of this man's kindness in obtaining the place of organist for Beethoven and of his influence upon his musical education is one grand mistake, there is no reason whatever to doubt that those qualities which made the youth a favorite with the broonings added to his manifest genius may their way to the young Count's heart and gain for Beethoven a zealous, influential and active friend. Still in June 1778, Valdstein possessed no such influence as to render a petition for increase of salary offered by his protégé successful. That document has disappeared, but a paper remains dated June 5 concerning the petition, which is endorsed Beru hat. Whatever this word may here mean, it is certain that Ludwig's salary as organist remained at the old point of one hundred dollars, which with the two hundred received by his father, the three measures of grain and the small sum that he might earn by teaching was all that Johann von Beethoven and three sons now respectively in their eighteenth, fifteenth and twelfth years had to live upon, and therefore so much the more necessity for the exercise of Valdstein's generosity, Ludwig, the head of the family, after the death of the mother, says Frau Karth, a housekeeper was employed and the father and sons remain together in the lodgings in the Wenzelgasse. Carl was intended for the musical profession. Johann was put apprentice to the court apothecary. Johann Peter Hittorpe. Two years, however, had hardly elapsed when the father's infirmity compelled the eldest son, not yet nineteen years of age, to take the extraordinary step of placing himself at the head of the family. One of Stefan von Brunning's reminiscences shows how low Johann von Beethoven had sunk, these that of having seen Ludwig furiously interposing to rescue his intoxicated father from an officer of police. Here again the petition has disappeared, but its contents are sufficiently made known by the terms of the decree dated November twenty seventeen eighty nine. His electoral highness having graciously granted the prayer of the petitioner and dispensed henceforth wholly with the services of his father, who is to withdraw to a village in the electorate. It is graciously commanded that he be paid in accordance with his wish. Only one hundred Reich's dollar of the annual salary which he has had here to four, beginning with the approaching new year and that the other one hundred dollars be paid to the suppliant son besides the salary which he now draws in the three measures of grain for the support of his brothers. It is probable that there was no intention to enforce this decree in respect of the withdrawal of the father from Bonn and that this clause was inserted in terror and in case he misbehaved himself for he continued according to fraught car to dwell with his children and his first receipt still preserved for the reduced salary is dated at Bonn, a circumstance, however, which alone would prove little or nothing. End of section nine, section ten of the life of Ludwig von Beethoven volume one by Alexander Wheelock Thayer, translated by Henry Edward Crebel. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter eight, the National Theatre of Max Frans, Beethoven's artistic associates, practical experience in the orchestra, the Ritter Ballet, the operatic repertory of five years, opera under elector Max Frans. Early in the year 1788, the mind of the elector, Max Frans, was occupied with the project for forming a company of Hoth-Schau-Spieler, in short, with the founding of a national theater upon the plan adopted by his predecessor in Bonn and by his brother, Joseph Indiana. His finances were now in order. The administration of public affairs enabled hands and working smoothly, and there was nothing to hinder him from placing both music and theater upon a better and permanent footing, which he now proceeded to do. The Kloss troupe, which had left Cologne in March, played for a space in Bonn and on its dispersal in the summer, several of its better actors were engaged in addition to others who had already settled in Bonn. The only names which it is necessary to mention here are those of significance in the history of Beethoven. Joseph Reica was director, neath pianist and stage manager for opera. In the orchestra were Frans Ries and Andreas Romburg, violin, Ludwig von Beethoven, viola, Bernard Romburg, violoncello, Nikolaus Simrock, horn and Anton Reica flute. A comparison of the list of the theatrical establishment with that of the court chapel as printed in the court calendars for 1778 and the following years shows that the two institutions were kept distinct, though the names for the greater part appear in both some of the singers in the chapel played in the theatrical orchestra, while certain of the players in the chapel sang upon the stage of the names appear in but one of the lists. As organist, the name of Beethoven appears still in the court calendar, but as the Ola player, he had a place in both the orchestras. Thus for a period of full four