AGE 41 THROUGH AGE 42 - [1812]

HEROIC YEARS

WORKS CREATED (New lyrical strain with a sense of inner peace; a sense similar to that of the fantasy sonatas of 1802.)

op 92: 7th Symphony in A (Autograph copy begun April 13, completed May 13 [Man of His Word p232])
op 93: 8th Symphony in F completed (Begun May, compl. in Teplitz after the Immortal Beloved letter) [Note ? completed in Linz -- see Man of His Word pg223]
op 96: Sonata for Piano and Violin #10 in G (Mozart var.) (Begun Fall, Compl.12/10) (This was the last violin sonata) [Note: ? begun in February per Man of His Word pg223]
SUBSEQUENT TO OP. 96 THERE WAS A TEMPORARY CESSATION OF COMPOSITION w/ MELENCHOLIA PRESENT DEC 1812 - JAN 1813  
WoO 39: Piano, viol, cello trio #8 in Bb ("easy") (Ded w/ affection to Antonie Brentano's 10 year old daughter Maximiliane)
WoO 30: 3 equali for Trombones (written for Franz Gloggl,Kappelmeister at Linz Cathedral - Oct)
Hess 198, "Oh would I Were" (Pub Feb) (replaced by WoO154#9

 

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

DATE
LIFE NOTES
OTHER NOTES
  B's annuity payment dec by 1811 cessation of Lobkowitz portion; Dec1812 Kinsky payments stopped w/ his death -> economic insecurity.  
Jan Incidental music to Egmont published  
Feb9-11 First performance of Konig Stephan & Die Ruinen von Atten at new theater in Pest (now Budapest). Very successful.  
Feb 12 (?Feb 11) 1st perf. of 5th piano concerto w/ Carl Czerny as soloist. (Poorly received per Man of His Word pg67]  
Mar-May Intermittently Ill  
Mar 2 At Antonie Brentano's request, autograph score of 'An diei geliebte' (To the Beloved) presented to her.  
Mar 22 B. consert [Man of His Word pg232]  
Mar 22 Josephine wrote whether "my honor permits me to remain bound to him in the future" [B.Nwsltr v9#2-3]  
Mar 29 Varena (see 1811) gave another charity concert at Graz using unpublished music from Konig Stephan and from Das Ruinen von Athen obtained from Beethoven.  
April Concert at the Augarten where Schuppanzigh performed Prometheus Overture and the 5th Symphony.  
April 13 Autograph score of the 7th Symphony begun  
Ap 16/24 B. Concerts [Man of His Word pg232]  
April Josephine,Therese, and Josephine's children moved to the Deym house.  
May Work on 8th Symphony begun  
Sum Spent summer in Baden: "Alter Sauerhof"  
June 3 Oliva asked Varnhagen on B's behalf to speak with Prince Kinsky about restoring full value of annuity without depreciation.  
June 8 Kinsky gave verbal assurance of increased annuity payments to make up for devalue. The payments were to be available to Beethoven when he later was to pass through Prague en route to Teplitz in July [Man of His Word pg126]  
June 9 Josephine's marriage break w/ Stackelberg leaving angry per Therese: "He, angry, made a scene and left the house. We didn't see him for 6 months." until 12/4/1812 [ B. newsletter Win'87] Stackelberg took a separate Vienna apt; stopped support. Also w/ 1811 money deval., this lead to financial crisis for Josephine.  
June 9 From Therese's diary: "Remain firm Josephine!" [B.Nwsltr v9#2-3] and from Therese's later memoirs: 1. Stackelberg was "annoyed in the extreme" because of 3/1812 lost lawsuit and money lost. 2. Marital harmony was finally and irrevocably destroyed. 3. W/ monetary loss and stresses, Stackelberg was urged by Josephine to try to salvage fortune, he would not act causing scene -Josephine locked up his clothing - angry, Stackelberg left for 6 months renting a room.  
June - mid Gap in info. re: Josephine begins w/ absent Therese diary pages & these pages from Josephine's diary torn out!  
June - mid All objects in Antonie's father's V. home sold; she now faced, unhapy, perm. move to Frankfurt w/ Franz. (May have been partially motivated for this reason to seek B. w/ offer to leave Franz and remain in Vienna w/ B.)  
June 26

Autograph score of Piano Trio WoO 39 presented to 10 yo Maximiliane Brentano, daughter of Antonie and Franz Brentano. At the top of the manuscript Beethoven wrote: "Vienna, the 26th of June. 1812. For my little friend Maxe Brentano, to cheer her up when she plays the piano..." He provided fingering for her in the piano part. [Channel Classics - Songs CCS 1491]

