Beethoven's Last Words

[melvyn]

I read somewhere (unfortunately I can't remember where) that Beethoven's last words were: "I shall hear music in Heaven".

Considering his deafness in this world, I think it is a very moving and fitting sentiment. It would be difficult to think of a more perfect thing for him to have said.

Perhaps too perfect. I have searched through my various reference books and I can find no reference to these 'Last words' at all, so I don't think it can be true - which is a pity.

Has anybody else heard this remark being attributed to Beethoven on his death bed?

Melvyn.

[lysander]

Originally posted by melvyn:
I read somewhere (unfortunately I can't remember where) that Beethoven's last words were: "I shall hear music in Heaven".

Considering his deafness in this world, I think it is a very moving and fitting sentiment. It would be difficult to think of a more perfect thing for him to have said.

Perhaps too perfect. I have searched through my various reference books and I can find no reference to these 'Last words' at all, so I don't think it can be true - which is a pity.

Has anybody else heard this remark being attributed to Beethoven on his death bed?

Melvyn.

Beethoven's last words were reputedly;-

"I shall hear in heaven"

And is also reported to have said on his death bed;-

"Friends applaud, the comedy is over"

I personally believe that these sentiments are exactly what he would have said.


Sorry I haven't time to expand further, I shall look in later.



[This message has been edited by lysander (edited March 24, 2003).]

[Andrea]

From what I've read on that subject is that the last known words that Beethoven spoke were on 24 March 1827. On this day he fell into a coma that evening which lasted until his death at about 5:15pm 26 March.

On 24 March, Schindler wrote to Moscheles, "He feels the end coming, for yesterday he said to me and H.v. Breuning, 'Plaudite, amici, comoedia finits est.' (Applaud, friends, the comody is ended.)" On this same day arrived some bottles of wine for Beethoven from Germany and they were put on his bedside table. It is said that Beethoven then whispered, "Pity, pity-too late!" He then fell into a coma, never to speak again.

I then found this from the book "Memories of Beethoven" by Gerhard von Breuning. Quoted by Anselm Hüttenbrenner (died in Graz, 1868)who wrote to A.W. Thayer from Hallerschloss, Graz on 20 Aug. 1860:
"It is not true that I asked Beethoven to take the sacraments for the dying; it is true that, at the request of the wife of the late music publisher, Tobias Haslinger, I had Jenger and Frau van Beethoven, wife of the landowner (brother Johann), ask Beethoven in the gentlest way possible, to strengthen himself by partaking of Holy Communion. It is a complete myth that Beethoven said to me 'Plaudite amici, comoedia finita est'; I was not even present when the last rites for the dying were administered on the morning of March 24, 1827. Beethoven certainly did not say anything of the sort, so contrary to his respectable nature, to any one else either. Frau van Beethoven did tell me, on the day her brother-in-law died, that after he had received the sacrament he said to the priest:'Father! I thank you! You have brought me comfort!'"

[Rod]

Originally posted by melvyn:
I read somewhere (unfortunately I can't remember where) that Beethoven's last words were: "I shall hear music in Heaven".

Considering his deafness in this world, I think it is a very moving and fitting sentiment. It would be difficult to think of a more perfect thing for him to have said.

Perhaps too perfect. I have searched through my various reference books and I can find no reference to these 'Last words' at all, so I don't think it can be true - which is a pity.

Has anybody else heard this remark being attributed to Beethoven on his death bed?

Melvyn.

The 'I shall hear music' quote sounds a little Romantic to me, I would liked to have known the source for this. As far as I am aware his last words are, as Andrea has stated, 'Pity, pity, too late.'

------------------
"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[This message has been edited by Rod (edited March 24, 2003).]

[melvyn]

Originally posted by Andrea:
From what I've read on that subject is that the last known words that Beethoven spoke were on 24 March 1827.

Yes, the timing of my question was not entirely accidental!

Melvyn.

[lysander]

Originally posted by Rod:
The 'I shall hear music' quote sounds a little Romantic to me, I would liked to have known the source for this. As far as I am aware his last words are, as Andrea has stated, 'Pity, pity, too late.'

