The Beethoven Encyclopedia

Paul Nettl

• Publisher: Philosophical Library/Open Road
• Year: 2021
• eBook ISBN: 9781504067638
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: Music Biographies

This comprehensive A-to-Z reference is comprised of detailed and authoritative entries on every aspect of the great composer's life. Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the most famous and revered composers in classical music. His instantly recognizable concertos and symphonies continue to be among the most performed by symphonies across the globe. In this definitive reference volume, eminent musicologist Paul Nettl provides students and researchers with an in-depth biographical resource organized in alphabetical entries. The Beethoven Encyclopedia covers the German composer's music, personal life, and patrons, among other topics, such as the forces that inspired his genius.

S

Sali

Beethoven’s last housekeeper and cook. In contrast to many other servants this “gem” was faithful and devoted to the Master, assisting him during the last hours of his life. Sali had come to Beethoven’s house at the recommendation of the von Breunings. (Cf. Entry: Servants; Breuning: Aus dem Schwarzspanierhaus.)

Salieri, Antonio

b. Legnago (near Verona) 1750, d. Vienna 1825. Famous operatic composer. He studied with his brother Francesco, a pupil of Tartini, with the organist Simoni, the Maëstro di Capello Pescetti and the tenor Pacini in Venice. In 1766 he met F. L. Gassmann, who took him to Vienna, where he attended to his further education. In 1777 Antonio made his debut with the comic opera Le donne letterate, which impressed Gluck. After the performance of a second opera, La fiera di Venezia, his reputation was established. When Gassmann died in 1774, he succeeded him as chamber composer and conductor of the Italian opera in Vienna. After Gluck’s fame had overshadowed his own, he began to compose opera in the reformed style and tried to follow Gluck’s patterns. Gluck sponsored him and gave him a chance to appear in front of the Paris audience. Salieri’s opera Les Danaïdes, with Calzabigi’s libretto, was introduced in Paris under the names of Salieri and Gluck, and Gluck’s name did not disappear from the playbill until after the twelfth performance, when its success was certain. In addition Salieri composed for the Paris opera Les Horaces and Tarare, libretto by da Ponte, later renamed Axur re ď Ormus (piano score by Neefe). This was the first to be given a Polish performance at the National Court Theater in Warsaw. In 1788 Salieri became Giuseppe Bonno’s successor, but was dismissed after the death of Joseph II in 1790. He thenceforth worked as a conductor of the Imperial Chapel and as an operatic composer. He retired in 1824.

When Beethoven came to Vienna, he chose Salieri as his instructor in dramatic composition. Whether or not Beethoven took regular lessons from him is uncertain. Beethoven dedicated to Salieri his three Violin Sonatas Op. 12, evidently as a token of his gratitude. When Salieri’s opera Falstaff had its first performance in Vienna (1799), Beethoven was impressed by the aria “La stessa la stessima” and later used the theme for his B flat major Variations, dedicated to Countess Barbara Keglevitsch. Moscheles reported that when he came to see Salieri for a lesson in 1806, he found on a table a sheet of paper on which the following words were written in big letters: “The pupil Beethoven was here.”

It may be assumed that Salieri, as the last exponent of Italian art, was not too friendly with Beethoven. His jealousy of Mozart was already proverbial, and there were even rumors that Salieri had poisoned Mozart. Pushkin used this story as the plot for his play Mozart and Salieri. It is certain that Beethoven took advantage of Salieri’s abilities. The Master’s comparatively good knowledge of Italian might be due to Salieri. On the other hand Salieri’s poor understanding of Beethoven should be excused. According to Bauernfeld’s recollections, Schubert, also a pupil of Salieri, had to hide his enthusiasm for Beethoven from Salieri. Rochlitz in Für rukige Stunden (1822) gave a picturesque description of Salieri, describing him as a little vivacious man who still spoke broken German with fragments of Italian and French. (Cf. E. von Mosel: Antonio Salieri, 1827; A. von Hermann: Antonio Salieri, 1897; Th.-R. II-V; Wurzbach.)

