The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven, Volume IIThayer, Alexander Wheelock
History
The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven, Volume II
Thayer, Alexander Wheelock
Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827
In his behavior Beethoven was awkward and helpless; his uncouth
movements were often destitute of all grace. He seldom took
anything into his hands without dropping and breaking it. Thus he
frequently knocked his ink-well into the pianoforte which stood
near by the side of his writing-table. No piece of furniture
was safe from him, least of all a costly piece. Everything was
overturned, soiled and destroyed. It is hard to comprehend how he
accomplished so much as to be able to shave himself, even leaving
out of consideration the number of cuts on his cheeks. He could
never learn to dance in time. (“Notizen,” p. 119.)
Beethoven attached no value to his manuscripts; after they were
printed they lay for the greater part in an anteroom or on the
floor among other pieces of music. I often put his music to
rights; but whenever he hunted something, everything was thrown
into confusion again. I might at that time have carried away the
original manuscripts of all his printed pieces; and if I had asked
him for them he would unquestionably have given them to me without
a thought. (“Notizen,” p. 113.)
Beethoven felt the loss of Ries very sensibly; but it was in part
supplied by young Röckel, to whom he took a great liking. Inviting
him to call, he told him he would give special orders to his servant
to admit him at all times, even in the morning when busy. It was
agreed that, when Röckel was admitted, if he found Beethoven very
much occupied he should pass through the room into the bed-chamber
beyond--both rooms overlooked the Glacis from the fourth story of the
Pasqualati house on the Mölker Bastei--and there await him a reasonable
time; if the composer came not, Röckel should quietly pass out again.
It happened one morning upon his first visit, that Röckel found at the
street door a carriage with a lady in it; and, on reaching the fourth
storey, there, at Beethoven’s door, was Prince Lichnowsky in a dispute
with the servant about being admitted. The man declared he dared not
admit anybody, as his master was busy and had given express orders
not to admit any person whatever. Röckel, however, having the entrée,
informed Beethoven that Lichnowsky was outside. Though in ill humor, he
could no longer refuse to see him. The Prince and his wife had come to
take Beethoven out for an airing; and he finally consented, but, as he
entered the carriage, Röckel noticed that his face was still cloudy.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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