Andrea is right, on Beethoven's last words,
Thankyou Andrea.I was pushed for time this a.m.

But the other quote I read isn't ; I shall hear music-- It is, "I shall hear in heaven". I have read it somewhere, --wait for it, and I shall find it.

I believe it is entirely characteristic of the passionate hyperbole that Beethoven was often given to and entirely fitting with other statements that he made in a similar vein.




[This message has been edited by lysander (edited March 24, 2003).]

[Joy]

I've read this quote in the newspaper along with other 'last words' made by famous people. It all sounds 'romantic' to me just as Rod said. In all the Beethoven books I've read his last words were 'Pity, pity, too late' concerning wine that was brought to him.

Joy

[Peter]

Originally posted by Joy:
I've read this quote in the newspaper along with other 'last words' made by famous people. It all sounds 'romantic' to me just as Rod said. In all the Beethoven books I've read his last words were 'Pity, pity, too late' concerning wine that was brought to him.

Joy

I wonder who ended up drinking the wine!

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'Man know thyself'

[lysander]

SEHR INTERESSANT! NICHT WAHR??


Joseph Schmidt-Gorg, a prominent researcher on Beethoven, had written that;

Here in this most mighty of his last works, he wrote from the depths of his being; undefeated by years of suffering, he found music for sacred words of humble adoration, jubilant praise, and the wholehearted affirmation of faith.
We know that on his deathbed he uttered the words 'Plaudite amici, comoedia finita est'!
and in the earliest existing scetch-book for the MISSA SOLEMNIS, Beethoven wrote against the theme of the fugue -'Et vitam venturi saeculi', the words - 'Applaudite amici'.
These words shed a bright light on the reason why, after the tremendous closing fugue of the 'Credo' there is a hushed epilogue whose light ascending figures seem almost to melt away.
Revealing remarks of this kind occur very rarely in Beethoven's sketches. Here we are made to think of floating, blessed spirits, redeemed children of this world entering into eternal life.
Life everlasting--the highest fulfilment of earthly hope. Beethoven, the sufferer, often sang of hope, and it remained with him from the MISSA until his last breath.


I am resolute in my belief that Beethoven could well have uttered these words, perhaps not his 'very last words' but said when he knew he was dying.

I would not entertain unreliable reports about Beethoven, but only read what is considered to be a reliable source.

[Stargazer]

Can anybody explane me this fixiation with his 'final words' ?!?

Who cares, exactly ?!?

When he spoke those words, they were not 'final' to him, for all we know he could have asked somebody to open a window, or perhaps inform those around him his arse hitched, how do we know ?!?

It's inconsequencial what his 'very' last words were.

All that matter is all he wanted anybody to hear before he died, the words 'he' knew himself would be the last, before turing around, ask for some water and then die

[Rod]

Originally posted by Stargazer:
Can anybody explane me this fixiation with his 'final words' ?!?

Who cares, exactly ?!?

I suppose there is a strong romantic appeal in looking for some deep philosophical meaning in a persons, especially a famous artiste's, last words.

------------------
"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[Stargazer]

Originally posted by Rod:
I suppose there is a strong romantic appeal in looking for some deep philosophical meaning in a persons, especially a famous artiste's, last words.

Yep, some people whatches too much TV.

'Last words' should mean the last statement of this person, his very last message to the world, not the very 'last' words his going to say, chances are you wont find much philosophical deph in there...

[Peter]

Originally posted by Stargazer:
Yep, some people whatches too much TV.

'Last words' should mean the last statement of this person, his very last message to the world, not the very 'last' words his going to say, chances are you wont find much philosophical deph in there...

Chances are they were invented anyway. People are misquoted when they are in good health, so I never attach any value or significance to so-called 'last-words'.

------------------
'Man know thyself'

[Stargazer]

IMO, the emphasy should be put on somebody 'Final Words', not 'last' words, that would sort of make more sense.

[Joy]

All we really have to go on is what these people, who were with the person at the time of his demise, tell us were the 'final words'. Whether they were absolutely correct in their interpretations is anyone's guess.

Joy