The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven, Volume IIThayer, Alexander Wheelock
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The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven, Volume II
Thayer, Alexander Wheelock
Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827
I hear that the symphony which I sent you last year and ~which you
returned to me~ has been roundly abused in the Musikal. Zeitung,
I have not read it, if you think that you do ~me~ harm by this
you are mistaken, on the contrary you bring your newspaper into
discredit by such things--all the more since I ~have not made any
secret~ of the fact that you sent back ~this symphony~ and other
compositions--Please present my compliments to Herr V. Rochlitz, I
hope his bad blood toward me has become a little diluted, say to
him that I AM BY NO MEANS SO IGNORANT of foreign literature not to
know that ~Herr v. Rochlitz has written some very pretty things~,
and if I should ever come to Leipsic I am convinced that we shall
become right good friends without ~causing injury or loss to his
criticisms~....
The pianoforte concerto referred to is that in G major, Op. 58; the
Quartets, the set Op. 59; the symphony, the “Eroica.” The second letter
was written from Prince Lichnowsky’s castle, Grätz, near Troppau in
Silesia. Breitkopf and Härtel’s endorsement shows that it was received
and answered in September:
Grätz, Heu-Monath 3rd, 1806.
Rather too much to do and the little journey here I could not
answer your letter at once--although I at once decided to accept
your offer, since my comfort, too, will be promoted by such an
arrangement and many unavoidable disorders obviated--I willingly
obligate myself not to sell any more of my works to any one except
you nor abroad except in the cases now specified, viz: whenever
advantageous offers are made to me by foreign publishers I will
inform you of the fact; and if you are otherwise inclined I will at
once arrange that you shall have ~the same work for Germany~ for
a smaller honorarium.--The second case is this: if I should leave
Germany, which is easily possible, that you may ~still participate
as above~, if you so desire--If these conditions are agreeable to
you write me--I believe the plan mutually helpful--as soon as I
learn your opinion of the matter--you may have at once 3 violin
quartets, a new pianoforte concerto, a new symphony, the score of
my opera and my oratorio.
My present place of sojourn is here in Silesia so long as autumn
lasts--with Prince Lichnowsky--who sends greetings to you--My
address is L. v. Beethoven in Troppau.
Breitkopf and Härtel’s endorsement is as follows: “~Resp.~ (i. e.,
~responsum~). Let him propose the honorarium; if acceptable we will
send him a contract for three years.” In reply to this Beethoven wrote
a letter dated Vienna, Nov. 18, 1806, in which he said:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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