Salomon, Johann Peter

b. Bonn 1745, d. London 1815. Violinist, member of the Electoral Orchestra in Bonn. His father, Philip, was also a member of that orchestra, while two sisters, Anna Maria (later married Geyers) and Anna Jacobina, were Electoral court singers. In 1765 Salomon became concertmaster for Prince Heinrich of Prussia (brother of Frederick the Great) in Rheinsberg. When the orchestra was discontinued, he went to Paris and, in 1781, to London. Here he made himself a considerable reputation as a quartet violinist. After he became an independent concert impresario he invited Haydn to London. From London he paid occasional visits to Bonn, as in 1790 when he met Beethoven for the first time. During Beethoven’s stay in Bonn, the Salomon family lived in the neighborhood of the house of the baker, Fischer, whose connections with Beethoven are well known. For the remainder of his life Salomon was always in contact with Beethoven, negotiating on his behalf with publishers, and with Smart and Ries promoting the Master’s works in London. (Cf. Th.-R. II and III; C. F. Pohl: Haydn in London, Wien, 1867; Grove.)

Sanft wie du lebtest

Funeral cantata for Johann Pasqualati (see Entry: Pasqualati).

Schaden, Dr. von

Lawyer in Augsburg who received Beethoven in his home in 1787, when the latter returned from Vienna to Bonn. Nanette Schaden née Frank, from Salzburg, the lawyer’s wife, was an excellent pianist and singer. Reichardt called her the greatest clavirist and unexcelled by any virtuoso. Schiedermair printed an intimate letter from Beethoven to Schaden, dated September 15, 1787, in which the Master described the death of his mother, complaining about his own personal difficulties. (Cf. Schiedermair: Der junge Beethoven; Th.-R. I, p. 216.)

Schechner, Nanette

b. Munich 1806, d. there 1860. Excellent singer who studied the role of Fidelio in 1826. Holz, in a Conversation-book of May 22, 1826, said “Today Schechner will sing in Schweizer Familie [by Joseph Weigl]. She sings almost as well as Milder, but with more flexibility in her throat.” Later Holz noted: “… almost like Milder, but with better acting. Pure intonation and clear diction.” Schindler remarked in June: “I am approaching you, my great Master, asking your permission to introduce to you Mlle. Schechner, who is longing to meet you. A true portentum naturae. Vienna never heard anything equal …” During Beethoven’s last days, Nanette, her mother, and her fiancé, the operatic singer Ludwig Cramolini, came to visit Beethoven frequently. (Cf. Th.-R. V.)

Schenk, Johann

b. Wiener Neustadt 1753, d. Vienna 1836. Composer and theoretician, student of Wagenseil and a free-lancing music teacher. He gained fame as the composer of the singspiele Der Dorfbarbier (1796), Der Bettelstudent (1796), and Die Jagd (1797). His acquaintance with Beethoven started in the summer of 1792 (Schenk) or 1793 (Thayer). Schenk left an autobiography in the form of a letter addressed to Aloys Fuchs (1799-1853), in whose possession it remained for a long while. It was Schenk who, at Abbé Gellinek’s house, heard the young Beethoven playing and became highly enthusiastic about his talent. When he visited Beethoven, he found on his desk some compositions in counterpoint which proved that the young composer didn’t know too much about that art. He advised Beethoven to study the Fux Gradus ad Parnassum. When Schenk heard that Beethoven was studying with Haydn, and when he learned that Haydn hadn’t been too eager to correct Beethoven’s contrapuntal mistakes, he accepted him as a pupil, with the condition that the whole affair was to be done secretly, so that Haydn wouldn’t learn about Schenk’s teaching of Beethoven. Beethoven was supposed to recopy all the exercises which Schenk corrected in order to avoid Haydn’s suspicions; but the secret was betrayed by Gellinek and Beethoven’s brothers. Schenk’s short autobiography was preserved in his own manuscript. Beethoven’s study with Schenk lasted only until May 1793/94. At that time Beethoven was called to Esterhazy in Eisenstadt. Schenk notated in his autobiography: “The day of Beethoven’s departure was not yet set. One day in the beginning of June I came to give him his lesson as usual—but my good Louis was no longer there. He had left me the following note which I copy word for word:

‘Dear Schenk,

I wish I had not been compelled to leave for Eisenstadt today. I would have liked to talk to you before I left. But meanwhile be assured of my gratitude for all the kindness you have shown to me. I shall try to be worthy of it as best I can. I hope I’ll see you soon again and have the pleasure of your company. Farewell and do not entirely forget your

Beethoven.’

