Life of Beethoven Part 7

Concerto pour le Piano-forte avec Orch. Op. 19 Septuor pour Violon., Alto, Clar., Cor., Ba.s.son, Violoncelle, et Contreba.s.se " 20 Premiere gr. Sinfonie pour Orchestre " 21 Gr. Sonate pour le Piano-forte " 22 Deux Preludes dans tous les 12 tons majeurs pour le Piano-forte ou l'Orgue Op. 39 Romance pour Violon avec Orchestre " 40 Serenade pour le Pfte. et Flute (ou Violon) " 41 Notturno pour Pianof. et Alto " 42 Ouverture de Prometheus, pour Orchestre " 43 Quatorze Variations pour le Piano, Vln., et Violoncelle " 44

Respecting the works Op. 20 and 21, which have lately been invaded without my consent, by arrangements by other hands, I find myself obliged to communicate the letters written on the subject by Beethoven in the years 1800 and 1801, which incontestably prove on the one hand my exclusive property in these compositions, (as also in Op. 19 and 22,) and furnish, on the other, a highly interesting ill.u.s.tration of the individuality of the great composer, then in the flower of his age. I keep back the evidence in regard to the other six works, Op. 39-44, till a similar attack, which I hope will not occur, shall be made upon them.

C. G. S. BoHME,

of the firm of C. F. Peters, Bureau de Musique.

NEUE ZEITSCHRIFT FuR MUSIK, Leipsic, March 7, 1837.

Letters from Beethoven.

1.

Vienna, December 15, 1800.

My dearest Brother in the Art,

I have many times thought of answering your inquiries, but am a dreadfully lazy correspondent; and thus I am an age making up my mind to form the dead letter instead of the musical note; but at length I have done violence to myself in order to comply with your request.

Pro primo, you are to hear of my regret, dearest brother in the art, at your not having applied to me sooner, so that you might have purchased my Quartetts, as well as many other things which I have now disposed of; but if you, my good brother, are as conscientious as many other honest engravers, who sting[70] us poor composers to death, you will know how to make a profit by them when they come out.

I will therefore briefly state what my good brother may have of me.

1stly. A Septett per il Violino, Viola, Violoncello, Contraba.s.so, Clarinetto, Corno, f.a.gotto--tutti obligati (I cannot write anything in.o.bligato, because I came into the world with an obligato accompaniment). This Septett has been highly approved.

2ndly. A Grand Symphony for the orchestra.

3rdly. A Concerto for the Piano-forte, which, it is true, I do not a.s.sert to be one of my best, any more than another, which will be published here by Mollo (a hint for the Leipzig reviewers), since I reserve the better ones for my own use, in case I should make a musical tour; yet it would not disgrace you to publish it.

4thly. A Grand Solo Sonata.

This is all that I have to part with at this moment. By and by you may have a Quintett for stringed instruments, perhaps Quartetts too, and other things which I have not by me just now. In your answer you may fix your own prices; and as you are neither a Jew nor an Italian, and as I do not belong to either nation, we shall not disagree.

Fare you well, my dearest brother, and be a.s.sured of the esteem of

Your brother,

L. V. BEETHOVEN.

2.

Vienna, the 15th (or some such day) of January, 1801.

I have read your letter, my dearest brother and friend, with great pleasure. I thank you heartily for the good opinion which you have formed of me and of my works, and sincerely wish that I may deserve it; and to M. K. (Kuhnel) also I am in duty bound to express my thanks for the civility and friends.h.i.+p which he has shown me. Your doings give me much satisfaction, and I hope that, if there be any good to be gained for the art by my works, it may fall to the share of a genuine artist like you, and not to that of common traders.

Your intention to publish the works of Sebastian Bach is particularly gratifying to me, since I am all alive to the merits of those sublime productions: truly, Bach was the patriarch of harmony. May the sale of his works flouris.h.!.+ As soon as golden peace is proclaimed and you receive the names of subscribers, I hope to be able to do much to forward it myself.

As to our own affairs, since you will have it so, I offer you the following things:--Septett (about which I have already written to you), 20 duc.;[71] Symphony, 20 duc.; Concerto, 10 duc.; Grand Solo--Sonata, Allegro, Adagio, Minuetto, Rondo, 20 duc. This Sonata (in B flat) is of the true mettle, most beloved brother.

