Beethoven Anecdotes

by Commendatore Eugenio di Pirani

Beethoven was playing at the home of Count Browne a duet with Ries and as a young nobleman at the other end of the room persisted in talking to a lady, Beethoven suddenly lifted Ries' hand from the keys and exclaimed in a loud voice; "I play no longer for such hogs!"

He once agreed to sit for an artist and maintained his pose for five minutes; then he forgot all about it and went to the piano where he began improvising. This suited the artist, who got a good position and worked along until he got the likeness, finally leaving the room without the master's knowledge.

The Swedish poet Alterbohn and Dr. Teitteles, distinguished literary men, called at Beethoven's home one hot afternoon. Their knocking met with no response, although they knew that master was in, as they heard him singing and occasionally striking a chord on the piano. Finding the door unlocked they entered and went in search of him, finally discovering him in an inner room. He was in extreme dishabille, busily noting down his thoughts on the plastered wall. He had probably intended changing his clothes, and while disrobing these thoughts came crowding in on him to the exclusion of everything else. Beethoven, facing the wall with his back to his visitors, was unaware of their proximity and they left without being discovered by him, as they did not wish to confuse him or interfere with his work.

Frederick Stark called on Beethoven one morning and, being a friend, was given the privilege of looking him up. He went from room to room and finally found him in his bedroom. He was just beginning to dress, his face thickly lathered with soap that had been put on the previous evening and had dried there. He had prepared to shave but had forgotten to goon with it.

During a walk with Beethoven at Carlsbad Goethe was bored by the repeated salutations of the people he met and he mentioned his annoyance to Beethoven, who said: "Do not trouble yourself - I expect they are for me!"

Of Handel he used to say that he was the greatest composer that ever lived. "I would kneel at his grave with uncovered head!"

Of Mozart he said: "All my life I have been one of the greatest admirers of Mozart's genius and will remain so until my last breath, but the sacred art of Music should never have been degraded to the foolery of so scandalous a subject as Don Giovanni. The Zauberflote will ever remain his greatest work".

Of Cherubini's Requiem he said: "My ideas are in perfect accord with his and sometimes I mean to compose a Requiem in that style."

The Etude Magazine March 1921