Great Musical Composers: German, French, and Italian. Ferris George Titus

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СКАЧАТЬ scribble a good deal. No man on earth can love the country as I do.” But one of Nature’s most delightful modes of speech to man was soon to be utterly lost to him. At last he became so deaf that the most stunning crash of thunder or the fortissimo of the full orchestra were to him as if they were not. His bitter, heart-rending cry of agony, when he became convinced that the misfortune was irremediable, is full of eloquent despair – “As autumn leaves wither and fall, so are my hopes blighted. Almost as I came, I depart. Even the lofty courage, which so often animated me in the lovely days of summer, is gone forever. O Providence! vouchsafe me one day of pure felicity! How long have I been estranged from the glad echo of true joy! When, O my God! when shall I feel it again in the temple of Nature and man? Never!”

      And the small-souled, mole-eyed gossips and critics called him hard, churlish, and cynical – him, for whom the richest thing in Nature’s splendid dower had been obliterated, except a soul, which never in its deepest sufferings lost its noble faith in God and man, or allowed its indomitable courage to be one whit weakened. That there were periods of utterly rayless despair and gloom we may guess; but not for long did Beethoven’s great nature cower before its evil genius.

      III

      Within three years, from 1805 to 1808, Beethoven composed some of his greatest works – the oratorio of “The Mount of Olives,” the opera of “Fidelio,” and the two noble symphonies, “Pastorale” and “Eroica,” besides a large number of concertos, sonatas, songs, and other occasional pieces. However gloomy the externals of his life, his creative activities knew no cessation.

      The “Sinfonia Eroica,” the “Choral” only excepted, is the longest of the immortal nine, and is one of the greatest examples of musical portraiture extant. All the great composers from Handel to Wagner have attempted, what is called descriptive music with more or less success, but never have musical genius and skill achieved a result so admirable in its relation to its purpose and by such strictly legitimate means as in this work.

      “The ‘Eroica,’” says a great writer, “is an attempt to draw a musical portrait of an historical character – a great statesman, a great general, a noble individual; to represent in music – Beethoven’s own language – what M. Thiers has given in words, and Paul Delaroche in painting.” Of Beethoven’s success another writer has said – “It wants no title to tell its meaning, for throughout the symphony the hero is visibly portrayed.”

      It is anything but difficult to realise why Beethoven should have admired the first Napoleon. Both the soldier and musician were made of that sturdy stuff which would and did defy the world; and it is not strange that Beethoven should have desired in some way – and he knew of no better course than through his art – to honour one so characteristically akin to himself, and who at that time was the most prominent man in Europe. Beethoven began the work in 1802, and in 1804 it was completed, and bore the following title: —

Sinfonia grande“Napoleon Bonaparte”1804 in August del SigrLouis van BeethovenSinfonia 3Op. 55

      This was copied and the original score despatched to the ambassador for presentation, while Beethoven retained the copy. Before the composition was laid before Napoleon, however, the great general had accepted the title of Emperor. No sooner did Beethoven hear of this from his pupil Ries than he started up in a rage, and exclaimed – “After all, then, he’s nothing but an ordinary mortal! He will trample the rights of men under his feet!” saying which, he rushed to his table, seized the copy of the score, and tore the title-page completely off. From this time Beethoven hated Napoleon, and never again spoke of him in connection with the symphony until he heard of his death in St. Helena, when he observed, “I have already composed music for this calamity,” evidently referring to the “Funeral March” in this symphony.

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      1

      Hawkin’s Musical History, vol. iii., p. 441.

      2

      An old instrument, which may be called the nearest prototype of the modern square piano.

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1

Hawkin’s Musical History, vol. iii., p. 441.

2

An old instrument, which may be called the nearest prototype of the modern square piano.

СКАЧАТЬ