In the last years of his live the great composer Robert Schumann was advised by his doctor to go to walks. He did go for walks every day the same walk. He walked to the statue of Ludwig von Beethoven.
In a spiritual sense, every composer since Beethoven has made such a pilgrimage, certainly every composer who has written a symphony since then must acknowledge his debt to Beethoven.
Of All the hundreds of symphonies that have been written. None can compete in popularity and emotional interest with nine great symphonies written by Beethoven. The reason that Beethoven had set to music everybody’s heartache and everybody’s smile; that is why people can respond better to a Beethoven symphony than they can to any other.
When Beethoven’s first Symphony was performed. In 1800, he was not yet 30 years old. He was then an ambitious piano virtuoso who attracted admirers from the best circles of society.
But soon alarming signs of deafness began to show themselves. At first he tried to hide the weakness. He began to avoid social gatherings. When he could no longer hide it. He retired to a little suburb near Vienna (the capital of Austria). Beethoven was always extreme in his reactions, both in joy and despair. Yet at his this time he composed the tender, lovely Second Symphony.
It is cruel to say, but probably true, that Beethoven’s deafness proved to be a blessing for music. Giving up his career as his brain, shut off from the outer word. He constantly intensified and deepened his musical thought. But then his behavior became more contradictory. He would let no one touch his room so that every-thing lay around in terrible disorder: papers scattered on chairs, ink spilled into the piano, remains of food on plates under the papers. He was so absent-minded that he would at times forget to eat.
He continuously complained that he was not properly recognized, that he had not enough money to live on. In fact, he was very famous very respected, and his financial rewards were much greater sum of money was found in a drawer in his desk.
Beethoven refused to change his clothes when it was suggested that he did so, He also had a violent temper and was quite capable of throwing a dish of food into the face of his attendant.
Deafness made him increasingly suspicious. He accused his friends, his publishers and a theatre manager of cheating him. The next day he would be sorry and apologize. Meanwhile, he promised one of his great works, the Missa Solemnis, to six publishers and sold it to a seventh.
He could also be considerate, tender and kind. When one of his friends, Baroness Erdmann, lost a child. Beethoven went to call on her, sat down at the piano and for a long time played music of consolation.
His last sickness was made worse by his own carelessness and ignoring his doctors’ as advice. In one month for instance, he swallowed 75 bottles of medicine. To the very last he wanted to compose and planned to work up some sketches he had for a tenth symphony.
His last sickness was made thunderstorm on March 26, 1827, at the age 56. In spite of his rough manners he showed during his last years as a deaf man. Beethoven’s friends remained completely faithful to him to his last day.
GEOGLOBE
Sunday, March 15, 2009
THE LAST DAYS OF BEETHOVEN
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