by Suchet, John
Piano Concertos: Howard Shelley and the Orchestra of Opera North, with bonus of Choral Fantasia and Triple Concerto. Pierre-Laurent Aimard with Nikolaus Harnoncourt and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Paul Lewis with Jirí Belohlávek and the BBC Symphony Orchestra.
String Quartets: The Lindsays, in the earlier of their two sets, recorded in the late 1970s, passion suffusing every note. The Endellion String Quartet more recently, using the edition prepared by the Beethoven scholar and editor Jonathan Del Mar. The Busch Quartet for something different – recorded in the 1930s, with a veil of hiss, the benefit of hindsight pouring the forthcoming tragedy of Europe into every note.
Piano Sonatas: Daniel Barenboim for modern virtuosity on a concert grand. Paul Lewis for a young virtuoso’s freshness. I still love the Hungarian pianist Jenö Jandó on Naxos, recorded in 1988 in Budapest in what sounds like a bare-walled studio with a single microphone. Beethoven can sometimes be over-sanitised. Not here. For authenticity, eccentricity, and that hiss again, Artur Schnabel. As this book goes to the printer, the French pianist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet has issued the first of a complete set, as has the young Korean pianist HJ Lim.
Fidelio: Christa Ludwig and Jon Vickers, with the Philharmonia Chorus and Orchestra under Otto Klemperer. Never bettered. More recently, Claudio Abbado with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, Nikolaus Harnoncourt with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe.
My desert island disc: Piano Sonata Op. 110, recorded by Jörg Demus on Beethoven’s last piano, the Graf. Close your eyes and imagine...
INDEX
Page numbers in italic refer to illustrations.
A
Albert, Prince 260
alcohol/alcoholism 4–5, 15, 22, 24–25, 36, 62, 189, 245, 248–49, 250, 255
Alexander of Russia 228
Anschütz, Heinrich 258
Arnim, Bettina 158, 165
Artaria: Matthias 220; & Co. 129
Aschaffenburg 55, 56, 57, 57
Auernhammer, Barbara 211
Austria 70, 89, 110, 121, 145, 166, 171, 197, 231
Austro-Hungarian Empire 132
Averdonck, Severin Anton 44
B
Bach, Johann Baptist 185
Bach, Johann Sebastian 26, 257
Bad Godesburg 60
Bad Mergentheim 50–51, 55, 57–60, 76
Bad Teplice 153, 165
Baden 208–9, 211, 215, 223
Battle of the Nations 171
Bavaria 22, 28, 121
Beamish, Sir Tufton 89
Beethoven, Caspar Carl van 13, 29–31, 76–77, 94, 95, 97–99, 104, 146, 167, 169, 170, 180, 183, 184, 212
Will 177–78, 180–81
Beethoven, Johann van 3–8, 10–15, 20, 22 , 24, 29, 35–36, 40–41, 61 71, 243
Beethoven, Johanna van see Reiss, Johanna
Beethoven, Karl van 38, 130, 131, 169, 170, 177–86, 190, 193, 198, 205, 208, 209, 210, 211–12, 214–16, 219–23, 227, 232, 228, 234, 237–40, 244, 246, 247, 248, 251, 255
suicide attempt 223–28, 232, 238
Beethoven, Ludwig Maria van 7, 12, 25, 148
Beethoven, Ludwig van:
‘Ah! Perfido’ 138
and Goethe 163, 165–66
‘An die Freude’ 196
‘An Die Hoffnung’ (‘To Hope) 119, 150, 159
and Rossini 193–94
and women 62–63
‘Appassionata’ Piano Sonata 114, 133
‘Archduke’ Piano Trio 156
Bagatelles, Op. 126 243
birth and baptism 3, 8
Cantata on the Death of Emperor Joseph II 45–44, 59, 60, 67
Cantata on the Elevation of Emperor Leopold II 44, 59
Choral Fantasia 138, 139
Christus am Ölberge 104, 105–6, 130