“It was my intention to touch upon my relationship with Beethoven only briefly; but the circumstances which brought me together with him and made me become his guide in musical composition, demanded a more detailed explanation. For my endeavor (if endeavor is the right word for it) I received the costliest gift from my good Louis, namely the strong tie of friendship which remained intact to the day of his death.”

According to Schindler, Schenk met Beethoven once more, in the spring of 1824. The Master was overwhelmed with joy to see his old friend, took his hand and dragged him into the tavern Zum Jägerhorn. They discussed all sorts of happenings and when the events of 1793/94 were mentioned, Beethoven burst into roaring laughter over having deceived good old “Papa Haydn.” Beethoven complimented his old teacher and their farewell was touching. (Cf. Nettl: Forgotten Musicians [Translation of the authentic text of Schenk’s Autobiography]; Schindler I, p. 33; Th.-R. I.)

Schenker, Heinrich

(1868-1935) Eminent Viennese theorist, whose monograph Beethovens Neunte Symphonie (U. E. Vienna, 1912) is one of the most important works on the subject. The commentary edition of the last five sonatas of Beethoven (U. E. Vienna, 1913-1921; Sonata Op. 106 has not been published) contains a most lucid analysis, and based on the original manuscripts in the edition of the Sonata Op. 101, we find the recommendation of the Photogrammarchiv at the Vienna National Library (Anthony van Hoboken; cf. Entry: Manuscripts). Schenker also published the “Urtext” Edition of all the Beethoven sonatas (U. E. Vienna). Further publications concerned with Beethoven are: “Analysis of the Sonatas Op. 2 No. 1 and Op. 57” (Tonwille Gutmann Verlag Vienna, issue 2 and 7), “Fifth Symphony,” (Tonwille, issue 1, 5 and 6), “Beethovens metronomische Bezeichnungen” (Tw. issue 5), “On Beethoven’s Op. 127” (Tw. issue 7). In Das Meisterwerk in der Musik (Dreimasken Verlag, Munich): “Noch einmal zu Op. 110” (vol. 1, 1925); “Vom Organischen der Sonatenform” (vol. 2, 1926); “Rameau oder Beethoven” (vol. 3, 1930) and “Beethoven’s Eroica” (vol. 3).

One of Schenker’s most outstanding pupils is Dr. Oswald Jonas, now living in Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Jonas, a member of the faculty of Roosevelt College, has published the following articles on Beethoven: “The Manuscript of Beethoven’s Violinconcerto” (Z.f.MW May 1931); “Beethoven’s Sketches and his Finished Works” (Z.f.MW Oct. 1934); “Beethoveniana” (Der Dreiklang Vienna, 1937); “The Autograph of Beethoven’s VIII Symphony” (Music & Letters, 1939); and in Musical Quarterly: “An Unknown Sketch by Beethoven” (1940) and “A Lesson with Beethoven” (1952).

Schering, Arnold

b. Breslau 1877, d. Berlin 1941. Famous musicologist and professor at the Universities of Halle, Leipzig, and Berlin. He was a representative of the symbolic interpretation of music, a method which he applied also to Beethoven’s instrumental works. According to his opinion, Beethoven wrote the major part of his instrumental works under the impression of famous poetical works. Accordingly many, if not all, of Beethoven’s compositions belong to the category of “esoteric programmatic” music. He quotes many of Beethoven’s contemporaries, including Carpani, Kanne, and Schindler as witnesses for his theory. Schindler, in particular, spoke often about the poetic ideas on which Beethoven’s works were based. In fact, however, there are only few instances of a possible link between a poetic work and the corresponding instrumental composition. Once Schindler asked Beethoven about the poetic idea of his Piano Sonata Op. 31 No. 2. The master answered shortly: “Read Shakespeare’s Tempest.” Schindler said in his Beethoven biography: “Only Beethoven’s closest friends knew how well versed he was with the literature of former days and the present time, and how deeply he dived into the spirit of the works of Shakespeare, Schiller, and Goethe. If he had only mentioned at one single occasion what he had in mind, thus giving us the key to one or the other of his great instrumental compositions, it would not be so difficult to understand them and many an enigma would be solved … I very often urged him to do so … Beethoven seemed to be ready to follow my suggestion, but he did not do so. Unfortunately—because of all the unrecognizable figures, the disguised operas, mummeries—I do not know what kind of dreams of the poetic world that appear in his music, would have been explained in the most natural way.” In 1816 Hoffmeister in Leipzig, who intended to publish a complete edition of Beethoven’s works, told Beethoven that one of the conditions for publication would be that he agreed to give with each one of his compositions an explanation about his poetic idea. Beethoven declared that he was ready to do so, but Hoffmeister’s plan was not realized.

