Beethoven 1801

AGE 30 - 31 [1801]

Compiled by Gary D. Evans

Last Updated: March 25, 2019 7:05 PM

THE EARLY PERIOD - VIENNA 1801 (Age 30 years)

Increasing concern about progressive hearing loss; Transition to a new musical style.

Progressive hearing loss associated with tinnitus resulted in his not being able to keep up with conversations, especially in noisy environments and caused him to withdraw from those settings. In addition, he found that he could not adequately perform, increasingly moving him toward composition rather than performance.

He wrote: "You can hardly believe how desolate, how sad my life has been since these last two years. My weak hearing haunted me everywhere like a spectre and I fled from people, making myself appear a misanthrope, though I am far from that. - This change was wrought by a dear, enchanting girl who loves me and whom I love. After two years there are now some blissful moments again; this is the first time that I feel marriage might bring me happiness. Unfortunately she is not of my class - and now - I could not, of course, marry. - I must struggle along bravely." [This undoubtedly refers to Countess Guicciardi then age 16 who was far too young to take B. seriously and boasted of his attachment to her.] ... "...Oh, I would embrace the entire world if I were free from this miserable disease.

Yes, I really do feel as if my youth were just beginning: was I not always a sickly person? More than ever before my physical strength has been increasing for some time now, my mental powers as well. Each day I get closer to the goal which I can feel but cannot describe. Only in this way can your Beethoven thrive. - Do not speak of rest!" ...

"I shall take Fate by the throat; it shall not subdue me entirely. - Oh, it is so beautiful to live life a thousand times! A quiet life - No, I feel I am no longer meant for that -- ..." (For the full letter, see: Letter to Franz Gerhard Wegeler (Anderson#54))

Beethoven dedicated his Sonata No. 14, the "Moonlight" to Countess Guicciardi this year.

image from 1801

WORKS CREATED

op 14:#1 Sonata in E
op 19: Piano part: 2nd piano concerto	(written out for 1st time in April, and sent to Hoffmister in Leipzig for publication -- see 1800)
op 23: Violin Sonata	(completed early)
op 24: Violin Sonata "Spring"	(early)
op 25: Serenade in D	(comp. in Vienna)
op 26: Piano Sonata	(Apr - June)
op 27#1: Piano Sonata Eb	New use of moive in left hand. The allegro demonstrates high spirits. Dance music is without introspection
op 27#2: Piano Sonata c (Moonlight)	Ded: Giulietta Guicciardi. Sketched 2 months before B. met Giulietta. He initially intended to dedicate the Rondo in G - op51#2 (1802) to her, but it was instead dedicated to Princess Josepha von Liechtenstein); op27#2 was dedicated to Giulietta as a substitute [per Man of His Word p18].
op 28: Piano Sonata in D - Pastoral	Statement to friend, Krumpholz: "I am only a little satisfied w/ my previous works. From today on I will take a new path." [B. Impr. by Contemp.p31). There is a new use of dynamics to create a psychological effect.
op 29: String quintet	(completed/pub'ed) (Masterpiece in this genre) [Wegeler/Ries p182, ref#48]
op 30#1: Violin Sonata #6 in A	(begun)
op 30#2: Violin Sonata #7 in c	(begun)
op 30#3: Violin Sonata #8 in G	(begun) (Completed #1-3 in 1802)
op 36: 2'd symphony (in process)	being written
op 40: Violin Romance
op 43: Creatures of Promethius	Opening section allegro non troppo is 1st sketch of "storm" section of 6th sym. Closing dance: earliest use of Eroica finale theme. (Very successful w/ repeat perf. x23)
op 48: 6 Gellert Lieder #1 "Bitten," #2 "Die Liebe des Nachsten," #3 "Vom Tode," #4 "Die Ehre Gotter aus der Natur," #5 "Gott er nacht und Vorschung," #6 "BuBlied"	#1 expresses pious resignation; considered a distinguished piece as is #3
WoO 14: 12 Contradanses in C, A, D, Bb, Eb, C, Eb, C, A, C, G, Eb
WoO 46: variations for cello & piano in Eb on Mozart's Magic flute, "Bei Mannern, welche Liebe Fuhlen"
WoO 100: Lob auf den Dicken: Musikalischer Scherz	(late)
Hess 34: St.quartet in F	(arranged from piano Hess 38: St.quartet arr. of Bach's Fugue in Bb from Book 1 of the "48")
Hess 52: Piano Sonata 'Nr. 15' in C
Hess 90: Piano arrangement of op 43: "Die Geschofpe des Prometheus"
Hess 254: Hol dich der Teufel
Hess 326: 4 Part Fugue in C - sketc