  
June 28 B. traveled to Teplitz (Bohemia) (as in 1811) with General Willisen, a friend of Franz Oliva [Man of His Word pg234] via Prague for Summer under suggestion of his physician Dr. Jakob Staudenheim [see Anderson pg387 per Man of His Word p89] [Tepliz was neutral territory w/ French invasion of Russia just starting; meeting place for imperial & diplomatic personalities].  
July 1 B arrived in Prague where Beethoven met with Kinsky.  
July 2 Kinsky gave him 60 Ducats on account [Man of His Word pg65]  
July 2 Beethoven met with Varnhagen in Prague  
July 3 Beethoven missed a meeting with Varnhagen on this evening.  
July-erly Approx. time that Josephine coneived daughter Minona (assuming full term).  
July 3-4 Antonie, Franz and one of their children travelled from Vienna to Karlsbad and stopped in Prague July 4th or 5th. [Antonie ill and was preg for ~1m; birth Mar 8, 1813 of son Karl]  
July 4 B. took noon coach from Prague to Teplitz over non- mountainous route as it had just rained and his coach had only 4 instead of the usual 8 horses.  
July 5 B arrived at Tepliz at 4 am and was given temporary lodgings. 2 days later registered by Police as Guest #806 [Man of His Word pg 117]. B probably met w/ Antonie there. Stayed at Black Horse Inn (where Prince Kinsky staying.) Kinsky paid B. 60 Ducats due on 1809 annuity.  
July 5 Brentanos arrived in Karlsbad, Czechoslovakia - 311 Aug' Gottes auf der Wiese - a guest house [Man of His Word pg96].  
July 6 B. began his letter to the Immortal Beloved in the am, possibly responding to a letter received that am from Antonie [according to Soloman] or possibly written to Josephine Deym-Brunsvik; postscript was added the next day - July 7th, then never mailed.  
July 7 Post missed in am. Room at The Oak #62 ready - moved there. Wrote more of letter. Presumably (??) mailed to Karlsbad where Antonie staying at 311 "Aug' Gottes) [Note: Postal times assumed - based on 1815 document [see Man of His Word pg99] vs. to Countess Erdody in a town west of Vienna, (to post office in Klosterneuberg)  
Jul14-15 Goethe arrived in Teplitz.  
July 17 B. Wrote to ~10 year old litle girl, Emilie M. who had sent him a hand made wallet a note thanks, and invited her to write him in Teplitz where he was stating he would be there 4 weeks (implying no plans for Chehoslovkia( [Anderson Pg382, Man of His Word pg90]  
July 19 Goethe, who arrived 15th & B. meet x 1wk. Goethe subsequently wrote: "His talent amazed me; unfortunately he is an utterly untamed personality ..." [Kerman p53]  
July 25

B. left Tepliz for Karlsbad (50 miles away), leaving without preparation, where he stayed in Brentano guest-house until Aug 7th-8th when he and the Brentano's travelled to Franzensbrunn (according to Solomon -- quoting Goethe's diary entry but B. wrote his publisher to send him songs quickly to him for Goethe interview on July 24th). Note: According to Man of his Word, it was chance meeting Emperor Franz's Personal physician (Dr. Staldenheim) who recommended change to Karlsbad and Frurzenbrun for the "waters" to treat a GI disorder. (The physician was treating the Emperor's family) [Man of his Word pg92, Anderson P383]

  
July 26 Much of Baden destroyed by fire.  
July 31 Registered in Karlsbad 31st after leaving Tepliz 30th? vs. 25th [Man of His Word pg93]  
Aug - early Therese was in Dornbach near Vienna w/ all of the children & her trip to country planned to coincide w/ Josephine's trip to Franzenbad  
Aug 6 Beethoven & others including violinist and composer Giovanni Battista Polledro, gave a benefit concert in Karlsbad for Baden residents. [Kerman p53]. The Violin Sonata was performed and Beethoven improvised as well.  
Aug 7 B. and Brentano's travelled together from Karlsbad to Franzensbrunn & stayed in adjoining quarters at the "Zwei Goldenen Lowen" for several weeks.  
Sept 2 In letter that Goethe wrote to Karl Friedrich Zelter after meeting B.: "I have never met an artist more concentrated, more vigorous or more deeply sincere in feeling... unfortunately as a man he is completely lacking in self-control." [L.Dec p99 ref#1]  
Sept ? Brentano's left for return to Vienna.  
Sept 7 Beethoven left the resort Franzenbrunn alone, travelling back to Karlsbad  
Sept 8 B. arrived back at Karlsbad (where Goethe staying) alone.  
Sept 12 Goethe left Karlsbad  

