Fantastic Metropolis

Beethoven was made prostrate by these two blows. His condition was made even worse when he discovered that his new found social standing was being destroyed by Fraulein von Birnitz, who was apparently the source of several rumours concerning Ludwig’s lack of virility and unusual sexual proclivities, which were at that time circulating through the higher strata of German society.

This was the time of the first of Beethoven’s suicide attempts. The composer writes (in Diary of a Sad Man):

One morning I awoke from a particularly troubled sleep, and I knew within myself that this would be my last day in this world. I had a long piece of hemp rope, which I had kept within my view for the whole of the last week, for perhaps I knew that in my extremity I would come at length to this, the only resolution of my grief. I affixed the rope at one end, to a large old beam that ran the length of the ceiling at the top of the house. The other end I fashioned into a deadly loop. I stood on a chair, placed the loop about my throat, and offered a brief prayer to my Creator. I looked for a little while at the room which I was so glad to quit, and then stepped without fear from off the chair.

I fell, and was conscious of a strangling blow at my neck, then a frightful pain in my leg as I hit the floor. I felt something strike my back with a fearful blow, and then found myself in the midst of a torrent of falling masonry. For a moment I fancied that I had died and had been taken to the very bowels of Hell itself…

Beethoven was not in hell, however, but still in his own home. The beam over which Beethoven had slung his rope was infested with dry rot, and had been unable to withstand the extra strain imposed on it. The beam had split, and in falling, had brought with it half the ceiling. The whole house collapsed, and it was not until six hours had passed that the rescuers were able to free Beethoven from the wreckage. His life was in the balance for some time, but finally he emerged homeless into the world again, but now lacking his right eye and his left arm.

It was at this time that he began the Tragic Symphony, the culmination of twenty years of composition. As his mind had been dwelling recently on the subject of death, he had the idea of giving the symphony a choral movement, the text of which would deal with the experiences of a soul after death, and its judgement before God. Naturally, he turned to the work of Heinrich Totenfreund, the dramatist and poet. Beethoven had always greatly admired Totenfreund’s work, and believed him to be the most important artist of Germany at that time. In fact it was the work of Totenfreund that first gave Beethoven his interest in literature, an interest that developed into a profound knowledge and understanding.

Beethoven wrote to the dramatist suggesting the idea and, surprisingly, received a very warm and enthusiastic reply, urging him to come to Totenfreund’s home in the country to spend a few days there. Beethoven was delighted, and quickly set off for Totenfreund’s home. In his diary he briefly scribbled: “To see Totenfreund—this almost compensates me for my suffering!”

Beethoven’s joy was only to be short-lived. On arriving at the home of the dramatist, Beethoven was met by grim-faced servants who informed him that Totenfreund had died suddenly that very morning.

Perhaps something of the desolation Beethoven felt at that moment is expressed in the pianissimo introduction to the symphony (Ex. 1).

Example 1