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

DATE
Jan	B. commissioned to write the music score for Vigano's ballet 'Die Geschopfe des Prometheus (Premiered March 28th)
Jan 15	Wrote to Franz Anton Hoffmeister (Anderson#44) (publisher in Leipzig) in response to an earlier letter received, offering several works for publication including septet op20, 1st Symphony op21, Piano Concerto #2 op19, Piano Sonata #11 op22 (described as "first rate"). He discusses the difficulty of working in the business world as an artist.
after Jan 16	Wrote to Frau Christine Gerhardi-Frank (Anderson#45) regarding preparations for an upcoming second charitable performance
Jan 30	Beethoven and Stich performed the Horn Sonata, op17 at a charity concert in Vienna.
Mar 21	Publication announcement for: 1st piano concerto op15, Quintet op16, Horn Sonata op17
Mar 28	First performance of Prometheus at the Burgtheater with several subsequent performances..
Spring	Moved to 1275 Wasserkunstbastei (now Seilerstatte 15), Hambergsches Haus until May 1802 (12 months).
Spring	Wrote to Zmeskall (Anderson#46) and (Anderson#49) requesting his company. Wrote also requesting a loan of a few quills (Anderson#55).
?	Wrote to Zmeskall (Anderson#56) requesting that he join Beethoven and others in performing Opus 20 the following day.
Apr	Piano portion of 2nd Piano Concerto op 19 written out and sent to Hoffmeister for publication
Apr 22	Wrote to Franz Anton Hoffmeister (Anderson#47) in Leipzig regarding new music to be published: Opus 19, 20, 21, 22. He also requested Opus 20 be arranged for the flute as this "would satisfy the lovers of the flute who have already entreated me to do this; and they would swarm around it and feed on it like insects. ..."
Apr 22	Wrote to Breitkopf & Hartel (Anderson#48), publisher in Leipzig declining a proposal of theirs, but requesting them to inform Beethoven of what types of compositions they would like from him in the future ("...symphonies, quartets, sonatas and so forth, so that I may be guided by your wishes...") Beethoven also advised that their reviewers should be "more circumspect and intelligent, particularly in regard to the productions of younger composers" relating that reviews he had received in the past were "mortifying" to him, until he realized that 'They don't know anything about Music.' He also suggested that he could have published a work of his entirely for the benefit of Regine Susanna Bach, the only surviving child of Johann Sebastian Bach, who was impoverished at the time.
Apr-June	Piano Sonata op26 composed.
June	Wrote to Karl Amenda (Anderson#52) reassuring him that, although he had not written to him, he counted him as a dear friend and promised him a long letter soon (See July 1 - Anderson#51 below).
June 21	Wrote to Franz Anton Hoffmeister (Anderson#50) (Leipzig publisher) regarding Septet op20, answering an apparent accusation or suggestion that Beethoven had sold the piece to another publisher as well as Hoffmeister.
June	String quartets op18 (#1,2,3) published
June - mid	Stephan von Breuning moved to Vienna.
June 29	Wrote to close friend Wegeler (Anderson#51) detailing many of his medical complaints - including his progressive hearing difficulties. He also expresses pleasure at his professional success and his excellent financial situation. He requests that his friend forward to him a painting of his revered grandfather.
Summer	Spent portion of the summer in Hetzendorf (in the country near Vienna) [Bicent.Bio]
July 1	Letter to friend Carl Amenda (Anderson#53) admitting difficulty w/ hearing. In same letter, also states: "...why, at the moment I feel equal to anything. Since your departure I have been composing all types of music, except operas and sacred music..."; referred to 2 friends as, "...merely ... instruments on which to play when I feel inclined...I value them merely for what they do for me." In this letter, B. asked that Amenda not lend the Quartet op18#1 to anyone as B. had just learned how to 'write quartets properly' and was writing a new version.