years, he had the opportunity of studying practically orchestral compositions in the best of all schools, the orchestra itself. This body of thirty one members under the energetic leadership of Reica, many of them young and ambitious, some already known as virtuosos and still keeping their places in musical history as such was a school for instrumental music such as Handel, Bach, Mozart and Haydn had not enjoyed in their youth, that his advantages were improved both by Beethoven and others of the younger men all the world knows. One fact worthy of note in relation to this company is the youth of most of the new members engaged. Maximilian seems to have sought out young talent, and when it proved to be of true metal, gave it a permanent place in his service, adopted wise measures for its cultivation and thus later foundation upon which, but for the outbreak of the French Revolution and the consequent dispersion of his court would in time have risen a musical establishment, one of the very first in Germany. This is equally true of the new members of his orchestra. Reica himself was still rather a young man born in 1757. He was a virtuoso on the violoncello and a composer of some note, but his usefulness was sadly impaired by his sufferings from gout. The cousins Andres and Bernard, Romberg, Maximilian had found at Moonstar and Rottenbaum, they had in their boyhood as virtuosos upon their instruments, Andres Violin, Bernhard cello, made a tour as far as Paris and their concerts were crowned with success. Andres was born near Moonstar in 1767 and letter Bur, Tang, Gunstler, Berlins, adopts the same year as the date also of Bernhard's birth. They were therefore three years old with them Beethoven and now just past 21. Both were already industrious and well known composers. It must have been a valuable addition to the circle of young men in which Beethoven moved. The decree appointing them respectively court violinist and court violon cellist is dated November 19, 1790. Anton Reica, a fabulous nephew of the concert master, born at Prague, February 27, 1770, was brought by his uncle to Bonn. He had been already for some years in that uncle's care and under his instruction had become a good player of the flute, violin and piano forte. In Bonn, Reica became acquainted with Beethoven, who was then organist at court. We spent 14 years together, says Reica, united in a bond like that of Orestes and Pilates, and were continually side by side in our youth. After a separation of eight years, we saw each other again in Vienna and exchange competences concerning our experiences at the age of 17, composing orchestral and vocal music for the Electoral Chapel. A year later, flautist in the theater at 19, both flautist and violinist, in the chapel and so intimate a friend of Beethoven, who was less than a year his junior, were Reica's laurels no spur to the ambition of the other. The names of several of the performers upon wind instruments were new names in Bonn, and the thought suggests itself that the Elector brought with him from Vienna some members of the harmonia music, which had won high praise from Reica, and it will hereafter appear that such a band formed part of the musical establishment in Bonn, a fact of importance, in its bearing upon the questions of the origin and date of various known works, both of Beethoven and of Reica, and of no less weight in deciding where and how these men obtained their marvelous knowledge of the powers and effects of this class of instruments. The arrangements were all made in 1788, but not early enough to admit of the opening of the theater until after the Christmas holidays, namely on the evening of January 3, 1789, the theater had been altered and improved. And in Cendiary Fire, threatened destruction the day before, but did not postpone the opening. The opening piece was Der Baum der Diana by Vincenzo Martin. It may be thought not very complimentary to the taste of Maximilian that the first season of his National Theater was open thus, instead of with one of Gluck's or Mozart's masterpieces. It suffices to say that he, in his capacity of Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, had spent a good part of the autumn at Mergen time and only reached Bonn on his return on the last day of January. Henshey was not responsible for that selection. The season, which opened on January 3, 1789, closed on May 23. Within this period, the following operas were performed. Beethoven taking part in the performances as a member of the orchestra. Der Baum der Diana, La Bore di Diana, Martin, Romeo und Juli, Georg Bender, Ariadne duodrama by Georg Bender, Das Möde, Jean-Bonne Frascati, La Frascatana, Paisiello, Julie Desaides, D. Dre, Pachter, Le Trois-Bermier, Desaides, Die Entfu-Wang aus dem Surreal, Mozart, Nina de la Rock, Trophonios, Zalber, Hurle, Lagrota di Trophonio, Salieri, Der Eifer, Souk, Tigre, Lieber, Haban, Lamont, Jalu, Great Tree, Der Schmals, Il Convivo, Sim, Morosa, Der Alchemist, Schuster, Das Blendwerk, La