n. But it may be worth while to refer,
briefly, to the principal men and women to whom the master dedicated
his pianoforte sonatas.
Of the thirty-two, as will be seen from the above table, eight have no
dedication.
In the year 1792 Beethoven left Bonn and went to Vienna. There he
studied counterpoint under Haydn, yet the lessons proved
unsatisfactory. But the fame and influence of the veteran master no
doubt prompted the young artist to dedicate to him the three sonatas,
Op. 2. The title-page of the oldest Vienna edition runs thus:--
Trois Sonates pour le Clavecin Piano-forte composees
et dediees
A Mr. Joseph Haydn Docteur en musique par
Louis van Beethoven.
There was perhaps more of sarcasm than respect in the "Docteur en
musique"; Beethoven is related to have said that he had taken some
lessons from Haydn, but had never learnt anything from him.
Nevertheless he paid heed to his teacher's music. There are in the
sonatas one or two reminiscences of Haydn, which seem to us curious
enough to merit quotation. One occurs in the sonata in C minor (Op.
10, No. 1). We give the passage (transposed) from Haydn, and the one
from Beethoven:--
[Music illustration: "Letter V," Pohl, No. 58.[97] HAYDN.]
[Music illustration: Op. 10, No. 1. BEETHOVEN.]
And another--
[Music illustration: "In Native Worth" (_Creation_). HAYDN.]
[Music illustration: Op. 31, No. 1. BEETHOVEN.]
While speaking of reminiscences, a curious one may be mentioned. The
theme of the slow movement of Beethoven's sonata in A (Op. 2, No. 2)
strongly resembles the theme of the slow movement of his own Trio in B
flat (Op. 97):--
[Music illustration: Op. 2, No. 2.]
[Music illustration: Trio, Op. 97. _Andante._]
In Op. 111, again, the second subject of the Allegro recalls a phrase
in the Presto of the Sonata in C sharp minor.
Haydn, as the most illustrious composer of that day, stands first; but
the next name worthy of mention is Count Waldstein, a young nobleman
who had been a guide, philosopher, and friend to Beethoven during the
Bonn days. The well-known entry in the young musician's Album just
before his departure for Vienna shows in what high esteem he was held
by Waldstein. Count Ferdinand Waldstein died in 1823.
Prince Charles Lichnowsky was one of the composer's earliest patrons
after the latter had settled in Vienna. The Prince, descended from an
old Polish family, was born in 1758, and, consequently, was, by twelve
years, Bee
|