The French baron wanted urgently to see Beethoven, but a friend assured him it was impossible: "Ever since France became an Empire, Beethoven has had such a hatred for the French . . ."* The baron made his visit to Beethoven's apartment in Vienna, nonetheless, and "a very ugly and evidently ill-humored man opened the door."
The visitor was aghast at what he saw inside: "A rather old grand piano covered in dust . . . Beneath it ... an unemptied chamber pot . . . The chairs . . . were covered with plates full of the remains of the previous...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