Falsa, Mayor G., Great Tree. The second season began October 13, 1789 and continued until February 23, 1790. On the 24th of February, news reached Bond of the death of Maximilien's brother, the Emperor Joseph II, and the theater was closed. The repertory for the season comprised Dan Giovanni Mozart, which was given three times, Die Colony, Le Sole d'Amore, Saccini, Der Barbier von Sevilla, La Barrière di Sevilla, Paisiello, Romeo und Juli, Georg Benda, Die Hochzeit des Figaro, La Nazza di Figaro Mozart, given four times, Nina de la Rock, Die Skirne, Schutzerin, Umlau, Ariadne, Georg Benda, Die Pilgrima von Mecca, Gluck, Der König von Benedig, Ilrei, Teodoro, Paisiello, Der Alchemist, Schuster, Das Lestiga, Bauer, Madgen, La Fente Giardiniera, Paisiello, Der Doctor und Apotheker, Dittersdorf, a letter to the Berliner Annalen theatres, mentions three operas which are not in the list of the theatrical calendar and indicates that the theater was open soon after receipt of the intelligence of the death of Joseph and several pieces performed among them in March as a du Lepana by Paisiello. The writer also mentions performances of Anfossi's or Sarti's avaro in Amarato, Pergo, Lissi's, Serra, Bardrona and La Villanella di Spirito composer unmentioned by an Italian company headed by Madame Bianchi. The third season began October 23, 1790 and closed on March 8, 1791 between the opening and November 27 performances of the following musical dramatic works over a quarter, König Teodoro in Benedig, Ilrei, Teodoro, Paisiello, the Vilden, Azemia, Deller, Rock, Der Alchemist, Schuster, Kain, Dienst, Blighten, Unbelont, question mark, Der Barbier von Sevilla, Paisiello, the Skirna, Schuster, Umlau, Lilla, Martini, Dien, Geitzingen, Enderfalla, Schuster, Nina, Deller, Rock, Der Mörner, Schuster, Amarche, the season close with a ballet by Horschelt, Bermus, Unthesp, the reporter in the Teodoro calendar says, Anquin, Quagga, Sima, Sunday, March 6, the local nobility performed in the Verdota Room, a characteristic ballet in old German costume. The author, his excellency Count Baldstein, to whom the composition and music do honor, had shown in it consideration for the chief proclivities of our ancestral war, the chase, love and drinking. On March 8, all the nobility attended the theater in their old German dress and the parade made a great, splendid and respectable picture. It was also noticeable that the ladies would lose none of their charms, were they to return to the costumes of antiquity. Before proceeding with this history, a correction must be made in this report. The music to the Ritteret Ballet, which was the characteristic ballet referred to, was not composed by Count Baldstein, but by Ludwig von Beethoven. We shall recur to it presently, owing to a long continued absence of the elector, the principal singers and the greater part of the orchestra. The fourth season did not begin till the 28th of December, 1791. Between that date and February 20, 1792, the following musical works were performed, Dr. Und Apotheker, Dittersdorf, Robert Und Kalista, Guglielmi, Felix Monsigny, D.A. Dorf de Putterton, Schubauer, M. Trubin, Iskut, Fischen, Fradu, Littaganti, Il Terzo, Gouda, Sardi, Daswapha, Captain, Dittersdorf, Lilla, Martini, Der Barbier von Sevilla, Paziello, Andegut, Alaskut, Music by the Electro-Captain, Dantuan, D.A. Entfer, Rung, Alstem, Sarail, Mozart, D.A. Biden, Savoyardin, Le D'Pétis, Savoyar, Delay Rock, operas at Bonn in 1792. The fifth season began in October 1792 of the nine operas given before the departure of Maximilian and the company to Münster in December, D.A. Mullerin by D'La Borde, Koenig-Oxer in Ormus by Salieri, and Hieronymus Nicke by Dittersdorf were the only ones new to Bonn and in only the first two of these could Beethoven have taken part unless at rehearsals. For at the beginning of November, he left Bonn and as it proved forever, probably Salieri's masterpiece was his last opera within the familiar walls of the court theater of the Elector of Cologne. Beethoven's 18th birthday came around during the rehearsals for the first season of this theater is 22nd just after the beginning of the fifth. During four years, 1788 to 1792, he was outing to his musical knowledge and experience in a direction wherein he has usually been represented as deficient as active member of an operatic orchestra and the catalog of works performed shows that the best schools of the day saved out of Berlin must have been thoroughly mastered by him in all their strength and weakness. Beethoven's Titanic power and grandeur would have marked his compositions under any circumstances, but it is very doubtful if without the training of those used in the Electoral, Toxel, Chamer, und Theater, as member of the orchestra, his works would have so abounded in melodies of such profound depths of expression of such heavenly serenity and repose and of such divine beauty as they do in which give him rank with the two greatest of melodies, Handel and Mozart end of section 10.