Missouri Classical Music News and Notes

Beethoven had heard of me when I introduced myself, and received me with unusual friendliness. But it was an unpleasant task to make him hear me. I was obliged to speak so loud as to be heard in the third room off.

Beethoven's rough and even repulsive manners arose partly from his deafness and partly from his pecuniary circumstances. I asked him after he had absented himself for some days, "You were not ill, I hope?" - "My boot was, and as I have only one pair, I had house arrest" was his reply.

Beethoven had allowed himself to be persuaded to write a new overture for Fidelio (in E). For the first time I saw him direct [conduct]. It surprised me to a high degree. Seyfried [sic] related to me a tragi-comical circumstance at Beethoven's last concert.

Beethoven was playing a new piano forte concerto of his, but forgot that he was a solo player. At the first sforzando he threw his arms so wide asunder that he knocked both lights off the piano. The audience laughed and Beethoven was so incensed that he made the orchestra begin anew.

Seyfried bade two boys of the chorus place themselves on either side and hold the lights. One of the boys approached innocently nearer. When the fatal sforzando came, he received from Beethoven's right hand so smart a blow on the mouth that the poor boy let fall the light from terror.