considers suicide 93–100
deafness 78, 81–90, 94–96, 98, 100, 110, 134, 137, 143, 144, 174, 182, 190–91, 194, 200, 206, 215, 235
death 252, 255–56
‘Der Glorreiche Augenblick’ 174
Diabelli Variations 192, 196
diary 169, 170, 186
Die Geschöpfe des Prometheus 85, 108
Die Ruinen von Athen 156, 197
Egmont 163
Eighth Symphony 156, 169, 171
Equali 168, 257
‘Eroica’ 108, 110, 111, 113, 114, 120, 121, 122, 133
exhumation of body 194, 260
Fidelio 13, 120–23, 131, 134, 137, 138, 172, 174
Fifth Piano Concerto (‘Emperor’) 144
Fifth Symphony 132, 133, 137, 139, 140, 260
First Piano Concerto 75, 84
First Symphony 75, 81, 84, 104, 105
Fourth Piano Concerto 131, 138, 139, 140, 144
Fourth Symphony 131, 132
funeral xi, 254–60
‘Für Elise’ 150
‘Glückliche Fahrt’ 165–66
Grosse Fuge 208, 219–20, 237
guardianship of Karl 177–86, 193, 224
‘Hammerklavier’ Piano Sonata 144, 192
health 78, 86, 156, 169, 170, 185, 189–90, 193, 196, 206, 208–9, 214, 219, 226, 228, 234, 237, 240, 244–49
Heiligenstadt Testament 95–100, 153, 154, 255
Heiliger Dankgesang eines Genesenen an die Gottheit, in her lydischen Tonart 209–10
Heroic Period 100
König Stephan 156, 197
‘Kreutzer’ Sonata 107
‘Les Adieux’ 145–46
lessons with Haydn 71–73
lessons with Neefe 16, 22–23, 25–26, 28, 29, 36, 40, 44
lessons with van den Eeden 14
lessons with Pfeiffer 15
Mass in C 138, 139
‘Meeresstille’ 165–66
Missa Solemnis 121, 145, 192, 196
‘Moonlight’ Piano Sonata 89, 90, 149
Ninth (‘Choral’) Symphony 108, 121, 197, 200, 205, 206, 211, 227, 232, 260
‘Pastoral’ 136, 137, 139, 140
‘Pathétique’ Piano Sonata 81, 191
physical appearance 13–14, 16, 72, 147, 147 ,173, 214, 260
piano concertos, Op. 2 73
Piano Quintet, Op. 16 78
Piano Sonata, Op. 26 257
Piano Sonata Op. 53 43
Piano Sonata, Op. 109 192, 206
Piano Sonata, Op. 110 192, 206, 243
Piano Sonata, Op. 111 192, 206
Piano Trios, Op. 1 73–76, 82
Piano Variations, Op. 35 93
Ritterballet 47–48
Rondo a capriccio, Op. 129 135
Second Piano Concerto 75, 84
Second Symphony 85, 93, 104, 105, 131
Septet, Op. 20 3, 75, 84–85
Seventh Symphony 156, 171
quartet, Op. 127 206, 208
string quartet, Op. 130 208, 210, 219, 237
string quartet, Op. 131 208, 219, 237
string quartet, Op. 132 208, 210, 212
string quartet, Op. 133 (Grosse Fuge) 208, 219–20, 233
string quartet, Op. 135 208, 237
terminal illness 244–252
Third Piano Concerto 104, 105
Wellingtons Sieg 171
Zur Namensfeier 197
‘Waldstein’ Sonata 113
see also Deym, Josephine; Guicciardi, Giulietta; Immortal Beloved; Malfatti, Therese
Beethoven, Ludwig van the elder 3–6, 6, 11, 12, 20, 87, 243
Beethoven, Maria Magdalena van 3, 5–7, 14, 16, 19, 24–25, 28, 29, 36, 39–40, 41, 64, 169
Beethoven, Nikolaus Johann van 76–77, 95, 97–99, 128, 129, 146–47, 160, 166–68, 180, 198, 205, 206, 211, 228, 231–32, 234, 236, 238–39, 247, 252, 255, 257
Will 239
Belderbusch, Count Kaspar Anton von 21–22, 35
Berlin 77, 78, 82, 84, 166, 197, 210, 260
Bernadotte, General 78
Bernard, Karl Joseph 184
Bingen 55
Bohemia 121, 160, 163
Böhm, Joseph Daniel 147
Bonaparte, Napoleon 170,
110–11, 111, 113, 120, 121–22, 132, 136, 145, 146, 147, 171–72, 174, 231
see also Jérôme, King of Westphalia; Joseph, King of Spain
Bonn, University of 19, 20–21, 36, 196, 260
Borisovich, Nicolas see Galitzin, Prince
Bouilly, Jean-Nicolas 114
Boulogne 121
Braun, Baron von 84, 93, 103–4, 111, 114, 124, 125, 131, 133, 198
