entives to work--love and ambition--were now swaying him and
impelling him onwards at a speed which nothing could check. Neefe's
confidence and praise were more than justified, and before he had
completed his thirteenth year Beethoven received his first official
appointment at the hands of the Elector. He could now sign himself
'Ludwig van Beethoven, Cembalist im Orchester,' and his duties
comprised not only the playing of the pianoforte in the orchestra, but
the conducting of the band at rehearsals. With this accession,
however, there was still the fact staring him in the face of no money
coming in. Just at this time, too, the Elector Max Friedrich died; and
it was not until a year later, when Beethoven was appointed second
organist to the Court, under the new Elector Max Franz, that he began
to receive a small salary in return for his services. Thirteen pounds
a year sounds very little for so much work and responsibility, but
Ludwig was overjoyed to think that he could back up his announcement
to his parents with so substantial a fact as the receipt of an income.
For the poverty at home was keener than ever; Johann's earnings did
not exceed L25 a year, and as his voice was steadily declining, the
outlook for the family had become exceedingly black.

The time would not appear to have been propitious for joking;
nevertheless, Beethoven sat in the organ-loft one day planning a joke.
He had just had a conversation with one of the chief singers of the
band--a tenor named Heller--and the latter had been boasting that his
knowledge of singing was so great that he could easily surmount any
difficulty as it presented itself. Beethoven inherited from his
grandfather a love of joking, and the temptation to lower the singer's
vanity was too great to be resisted. Accordingly, on the following
Sunday, whilst Heller was singing a solo to Ludwig's accompaniment,
the latter adroitly introduced a modulation of his own. Heller
unsuspectingly followed his lead, and fell into the trap devised for
him, with the result that, after attempting to keep up with the
organist, he lost himself entirely and, to the astonishment of the
congregation, came to a dead stop; and it was only when Beethoven
returned to the original key that the disconcerted singer could
proceed. Heller was naturally furious at the trick played upon him,
and lodged a complaint with the Elector. The latter, however, was too
good a musician himself to be angry at this exhibit