Sunday 22 May: A Doctor's Orders

Today is an exciting day. Instead of our normal class we are attending a mass at the Augustinerkirche, which is the church of the Augistine Order in the Hofburg Palace complex. The Hofburg Palace complex was the winter residence of the Hapsburgs within the old city walls. Hofburg literally means Royal fortress, and it served the family as such. Now, the Hofburg consists of the main government offices for the country of Austria as well as still housing the Vienna Boys Choir, Spanish Riding School, and the National Library. The Augustinerkirch is still an operating Catholic Church with multiple services every week with possibly the best music in the city.

When attending this church you can hear the mass compositions we often present today in the form which they were intended for. Today’s mass was Schubert’s German Mass.

After Mass, we began a trip to Heiligenstadt to the mountain overlook over the city of Vienna and to hike down the mountain from Kahlenberg. The city overlooks had views that lasted for miles. It was here the Polish army marched to and had Mass before attacking the Turkish army during the second Turkish siege of Vienna in 1863. That summer the Ottoman army led by Kara Mustapha laid siege to the city in attempt to control it and commerce on the Danube River. The wall fortress around the first district stalled the Ottoman army. As fighting wore on the city’s defenses were becoming exhausted, the reinforcements from Poland under the Command of Jan Sobieski arrived from the mountain after their Mass attacking and driving back the Ottomans.

While their route down the mountain might have been more direct than ours, we followed the walking paths which winds their way through vineyards and the heurigers, or wine-gardens. The heuriger tradition was born in the 18th century when Emperor Joseph II allowed the country’s vintners to sell newly fermented wine tax-free. Soon after, winemakers were setting up tables in their gardens and vineyards, inviting Viennese to partake in the new tradition. The heuriger has since evolved into permanent wine gardens, most of which now serve food. In fact, some food historians argue that the heuriger is the first farm-to-table food movement.

Heileignstadt features heavily in Ludwig van Beethoven’s time in Vienna. Around 1798 he first began noticing hearing difficulties which would eventually lead to him becoming almost deaf later in life. At the time it was fashionable for doctors to prescribe fresh air for many ailments – think back to what I said about Pezzl. If the dust in the city could be construed with fog, imagine the havoc it could wreck upon your health. Although fresh air is not sure cure, it could aid in some treatments, although modern medicine is a bit more progressed than bleedings and fresh air! It was in this vein which Beethoven’s doctors prescribed for him time in the country surrounding Vienna.

It was during one of his retreats to Vienna October 1802 which Beethoven “game to grips” with his hearing loss and composed the famed Heileignstadt Testament, a letter/ will to his brothers in which he speaks of music as his personal savior and his resolve to continue making music until he can no longer.

After the hike, we briefly visited a heuriger in the town before having to depart for the second in the Ring Cycle, Die Walküre.

What follows is an English translation of Beethoven's testament:

For my brothers Carl and [Johann] Beethoven.

Oh you men who think or say that I am malevolent, stubborn, or misanthropic, how greatly do you wrong me. You do not know the secret cause which makes me seem that way to you. From childhood on, my heart and soul have been full of the tender feeling of goodwill, and I was even inclined to accomplish great things. But, think that for six years now I have been hopelessly afflicted, made worse by senseless physicians, from year to year deceived with hopes of improvement, finally compelled to face the prospect of a lasting malady (whose cure will take years or, perhaps, be impossible). Though born with a fiery, active temperament, even susceptible to the diversions of society, I was soon compelled to isolate myself, to live life alone. If at times I tried to forget all this, oh how harshly was I flung back by the doubly sad experience of my bad hearing. Yet it was impossible for me to say to people, "Speak louder, shout, for I am deaf." Ah, how could I possibly admit an infirmity in the one sense which ought to be more perfect in me than others, a sense which I once possessed in the highest perfection, a perfection such as few in my profession enjoy or ever have enjoyed. - Oh I cannot do it; therefore forgive me when you see me draw back when I would have gladly mingled with you. My misfortune is doubly painful to me because I am bound to be misunderstood; for me there can be no relaxation with my fellow men, no refined conversations, no mutual exchange of ideas. I must live almost alone, like one who has been banished; I can mix with society only as much as true necessity demands. If I approach near to people a hot terror seizes upon me, and I fear being exposed to the danger that my condition might be noticed. Thus it has been during the last six months which I have spent in the country. By ordering me to spare my hearing as much as possible, my intelligent doctor almost fell in with my own present frame of mind, though sometimes I ran counter to it by yielding to my desire for companionship. But what a humiliation for me when someone standing next to me heard a flute in the distance and I heard nothing, or someone standing next to me heard a shepherd singing and again I heard nothing. Such incidents drove me almost to despair; a little more of that and I would have ended me life - it was only my art that held me back. Ah, it seemed to me impossible to leave the world until I had brought forth all that I felt was within me. So I endured this wretched existence - truly wretched for so susceptible a body, which can be thrown by a sudden change from the best condition to the very worst. - Patience, they say, is what I must now choose for my guide, and I have done so - I hope my determination will remain firm to endure until it pleases the inexorable Parcae to break the thread. Perhaps I shall get better, perhaps not; I am ready. - Forced to become a philosopher already in my twenty-eighth year, - oh it is not easy, and for the artist much more difficult than for anyone else. - Divine One, thou seest my inmost soul thou knowest that therein dwells the love of mankind and the desire to do good. - Oh fellow men, when at some point you read this, consider then that you have done me an injustice; someone who has had misfortune man console himself to find a similar case to his, who despite all the limitations of Nature nevertheless did everything within his powers to become accepted among worthy artists and men. - You, my brothers Carl and [Johann], as soon as I am dead, if Dr. Schmid is still alive, ask him in my name to describe my malady, and attach this written documentation to his account of my illness so that so far as it possible at least the world may become reconciled to me after my death. - At the same time, I declare you two to be the heirs to my small fortune (if so it can be called); divide it fairly; bear with and help each other. What injury you have done me you know was long ago forgiven. To you, brother Carl, I give special thanks for the attachment you have shown me of late. It is my wish that you may have a better and freer life than I have had. Recommend virtue to your children; it alone, not money, can make them happy. I speak from experience; this was what upheld me in time of misery. Thanks to it and to my art, I did not end my life by suicide - Farewell and love each other - I thank all my friends, particularly Prince Lichnowsky and Professor Schmid - I would like the instruments from Prince L. to be preserved by one of you, but not to be the cause of strife between you, and as soon as they can serve you a better purpose, then sell them. How happy I shall be if can still be helpful to you in my grave - so be it. - With joy I hasten towards death. - If it comes before I have had the chance to develop all my artistic capacities, it will still be coming too soon despite my harsh fate, and I should probably wish it later - yet even so I should be happy, for would it not free me from a state of endless suffering? - Come when thou wilt, I shall meet thee bravely. - Farewell and do not wholly forget me when I am dead; I deserve this from you, for during my lifetime I was thinking of you often and of ways to make you happy - be so -

Ludwig van Beethoven Heileignstadt, October 6th, 1802