Braunhofer, Anton 206, 208–9, 219, 246
Breiteneich 89
Breitkopf und Härtel 129, 163, 206
Brentano, Antonie 157, 157–59, 165
Brentano, Bettina see Arnim, Bettina
Brentano, Franz 158
Brentano, Karl Josef 159
Brentano, Minona 159–60
Breuning, Constanze von 214, 225
Breuning, Eleonore von 35, 61–64, 86, 148, 150, 245
Breuning, Emanuel Joseph von 34
Breuning, Gerhard von xiii, 147, 212, 226, 247–51, 256, 258
Breuning, Helene von 34–35, 61
Breuning, Stephan von 61, 63, 85–87, 94, 111, 124, 212, 225, 227, 228, 239, 243, 244, 247, 252, 255
Bridgetower, George 106–7
Broadwood, Thomas 191–92
Bruckner, Anton 168
Brunsvik, Anna Countess von 117
Brunsvik, Josephine see Deym, Josephine
Brunsvik, Therese 117, 118, 120
Budapest 192, 244
Budweis 166
Burg Rheinstein 53
C
Chelwood, Lady Pia 89
Chemnitz 22, 29
Cherubini, Luigi 103–4, 120, 122, 211
Clemens August, Elector 19–20
Coblenz 19
Cologne 19, 62
Cooper, Martin 185
Cooper, Professor Barry 27
Cramer, Carl Friedrich 26–27, 36
Cramer, Johann Baptist 78
Cropper, Peter 219
Czech Republic 131, 248, 153, 155
Czerny, Carl 38, 39, 77, 85, 100, 129, 192, 205, 211
D
Demus, Jörg 243
Deym, Count Joseph 118–19
Deym, Josephine 117–20, 133, 134, 150, 158–60, 193, 255
Diabelli, Anton 196, 250
Dögl, Dr 225
Drachenfels 51, 53, 54, 55
Dragonetti, Domenico 78, 211
Dresden 77
Dressler, Ernst Christoph 23, 26–27
E
Eeden, Gilles van den 14, 23
Ehrenbreitstein 5, 7, 19, 64
Elba 171, 174
Elizabeth, Queen of Prussia 260
England 21, 48, 106
Esterháza 48, 73
Esterházy, Prince Nikolaus 48–49, 154
F
Fischer, Cäcilie 15, 24–25
Fischer, Gottfried 13, 14, 16, 24–25, 28, 33, 51
France 22, 28, 110, 145, 171, 174
Franzensbad 166
Freiburg 145, 148
Friedrich, Prince of Prussia 52
Friedrich Wilhelm II, King of Prussia 77
Friedrich Wilhelm III, King of Prussia 228
Friedrich Wilhelm IV, King of Prussia 260
Friedrich, Archduke of Austria 260
Fries, Count von 82–83
Fürstenburg, Count von 260
G
Galitzin, Prince 196, 205
Gallenberg, Count 89
Gellert, Christian Fürchtegott 22
George IV 106
Germany 13, 19, 121, 136, 145
Gleichenstein, Ignaz 148–49, 250
Glöggl, Franz Xaver 168
Gneixendorf 228, 232, 233, 234, 236, 237–38, 243
Godesberger Brunnen 49–50
Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von 22, 35, 163, 165–66
Gotha 29
Graf, Conrad 243, 245, 266
Grätz 131, 132
Grillparzer, Franz 258
Grossmann and Helmuth theatre company 15, 23
Guicciardi, Giulietta (Julia) 88, 89–90, 117, 149
H
Hähnel, Ernst Julius 260
Handel, George Frideric 139, 211, 247, 250, 257
Hartl, Joseph von 134, 136
Haslinger, Tobias 211
Hatto II, Bishop 52
Haydn, Joseph 43, 48–49, 60, 64, 71–76, 84, 93, 138, 148, 196, 197, 250, 257
Heiligenstadt 90, 93–95, 97–98, 100, 134, 135
Heine, Heinrich 55, 222
Helenenthal 208, 215, 224, 224
Herder, Johann Gottfried 63
Herzog, Anton 195
Hiller, Ferdinand 29–30, 251
Hoechle, Johann Nepomuk 195
Höfel, Blasius 173, 194–95
Holland 15–16
Holz, Karl 210–11, 215–16, 222, 223, 225, 245–46, 255
Honrath, Jeanette d’ 62
Hummel, Johann Nepomuk 84, 191, 250–51
Hungary 121
Hüttenbrenner, Anselm 251, 252
I
Iglau 248
Illuminati, Order of 22, 44
Immortal Beloved 120, 150, 153–60, 166, 255
Italy 89
J
Jahn, Otto 37
Jérôme, King of Westphalia 136
Jihlava 248
Joseph II, Emperor 28, 43–44, 67
Joseph, King of Spain 171
Junker, Karl Ludwig 58–59, 61
K
Kaiserbad 214