Schering’s conclusions are often more than odd. The String Quartet Op. 74 in E flat major is based, according to Schering, on Romeo and Juliet; the String Quartet Op. 95, on Othello; Quartet Op. 127 on Falstaff; Op. 130 on Midsummer Night’s Dream and Op. 131 on Hamlet. The “Moonlight” Sonata appears as the King Lear Sonata, and the “Appassionata” as a Macbeth Sonata. Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony is a Friedrich Schiller Symphony, the first movement of which is based on the poem Gruppe aus dem Tartarus, the second movement on the poem Der Tanz, the third on Das Glück. Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony is based on the scenes of Goethe’s novel Wilhelm Meister. The String Quartets Op. 59 are based on Wilhelm Meister, on Jean Paul’s Flegeljahre, and on Cervante’s Don Quixote. The String Quartets Op. 132, 133, and 135 are based on scenes of Goethe’s Faust, etc. It must be admitted that Schering’s interpretations are highly suggestive.

Symbolism and representation play a great part in Schering’s concept of Beethoven’s music and give impetus to psychological associations. Apparently Beethoven himself believed in the poetic function of his music, for he called himself a “Tone poet,” but it is doubtful that Beethoven had precise poetic ideas when conceiving a work. He may have begun with symbolic ideas, as in his Third and Fifth Symphonies, but these ideas developed into gigantic metaphysical creations surpassing the visible and materialistic world. In some instances Beethoven gave a belated interpretation, as in the “Tempest” Sonata, or the String Quartet Op. 18, No. 1, the adagio of which, he explained to his friend Amenda, was the farewell of two lovers (Romeo and Juliet). Schering’s ideas could be extremely useful, if presented as a personal impression and not in such an authoritative way. (Cf. Schering: Beethoven und die Dichtung, Berlin, 1936; Schering: Beethoven in neuer Deutung, Leipzig, 1934; Schering: “Zu Beethoven’s Klaviersonaten,” Zeitschrift f. Musikwissenschaft, 1936; Schering: Das Symbol in der Musik.)

Schickh, Johann

b. Vienna 1770, d. Gastein 1835. Writer and editor of the Wiener Zeitschrift für Kunst, Literatur, Theater und Mode which he directed from 1816 to 1836. His name appeared frequently in the Conversation-books; in 1824, for instance, when he acidly criticized Bernard’s oratorio text Der Weg des Kreuzes, which Beethoven was supposed to set to music (Th.-R. V, p. 13). Evidently Schickh and Bernard were on bad terms. In December 1819, Bernard improvised a whole poem making a pun of Schickh’s name. About the same time Schickh jotted down: “I beg you [Beethoven] to compose a poem of Count Loeben.” At some other occasion Schickh asked the Master to delay the composition of his Requiem in order to compose Grillparzer’s opera Melusina. (Cf. Th.-R. IV and V; Schünemann: Ludwig von Beethoven, Konversationshefte.)

Schiller, Johann Christoph Friedrich von

b. Marbach (Württemberg) 1759, d. Weimar 1805. Famous German poet. B. L. Fischenich, professor of law in Bonn, wrote to Charlotte von Schiller, the poet’s wife, on January 26, 1793, that Beethoven was going to compose Schiller’s Lied an die Freude. He enclosed in this letter Beethoven’s song “Feuerfarb” and mentioned that something perfect and sublime might be expected from the composer. Beethoven became familiar with Schiller’s plays in Bonn when Die Räuber and Fiesko were performed by the Grossmann Troupe.

Beethoven frequently us...

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• CHRONOLOGY
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• About the Author
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