ESSAY _quasi_ Fantasia "On the Hundredth Anniversary of Beethoven's Birth," by Dr. Ferdinand Hiller vii CHAP. I.--INTRODUCTORY: Origin of the Family Van Beethoven--The Electorate of Cologne--Court of Clemens August the Magnificent--Ludwig van Beethoven the Elder--Johann van Beethoven--Bonn in 1770 1 CHAP. II.--BOYHOOD: Birth--Early Influences and Training--Neefe--First Attempts at Composition--The Boy-Organist--Max Friedrich's National Theatre--Mozart and Beethoven--Disappointment 12 CHAP. III.--YOUTH: Despondency--The Breuning Family--Literary Pursuits--Count Waldstein--National Theatre of Max Franz--King Lux and his Court--The Abbé Sterkel--Appointment as Court Pianist--First Love--Second Visit of Joseph Haydn 31 CHAP. IV.--LEHRJAHRE: Arrival in Vienna--Studies with Haydn--Timely Assistance of Schenk--Albrechtsberger--Beethoven as a Student--His Studies in Counterpoint--What did Beethoven compose in Bonn?--Why have we so few examples of _fugue_ in his early works?--Letters to Eleanore v. Breuning 46 CHAP. V.--THE VIRTUOSO: Family Occurrences--Music in Vienna--Van Swieten--Prince Lichnowski--Beethoven's Independence, Personal Appearance, Manners--Rasoumowski Quartet--Occurrences in Lichnowski Palace--First Three Trios--Artistic Tour to Berlin--Woelfl--Beethoven as an Improvisatore--Steibelt 69 CHAP. VI.--CONFLICT: Deafness and its Consequences--His Brothers' Influence--Letters to Wegeler--"Mount of Olives"--Beethoven's Will--Beethoven as a Conductor--As an Instructor--Sinfonia Eroica--"Leonora" ("Fidelio")--"Adelaïde" 93 CHAP. VII.--LOVE: The Fourth Symphony--Julia Guicciardi--Letters to an Unknown--To Bettina Brentano--Beethoven's Attachments--Domestic Troubles--Frau Nanette Streicher--Daily Life--Composing "_im Freien_" 127 CHAP. VIII.--VICTORY AND SHADOW: Period of Greatest Creative Activity--Hummel--The Battle of Vittoria--Congress of Vienna--Maelzel--Pecuniary Difficulties--Adoption of Nephew--The Philharmonic Society--The Classical and Romantic Schools--The Jupiter Symphony--His Nephew's Conduct--Last Illness 147 REMARKS ON THE PIANOFORTE SONATAS, BY DR. HILLER 171 CATALOGUE OF BEETHOVEN'S WORKS 178 [Illustration] [Illustration] THE HUNDREDTH ANNIVERSARY OF BEETHOVEN'S BIRTH.[1] "_Quasi Fantasia._"