Congress Beethoven gave a concert
for his own benefit, at which the new Cantata as well as the Battle
Symphony and the Seventh Symphony were performed. The Riding Hall, an
immense structure, capable of seating six thousand persons was placed at
his disposal, for which, however, a large price, one-half the receipts,
was exacted, so Frimmel states. With sublime confidence Beethoven sent
out invitations in his own name to the visiting sovereigns and other
notabilities, all of whom responded, with the result that the hall was
crowded and the concert proved to be a great success.

As a result of the winter's activities, Beethoven's finances were
greatly improved. He displayed a degree of business ability during this
year, which was not to have been expected from a man of his temperament.
His profits from one source or another were such that he invested money
to the extent of ten thousand florins, in shares of the Bank of Austria.
It was his first and only investment, undertaken as a provision for the
future.

That Beethoven kept his head in the face of all this adulation is
evident from a letter written at this time to a friend at Prague in
which he says, "I write nothing about our monarchs and monarchies. The
intellectual realm is the most precious in my eyes, and far above all
temporal and spiritual kingdoms."

It was indeed a brilliant winter, but all this joy was suddenly changed
to something akin to terror by the news of Napoleon's escape from Elba
in March of 1815, and that he was assembling his forces for another
campaign. The gayeties had to be discontinued, the members of the
Congress confined themselves to the work for which it was convened, the
result being that the treaties were signed by the eight powers on June
7, upon which the Congress disbanded. This was just eleven days before
the battle of Waterloo.

In November of this year Beethoven's brother Karl died, leaving the
composer as an heritage his son Karl, then nine years of age. With the
clairvoyance which approaching dissolution often brings, the father saw
that the uncle would be a much better guardian for the boy, than the
mother, and consigned him to Beethoven's care almost with his last
breath. It was characteristic of such a man as was Beethoven, to accept
the charge without hesitation, from an exaggerated sense of duty; to
fight for its possession even, although it revolutionized his life and
brought him face to face with all sorts of difficult a