Originally posted by Euterpe:
Personally I believe Mr. Solomon. Of all the researchers who've examined this subject, only Solomon has presented any hard evidence through the use of dates and locations. Is there room for error? Of course. Nonetheless, it is very difficult to refute that Beethoven was sending the letter to Karlsbad on a certain date which could have only been in 1812. His discussions of his coach breaking down, the mention of Esterhazy's travel troubles, the confirmation of Esterhazy's whereabouts on certain dates...I could go on and on. As for having an affair right under Franz Brentano's nose I can only ask you this - how common are affairs between an individual and their spouse's closest friend? They are very common. Precisely because the opportunity IS there. Beethoven's feelings about adultery are irrelevant, especially in light of the fact that his moral values did not always match his actions - in other words, like many of us, he was human. In addition, what we refer to when we say "faithful" may mean something entirely different from what was meant when Beethoven used the term. Marriages were arranged back then. Clearly Antonie held her husband in high regard and she respected him. He was not, however, her chosen partner. Franz was chosen for her. She certainly could have pledged her faithful heart to Beethoven though her last name and duty was to Franz. The Immortal Beloved letter is constructed in a way that suggests it was indeed mailed. It is likely that Antonie was instructed to pick up Herr Beethoven's mail while she awaited his arrival and that is how Franz did not discover the letters to his wife. Perhaps Antonie and Beethoven secured another room so that Antonie was able to receive messages from Ludwig. It really is not a far stretch. Simply put yourself in a similar position and ask yourself what you would do if you were having an affair with your best friend’s spouse. How would you arrange things? No doubt this was a very carefully planned out affair. I won't deny there is a lot of speculation occurring. Nonetheless, the evidence of date, time, location and opportunity are difficult to refute. As for the letter's being in Beethoven's possession: If you were Antonie would you choose to destroy such letters? Probably not. On the other hand, would you risk the chance of your husband finding them? Probably not. The decision to return the letters to Beethoven for safe keeping is a very logical one - and keeping them safe is what Beethoven did indeed. The fact that the letters carried no name now makes sense - it was to protect the person having the affair. Even from the careful and sometimes coded entries in Beethoven's Tagebuch we can see that Beethoven was aware of his celebrity and the level of interest in his personal life which could stir scandal.
Personally I believe Mr. Solomon. Of all the researchers who've examined this subject, only Solomon has presented any hard evidence through the use of dates and locations. Is there room for error? Of course. Nonetheless, it is very difficult to refute that Beethoven was sending the letter to Karlsbad on a certain date which could have only been in 1812. His discussions of his coach breaking down, the mention of Esterhazy's travel troubles, the confirmation of Esterhazy's whereabouts on certain dates...I could go on and on. As for having an affair right under Franz Brentano's nose I can only ask you this - how common are affairs between an individual and their spouse's closest friend? They are very common. Precisely because the opportunity IS there. Beethoven's feelings about adultery are irrelevant, especially in light of the fact that his moral values did not always match his actions - in other words, like many of us, he was human. In addition, what we refer to when we say "faithful" may mean something entirely different from what was meant when Beethoven used the term. Marriages were arranged back then. Clearly Antonie held her husband in high regard and she respected him. He was not, however, her chosen partner. Franz was chosen for her. She certainly could have pledged her faithful heart to Beethoven though her last name and duty was to Franz. The Immortal Beloved letter is constructed in a way that suggests it was indeed mailed. It is likely that Antonie was instructed to pick up Herr Beethoven's mail while she awaited his arrival and that is how Franz did not discover the letters to his wife. Perhaps Antonie and Beethoven secured another room so that Antonie was able to receive messages from Ludwig. It really is not a far stretch. Simply put yourself in a similar position and ask yourself what you would do if you were having an affair with your best friend’s spouse. How would you arrange things? No doubt this was a very carefully planned out affair. I won't deny there is a lot of speculation occurring. Nonetheless, the evidence of date, time, location and opportunity are difficult to refute. As for the letter's being in Beethoven's possession: If you were Antonie would you choose to destroy such letters? Probably not. On the other hand, would you risk the chance of your husband finding them? Probably not. The decision to return the letters to Beethoven for safe keeping is a very logical one - and keeping them safe is what Beethoven did indeed. The fact that the letters carried no name now makes sense - it was to protect the person having the affair. Even from the careful and sometimes coded entries in Beethoven's Tagebuch we can see that Beethoven was aware of his celebrity and the level of interest in his personal life which could stir scandal.
Here are a few more arguments to ponder -
Beethoven wrote to the Archduke Rudolph on August 12. “....however, my physician, Staudenheim, commanded me to go to Karlsbad and from there to here (Franzenbad) ---- What excursions! and yet but little certainty touching an improvement in my condition.” Therefore Beethoven was not planning on meeting with his beloved in Karlsbad sometime soon and his meeting with the Brentanos in Karlsbad was more to chance than any planned rendezvous with Antonie Brentano.
Secondly, when Beethoven wrote his letter to the beloved stating, “we shall probably see each other soon,” he had NO INTENTION of going to Karlsbad himself three weeks later. That is evident in the letter he wrote on July 17 to a young child named Emilie.
But what is more important than the schedule is obviously Beethoven thought it would take two and half days for his letter to reach its destination if he posted the letter early Thursday morning (thus arriving Saturday). And if he thinks his letter will take two and half days to reach its destination, the letter was surely not going to Karlsbad!
Now the distance from Teplitz to Karlsbad is approximately 50 miles -- that is a lesser distance than from Prague to Teplitz. So if Beethoven writing his letter Tuesday is going to post it early Thursday morning (i.e. leaves Teplitz early Thursday morning), the letter would have arrived in Karlsbad that night
At the time Beethoven actually wrote his letter his plans were stay in Teplitz till the middle of August. So when he wrote, “we shall probably see each other soon,” he more likely meant that his beloved would be coming to Teplitz to see him, not that he was going to meet her.
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'Man know thyself'
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