Kant, Immanuel 21, 196
Karlovy Vary 155
Karlsbad 154, 155, 157–59, 166
Kassel 136, 143, 144
Keverich, Heinrich 5
Killitschky, Josephine 138–39
Kinsky, Prince 156, 169
Klapproth, John 158
Klein, Franz ix
Klopstock, Friedrich Gottlieb 22
Koblenz 148
Krems 232, 238
Krenn, Michael 234–36
L
Leipzig 22, 77, 139
battle of see Battle of the Nations
Leopold II, Emperor 70
Leym, Johann 5
Lichnowsky, Moritz 250
Lichnowsky, Prince Karl 71–77, 82, 97, 105, 106, 112, 113–14, 119, 120, 123–24, 131–34, 143, 144, 146, 150, 159
Lind, Joseph 148
Lindsay Quartet 219
Linke, Josef 250
Linz 129, 146, 160, 163, 166–69, 231, 232, 257
Liszt, Franz 192, 260
Lobkowitz, Prince 120, 133, 156
London 48, 73, 74, 75, 81, 103 107, 109, 114, 192, 196, 211, 250
Loreley 53, 54, 55
Louis XVI 28, 70
Lucchesi, Andrea 29–30
Lucerne, Lake 89
Lux, Joseph 54–55
M
Mainz 19, 51, 52, 55, 60, 250
Malfatti, Dr Johann 190, 206, 248, 249
Malfatti, Netty (Anna) 148–50
Malfatti, Therese 148–50, 156, 159, 190, 193, 248, 250
Mälzel, Johann Nepomuk 171
Mannheim 59
Maria Theresa, Empress 28, 43, 70
Marie Antoinette 28, 70
Marienforst 49
Mäuserturm 53
Maximilian Franz, Elector 28, 30, 36, 38, 39, 40, 41, 48–50, 57–58, 60–61, 85
Maximilian Friedrich, Elector 20–21, 27, 28, 35
Maximilian, Archduke 146
Melk 184
Metternich, Chancellor 71, 194
Milder-Hauptmann, Anna 138
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus 11, 16, 26–27, 36, 37–39, 43, 48, 60, 64, 71–74, 77, 84, 104, 106, 120, 122, 125, 181, 196, 197, 211, 257
Munich 19
N
Nassau, Prince Willem of Orange 16
Neefe, Christian Gottlob 16, 22–23, 25–26, 28, 29, 34, 36, 37, 40, 44, 47, 60, 61
O
Oberglogau 131, 132
Obermeyer, Therese 167–68, 232, 235, 238, 239
Olmütz 192, 201
Opava 131
Oppersdorff, Count 131, 132<
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P
Palffy, Count 198–99
Paris 70, 103, 107, 110, 133, 145, 160, 192
Pasqualati, Baron 250
Pfeiffer, Tobias von 15
Phennings, Nikolaus 36
Poland 131
Poll, Maria Josepha 4–5
Portugal 145
Prague 77, 82, 156, 157, 158, 159, 166, 197
R
Rauhenstein 224, 224
Razumovsky, Count 131
Reading Society (Lesegesellschaft) 22, 43, 44, 49
Reiss, Johanna 130–31, 147, 167, 169–70, 177–78, 180–86, 209, 215, 224–27, 251
Ries, Ferdinand 33, 38, 39, 72–73, 94–95, 104–5, 108–10, 113–14, 129, 133, 145, 146, 148, 192, 196, 210
Righini, Vincenzo 56
Röckel, Joseph 124–26
Rohrau 250
Romberg, Bernhard 54, 56, 62
Rossini, Gioachino 193–94
Rotterdam 15–16, 37
Rüdesheim 53, 55
Rudolph, Archduke 142, 143–46, 148, 156, 164, 169, 170, 184, 192, 201
Russia 171
S
Salieri, Antonio 136
Salomon, Johann Peter 48–49
Salzburg 38, 174
Satzenhofen, Countess Caroline von 21
Saxony 22, 77
Schikaneder, Emanuel 104, 106, 108, 111, 114
Schiller, Friedrich 135, 196
Schindler, Anton 222, 226–28, 239, 246, 248–49, 252, 255
Schlemmer, Matthias 220, 223
Schlesinger, Moritz 210–11
Schlösser, Carl 213
Schmidt, Dr Johann Adam 90, 97
Schneider, Sascha 88
Schott 250, 251
Schubert, Franz 106, 194, 250, 258, 260
Schulenburg, Count von 89
Schuppanzigh, Ignaz 106, 138, 198, 206, 211, 219
Sebald, Amalie 166, 166
Seibert, Dr Johann 247–50
Seng, Ignaz 226
Seyfried, Ignaz 105, 125, 137–40, 189, 257
Siebengebirge 51
Silcher, Friedrich 55
Silesia 132, 143
Simrock, Nikolaus 104, 108, 129
Smart, Sir George 210, 250
Smetana, Dr Carl von 225
Solomon, Maynard 157–59