?	Foreign publishers began bidding - sense of international importance to his works.
July 9	Letter to Zmskall (usually dated 1810) re: anxiety of unknown coming catastrophe, "Sometimes I feel that I shall soon go mad in consequence of my unmerited fame; fortune is seeking me out and for that very reason I almost dread some fresh calamity"
July 26	Elector Max Franz died in Vienna. B. had planned to dedicate the 1st symphony to him, instead it was dedicated to van Swieten.
Mid year	New physician: Johann Adam Schmidt - inspired confidence and decreased anxiety.
?	Count Franz von Brunsvik became close friend (later received ded.of Appassionata).
Oct	17yo Ries arrived in Vienna - stayed thru Autumn 1805 when returned to Bonn for military service. B. began giving piano lessons to Ferdinand Ries (continued for 4 years) and to Carl Czerny??? 1802 ???
Oct 28	Publication announcement of quartets op18#4-6, along with Violin Sonatas op23 and op24.
Nov 16	Letter to Franz Gerhard Wegeler (Anderson#54) in which he discusses his illness, his social condition and positive changes underway: dissatisfaction w/ tx's & attitude of his current physician, von Vering: "...In general I am thoroughly dissatisfied with him; he shows too little care and understanding of my illness. If I did not go to see him myself, which costs me a great deal of effort, I would never see him at all. - what do you think of Schmidt?" "I do not like changing, but it seems to me that Vering is too much of a practitioner to acquire many new ideas through reading. - Schmidt seems to be quite a different sort of man in this respect and might possibly not be quite so negligent." [He also wrote of his difficulties dealing with worsening deafness and simultaneously with recent improvement in his social condition:] "I live now somewhat more pleasantly again, getting out among people more. You can hardly believe how desolate, how sad my life has been since these last two years. My weak hearing haunted me everywhere like a spectre and I fled from people, making myself appear a misanthrope, though I am far from that. - This change was wrought by a dear, enchanting girl who loves me and whom I love. After two years there are now some blissful moments again; this is the first time that I feel marriage might bring me happiness. Unfortunately she is not of my class - and now - I could not, of course, marry. - I must struggle along bravely." [This undoubtedly refers to Countess Guicciardi then age 16 who was far too young to take B. seriously and boasted of his attachment to her.] "...Oh, I would embrace the entire world if I were free from this miserable disease. Yes, I really do feel as if my youth were just beginning: was I not always a sickly person? More than ever before my physical strength has been increasing for some time now, my mental powers as well. Each day I get closer to the goal which I can eel but cannot describe. Only in this way can your Beethoven thrive. - Do not speak of rest!" ... "I shall take Fate by the throat; it shall not subdue me entirely. - Oh, it is so beautiful to live life a thousand times! A quiet life - No, I feel I am no longer meant for that -- ..." "Fondestand kindest regards to Lorchen - also to mama - also to Christoph. You do love me a little, don't you. Be assured of this (my love) as well as the friendship of your Beethoven."
Nov	Thomas Jefferson became 3rd US President.
????	SPECULATION (Romantic relationship with Countess Erdody] Count Peter Erdody separated from the Countess - never subsequently returning. If she annulled the marriage, based on laws before 1812, she would have risked loosing his inheritance for the children. However, after 1812 although she had full financial control, his family could have taken her children away if she had married Beethoven [Man of His Word p164-5].
Dec	2nd Piano Concerto op19, and 1st Symphony op21 published.