BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE [AND BEETHOVEN]
Be cheerful – remain my true, my only treasure, my all as I am yours.
Pretty romantic, right? Beethoven certainly thought so. This is a quote from his 1812 letter, which is one of the many pieces of writing that will be woven between his music when the Tinalley String Quartet performs this month.
Speak Less than you Know brings Tinalley together with Bell Shakespeare founder John Bell in a performance celebrating both of Beethoven’s creative outlets: music and words. Beethoven’s letters and memoirs, such as the ‘immortal beloved’ correspondence and Heiligenstadt Testament, will feature on a program including movements from his String Quartets, Op. 18, 74, 131, 132, and 135. So ahead of the concerts on September 26 and 27 (Sydney) and October 4 (Melbourne), we thought we’d give you a taste of the man behind the music.
John Bell introduces CutCommon readers to the following letter by Beethoven, which was written when the legendary composer was 42 years old:
This letter is a wonderful example of the spontaneity of Beethoven’s letters: so uninhibited, passionate and informal – wild thoughts dashed off as they occur to him – no self-censorship…You can hear the man’s voice and feel the vitality that so informs his music. Unfortunately, he was always unhappy in love, falling for women who were above his social class. But here, as with all his other misfortunes, he never gave up – he was a fighter, right to the end.
The Immortal Beloved Letters, July 1812
The First Letter…
July 6, in the morning
My angel, my all, my very self – Only a few words today and at that with pencil (with yours)
– Not till tomorrow will my lodgings be definitely determined upon – what a useless waste of time
– Why this deep sorrow when necessity speaks – can our love endure except through sacrifices, through not demanding everything from one another; can you change the fact that you are not wholly mine, I not wholly thine – Oh God, look out into the beauties of nature and comfort your heart with that which must be – Love demands everything and that very justly – thus it is to me with you, and to your with me.
But you forget so easily that I must live for me and for you; if we were wholly united you would feel the pain of it as little as I – My journey was a fearful one; I did not reach here until 4 o’clock yesterday morning.
Lacking horses the post-coach chose another route, but what an awful one; at the stage before the last I was warned not to travel at night; I was made fearful of a forest, but that only made me the more eager – and I was wrong.
The coach must needs break down on the wretched road, a bottomless mud road. Without such postilions as I had with me I should have remained stuck in the road. Esterhazy, travelling the usual road here, had the same fate with eight horses that I had with four – Yet I got some pleasure out of it, as I always do when I successfully overcome difficulties – Now a quick change to things internal from things external. We shall surely see each other soon; moreover, today I cannot share with you the thoughts I have had during these last few days touching my own life – If our hearts were always close together, I would have none of these.
My heart is full of so many things to say to you – ah – there are moments when I feel that speech amounts to nothing at all – Be cheerful – remain my true, my only treasure, my all as I am yours. The gods must send us the rest, what for us must and shall be –
Your faithful LUDWIG.
Tinalley String Quartet will perform Speak Less than you Know on September 26 and 27 at the Sydney Opera House, and October 4 at the Melbourne Recital Centre. See more info at tinalley.com.au. CutCommon subscribers can book discounted tickets for these events.
Image supplied.
