| Contents |
First volume -- Life of Beethoven. First period: from his birth to the year 1800. Beethoven's parentage ; Contradiction of a report on that subject ; His musical education ; Tale of a spider ; Appointed organist to the chapel of the elector of Cologne ; Patronised by Count von Waldstein ; Clever trick played by him ; His first musical productions ; Haydn ; Sterkel ; Beethoven's aversion to give lessons ; Youthful friendships ; He is sent to Vienna to improve himself under Haydn ; Acquaintances made by him there ; Dr. van Swieten ; Prince and Princess Lichnowsky ; Envy excited by his success ; His indifference to Calumny, and to the accidents of birth or wealth ; M. Schenk, the corrector of his compositions ; His early attachments ; His compositions during this period ; Prices paid for them ; The Rasumowsky quartett ; Professional tour ; State of musical science at Vienna -- Second period: from 1800 to October, 1813. General view of the second period of Beethoven's life ; Composition of his "Christ on the mount of olives" and "Fidelio" ; His brothers, Carl and Johann; their mischievous influence ; His sever illness ; Remarkable Will addressed to them ; His "Sinfonia Eroica," in honour of Napoleon ; Count Moritz von Lichnowsky ; Opera of "Fidelio" ; Beethoven's neglect of vocal performers ; Their intrigues and Cabals ; His passion for Julia ; Letters to her ; Disappointed love ; Countess Marie Erdody ; Beethoven as director of the orchestra ; Animadversions on statements of Ferdinand Ries ; Beethoven forms a friendship with Count Franz von Brunswick and Baron Gleichenstein ; Prices paid for his compositions during the second period ; Misconduct of his brothers ; Defence of his character against the charge of cowardice ; Annuity settled upon him, to keep him in Austria ; His dislike of, and reconciliation with, Hummel ; Foreign visitors ; Bettina Brentano ; Goethe ; Beethoven's frequent change of residence ; His domestic circumstances -- Third period: From November, 1813, till his death, in 1827 (Part I). Causes of Beethoven's preceding troubles ; Performance of his "Battle of Vittoria," for the benefit of disabled soldiers ; Dishonest conduct of M. Malzel; its effect on Beethoven ; Commencement of the author's acquaintance with him ; Attention paid to Beethoven by the allied sovereigns at Vienna ; Pitiful conduct of Carl M. von Weber ; Scotch songs set to music by Beethoven ; Death of his elder brother ; He undertakes the guardianship of his son, whom he adopts ; Diminution of his annuity by the failure of Prince Lobkowitz ; He commences house keeping ; Law-suit with his brother's widow ; Society for the performance of Beethoven's chamber music, directed by Carl Czerny ; Further diminution of his pension ; His pupil, the Archduke Rudolph, nominated Archbishop of Olmutz ; Beethoven commences a grand mass for his installation ; Household troubles ; Waltzes and bagatelles ; Straitened finances ; Ignoble application of musical MS ; Performance of "The ruins of Athens" ; The "Land-owner" and the "Brain-owner" ; Subscription of sovereigns to Beethoven's new mass ; His letter to Cherubini -- Third period (Part II). Vindication of the court of Austria from the charge of neglecting Beethoven ; His quarrel with a publisher at Vienna ; Mortification arising form his deafness ; Wretched lodging ; Beethoven undertakes to write a new opera, but is deterred by the prospect of coming in contact with German singers ; His ninth symphony ; Letter from the Archduke Rudolph ; Italian opera at Vienna ; Flattering memorial addressed to Beethoven ; Concerts ; His discourtesy to vocal performers ; His credulity and hasty condemnation of his friends ; Is invited to visit England by the philharmonic society ; Disgraceful conduct of Prince Nicholas von Galitzin ; Severe illness ; He sets aside a fund as a provision for his nephew ; Ingratitude and misbehaviour of that youth ; Distressing circumstances in which he was involved by him ; Beethoven's forlorn situation ; His last illness ; His letters to Moscheles ; He is assisted by the philharmonic society ; Total value of his property ; His death ; Postmortem examination. |