Now let me explain. You will perhaps be surprised that I make no difference between the Sonata, the Septett, and the Symphony, because I find that a Septett or a Symphony has not so large a sale as a Sonata; that is the reason why I do so, though a Symphony is incontestably of greater value. (N. B. The Septett consists of a short introductory Adagio, an Allegro, Adagio, Minuetto, Andante with variations, Minuetto, another short Adagio leading to a Presto.) The Concerto I set down at 10 duc., because, though well written, I do not consider it one of my best.

Altogether, I cannot think that this will appear exorbitant to you; at any rate, I have endeavoured to make the charges as moderate as possible. As for the bill, since you leave it to my option, let it be drawn on Geimuller or Schuller. The whole sum, then, for all four works would be 70 ducats. I understand no other coin than Vienna ducats; how many dollars in gold that makes with you I know nothing about, because I am really no man of business or accountant.

And thus the tiresome business is settled: I call it so, because I heartily wish one could do without it in this world. There ought to be but one magazine of art, where the artist should have but to deliver his productions and to receive what he wants; but, as it is, one ought to be half a tradesman, and how is that to be borne?--Gracious G.o.d!--that is what I call tiresome. As for the L---- O----, let her talk; they will certainly not make anybody immortal by their tattle, nor will they rob _him_ of immortality to whom Apollo has a.s.signed it.

Now may Heaven preserve you and your colleague! I have been unwell for some time, so that I find it rather difficult to write even notes, much more letters. I hope we shall often have occasion to a.s.sure one another how much you are my friends, and how much I am

Your brother and friend,

L. VAN BEETHOVEN.

A speedy answer. Adieu.

3.

Vienna, April 22, 1801.

You have reason to complain of me, and not a little. My excuse is this: I have been ill, and had besides a great deal to do, so that it was scarcely possible for me to think of what I had to send you: then again perhaps the only thing like genius about me is, that my things are not always in the best order, and yet n.o.body is capable of putting them to rights but myself. Thus, for instance, I had, according to my practice, omitted writing the pianoforte part in the score of my Concerto, and I have but just written it, and therefore, for the sake of dispatch, I send it in my own not over-and-above legible Ma.n.u.script.

In order to let the works follow as nearly as possible in their proper order, I remark to you that you may put

To the Solo Sonata Op. 22 " Symphony " 21 " Septett " 20 " Concerto " 19

The t.i.tles I will send you very soon.

Set me down as a subscriber to Johann Sebastian Bach's works, and also Prince Lichnowsky. The arrangement of Mozart's Sonatas as Quartetts will do you credit, and a.s.suredly be profitable. I wish I could be of more service in such matters, but I am an irregular man, and, with the best will, forget everything; but I have here and there mentioned the subject, and find that the plan is everywhere approved. It would be a capital thing if my good brother, besides publis.h.i.+ng the Septett as it is, would arrange it for the flute also as a Quintett. This would be a treat for the lovers of the flute, who have already applied to me for this, and who would then swarm about it like insects, and feast upon it.

As for myself, I have composed a ballet, but the ballet-master did not manage the business well. Prince L---- has given us a new production, which does not come up to the ideas which the papers gave us of his genius--a fresh proof of their judgment. The Prince seems to have taken Mr. M---- [72] of the Kasperle Theatre for his model, but without equalling even him.

Such are the pretty prospects with which we poor fellows here have to fight our way in the world.

My dear brother, now make haste to lay the works before the eyes of the world, and write to me soon, that I may know whether I have lost your confidence by my neglect.

To your partner Kuhnel everything civil and kind. In future, you shall have everything without delay; and herewith fare you well, and continue to regard

Your friend and brother,

BEETHOVEN.

4.

Vienna, June, 1801,

I am really somewhat surprised at the communication made to me by your agent in this place; nay, I am almost angry that you should think me capable of such a scurvy trick.

It would be a different thing if I had bargained for my things with shopkeepers intent only on gain, and had then clandestinely made another good speculation; but between artist and artist, it is rather too bad to impute such conduct to me. The whole appears to me to be either an invention to try me, or mere conjecture: at any rate, I confess, that before you received the Septett from me, I had sent it to London to M.