his published works. Sometimes it would
be in the form of variations after the manner of his Choral Fantasia,
op. 80, or the last movement of the Choral Symphony. All authorities
agree as to Beethoven's genius in improvising. His playing was better
under these circumstances than when playing a written composition, even
when it was written by himself.

Once Huemmel undertook a contest with Beethoven in improvising. After he
had been playing for some time Beethoven interrupted him with the
question, "When are you going to begin?" It is needless to say that
Beethoven, when his turn came to play, distanced the other so entirely
that there was no room for comparison.

CHAPTER III

THE NEW PATH

I tremble to the depths of my soul and ask my daemon: "Why this cup
to me?"
--WAGNER.

Life at last has found a meaning.
--WAGNER: _Letter to Frau Wille_.

Reference has already been made to the fact that Beethoven's opus 1 was
published in 1795, something like three years after taking up his
residence in Vienna, and when he was twenty-four years of age. It
consists of three Trios for piano and strings. When Haydn returned from
London and heard these Trios, the master criticised one of them and
advised him not to publish it. Beethoven thought this particular one the
best of the three, and others concur with him in this opinion. Shortly
after, he published his opus 2, consisting of three sonatas dedicated to
Haydn, besides variations and smaller pieces. But this does not by any
means give the amount of his compositions for this period, some of which
were not published until many years afterward.

All this time, Beethoven, though playing frequently at the houses of his
aristocratic friends, had not yet made his appearance in public, but
about the time that his opus 1 appeared, he played at a concert given
in aid of the Widow's Fund of the Artists' Society. He composed for this
occasion a Grand Concerto (opus 15) in C major for piano and orchestra,
taking the piano part himself. It was finished on the day preceding that
on which the concert was held, the copyists waiting in another room for
their parts. At the rehearsal, the piano being one-half note out of
tune, he transposed it into C sharp, playing it without the notes. Very
soon after, he appeared again in public, at a concert given for the
benefit of