The Eroica, aside from its musical value, is interesting as an index to lleethoven's political views. He was a believer in republican govern ment; and until 1804, before Napoleon had made himself Emperor, he represented to Beethoven the ideal soldier and statesman. Beethoven himself entitled this symphony Napoleon Bona parte, and dispatched the original score for pres entation to Napoleon. But before the presenta tion could be made, Napoleon had assumed the imperial Imurple. When Beethoven learned of this he tore the title-page from his copy. After Napoleon's death at Saint Helena, he remarked. "I already have composed his funeral march," referring to the Marcia Funebre in this sym phony.
Fitlelio was a failure on its first presentation (Vienna, November 20, 1805). The French had entered the city, the singers and the orchestra complained of the difficulty of the music, and for various other reasons the time was unpro pitious. After three performances it was with drawn. The following year, at Prince Lich nowski's, Beethoven met by appointment the two singers, Roeckel and Meyer, who suggested, among other changes, the remodeling of the work from three to two acts, its present shape. At first Beethoven was furious, and matters were not settled until 2 o'clock in the morning. when the Prince ordered supper. The 1111/St famous Leonora. of B•ethoven's day was Mlle. Schroder (afterwards Sehr(ider-Devrient), whom, after a performance. he patted on the cheek and p•om ised another opera. Of the four overtures to Pide/io, the Leonora No. 3 is the most famous.
Among his compositions in 1806 were the Fourth Symphony and the violin concerto; in 1807 the Corio/anus Orcrture and the Mass in C; in 1808 both the Fifth and the Sixth (Pas toral) symphonies. "I am convinced that no one loves country life as I do. Every tree, every shrub seems to understand my mute aimeals and responds to them" (Beethoven to Baroness Droszdi•k). Iu the garden at SehiMbrunn is a spot between two ash trees which is carefully preserved because Beethoven haunted it while he was eomposing parts of ride/io. He had a passion for the country, and it was fitting he should express it in a symphony.
During this two-symphony year (there was another in 1812, when the Seventh and Eighth symphonies came only four months apart) he received from _Napoleon's brother, Jerome, King of Westphalia, an offer of the Court conductor ship at Cassel. But in order to keep him in Vienna, an annuity of 4000 florins was provided by Archduke Rudolph, Prince Lobko•itz, and Count Kinsky. The allegation that the Vien nese neglected Beethoven as they did Mozart and Schubert appears to be erroneous. Although
his genius may not have been fully appreciated, he was far from being overlooked. He found frequent opportunity to bring his works forward at private and public concerts. and his renown as a pianist was such grand style of play ing," "giant among players"—Tomasebek) that. in spite of his dearness. he was practically forced to appear in concerts as a solo-player until 1813. Nor, perhaps, would he have retired then save for an untoward incident described by Spohr in his autobiography. Beethoven was playing one of his own concertos, but at the first tutti forgot that he • was not conduoting, sprang from his seat, and began directing. At a sforzando mark he threw out his arms so far that he knocked the lights from the pianoforte. Enraged, he made the orchestra begin over again. Sevfried, fearing a repetition of the incident. de tailed two boys to hold the lights, with the re sult that one of them, who stood too near, re ceived, with Beethoven's next violent gesture, a blow on the mouth caused him to drop the light, while the other boy. who had watched Beethoven closely, dodged the blow by stooping suddenly in such a comical way that the audi ence was convulsed with amusement. His last public piano playing was the accompaniment to Adelaide in April, 816, for Franz Wild. As a pianist in private houses, especially those of his noble patrons, Beethoven was in frequent demand. Occasionally, however, he refused to comply with their requests to play, and at Count Browne's he stopped a duet with Ries, and de clined to continue or to allow his pupil to play again, because he had been annoyed by two per sons starting a conversation. After his retire ment as a pianist. in 1813, he still appeared occasionally as a conductor. As late as 1822 he attempted to conduct Fidelio, but was obliged to leave the orchestra.
The years 1812 and ]S13 saw the composition of two works which are curiosities among Bee thoven's productions. These are the so-called Battle Symphony (the Battle of Vittoria), writ ten to commemorate Wellington's victory in Spain. and introducing Bide Britannia, God Sure the Icing, and Malbrook ; and The Glorious Mo ment, a cantata celebrating the Congress of Sov ereigns at Vienna. The year 1817 is important, because of the beginning of the Ninth Sympheny. In the following year he took up the great B flat Sonata, Opus Intl, and the Mass in D, the latter dedicated to his patron, Archduke Rfi dolph. The symphony was not finished until I 823.