Sept15-16

 Returned again to Teplitz with sense of despondency. Spent much of the remainder of his vacation in bed. He sought and received advise & consolation from Amalie Sebald to whom he sent 8 notes mostly apologizing for being unable to visit with her on a few occasions while in bed. She visited and brought him chicken soup. She may have felt more for B. than simple friendship. He wrote his last letter (last correspondence known) to her saying, "What on Earth are you dreaming of when you say you cannot mean anything to me? ..."  
Sept 17 Wrote to Breitkopf & Hartel: "I must tell you frankly that people in Austria no longer trust me completely; and no doubt they are right too."  
Sept-late Asked Gleichenstein how to get to Linz most quickly -- that letter stated Gleichenstein would be invited to Hernals -- that was Countess Erdody's Summer Estate!! just West of Vienna. Note- The "K" in the Immortal Beloved Letter therefore refers to Klosterneuberg, an important market town and postal stop 3 miles from Jedlersee - Erdody's estate [Man of His Word pg 97]  
Oct 5 Completed journey from from Teplitz -> Prague (50 miles away) -> arriving Linz to visit his brother Johann, there staying in a "lovely room with a beautiful view of the Danube" for 5 weeks [Man of His Word pg 220] Note - According to Man of His Word pg96/219, he instead traveled to Vienna and visited his Beloved in a village just outside the city thereafter traveling to Linz [see Anderson p391] He immediately began interfering w/ brother's (Nikolaus Johann) relationship with Therese Obermeyer, who was officially Johann's housekeeper, but was clearly a lover. [Per Solomon, According to Man of His Word pg 221: this conflict actually began May 1822 -- See Anderson pg946-7. Possibly an error on Thayers original documentation.] B. was troubled by brother living with his housekeeper, Therese Obermeyer (who had a young daughter from a previous unmarried relationship. Johann had let part of his house to a physician from Vienna. Therese was his wife's unmarried sister.) B. subsequently obtained civil order to have Theresa leave. Also began work on 8th sym. [Kerman p53] (Completed it in Linz per Man of His Word pg 119, along with the 2nd movement of the Violin Sonata in G.  
Oct Mass in C published  
Oct Autograph score of the 8th Symphony was written out.  
Oct Beethoven met Franz Gloggl, the Kapellmeister at Linz Cathedral; subsequently wrote 3 equali for trombones (WoO 30) for him.  
Nov 8 Brother Johann and Therese married in response to B.'s interference. [per Solomon]  
Nov - Dec Gap in knowledge of B's whereabouts???  
Nov Beethoven returned to Vienna (?11 - 12). Brentanos left Nov for Frankfurt w/ Antonie pregnant and giving birth to Karl Josef Mar8, 1813. Remained close by mail but never saw each other again.  
Nov-Dec 1st Tagebuch entry, "You must not be a human being...not for yourself but for others." "Submission, deepest submission to your fate, only this can give you the sacrifices - for this matter of service. O hard struggle! Do everthing that still has to be done to arrange what is necessary for the long journey. You must find everthing that your most charished wish can grant, you must bend it to your will. Maintain an absolutely steady attitude." "Thou mayst no longer be a man, not for thyself, only for others, for thee there is no longer happiness except in thyself, in thy art - O God, give me strength to conquer myself, nothing must fetter me to life." (The subsequent Tegebuch entries are through 1818)  
Nov 2 or 3 Kinsky died after being thrown from horse near Prague.  
? Number of royalty lawsuits re: Wellington  
? Premiere of Egmont incidental music.  
Mid Rapid deterioration of hearing with first ear trumpet use (The evidence of mid-year date is Tagebook entry #27)  
Dec 1 Louis Spohr arrived in Vienna  
Dec-early Pierre Rode - violinist arrived in Vienna on a concert tour  
Dec 29 Concert at Prince Lobkowitz's palace with French violinist Pierre Rode for which the last Violin Sonata op96 in G completed. Archduke Rudolph also performed.  
Dec 30 B. petitioned Princess Kinsky for payment of annuity at new rate promised by prince before his death  
? Life mask taken sometime this year - it was requested by Nanette Stein-Striecher & Andreas Streicher, pianoforte manufactures. They had ordered a bust of B. from sculpture, Franz Klein (1777-1840) for a newly built pianoforte warehouse. B., after repeated requests, gave in and allowed a sitting at which he was very uncomfortable w/ mask material. He finally violently cut short the proceedure by hurling the plaster cast off, mostly hardened, far away from him and left hurridly. Fortunately, 7yo Johann Klein, Franz's son, being very interested in the process, collected the pieces and began to assemble them.