=Beethoven’s Dual Personality=.—Beethoven furnishes an example of a personality whose dual nature is remarkably apparent. Often unkempt, and rude in his outward bearing, he seemed at times absolutely oblivious to his surroundings and to chafe at his bodily limitations; yet his apparent rudeness toward his friends was as often humbly atoned for by his confession of his haste in judging them. His independence of spirit could brook no submission to authority other than his own conscience; and that conscience prompted him to stand firm in support of the genuine, the pure and the ideal; firm, thus, in its abhorrence of artificiality and deceit. In his ignorance of worldly wiles he was on a par with a little child; finding his true sphere when buried in the lofty problems of his art, giving to the world the fruits of his innermost spirit, which were ever animated by nobility and truth of expression. =Beethoven Stood Alone=.—Detesting the fetters of teaching work, he left few pupils. Among these =Ferdinand Ries= (1784-1838) enjoyed an intimate association with him, and afterwards became prominent as piano virtuoso and composer. With the great men of his day he affiliated but little. Goethe (1749-1832) he met but once, on one of his journeys; but the meeting had no further results. Like other great minds, his original ideas had to make their way amid a shower of abuse from more conventional contemporaries, who lauded as his equal or superior others whose works have long since passed into oblivion; but, fortunate in finding staunch defenders, he made steady progress against his enemies, until his position in the music world became unique and unassailable. QUESTIONS. What did Haydn and Mozart give to Beethoven? Give a sketch of Beethoven’s early life. What works did he particularly study? What were his first compositions? What intimate friends did he make in early life? What city did he select as his home? What years embrace his first period? What are the leading works of this period? What affliction developed in 1800? What years compose the second period? What changes came into his style? Name the leading works of the second period. Tell about Beethoven’s later life, from 1815 on. What are the leading works of this last period? Describe the personality of Beethoven. LESSON XXXIII. BEETHOVEN AND THE SONATA.