Alive again? then show me where he is: I'll give a thousand pound to look upon him. He hath no eyes, the dust hath blin...
229 downloads
581 Views
1MB Size
Report
This content was uploaded by our users and we assume good faith they have the permission to share this book. If you own the copyright to this book and it is wrongfully on our website, we offer a simple DMCA procedure to remove your content from our site. Start by pressing the button below!
Report copyright / DMCA form
Alive again? then show me where he is: I'll give a thousand pound to look upon him. He hath no eyes, the dust hath blinded them. C o m b down his hair: look! look! it stands upright, Like lime-twigs set to catch my winged soul. WILLIAM S H A K E S P E A R E , HENRY T H E S I X T H , PART 2
O h , it would be so lovely to live a thousand lives. LUDWIG VAN B E E T H O V E N , IN A L E T T E R TO F R A N Z WEGELER
PRELUM
1
10
1770-1792.
T H E BOY W H O SNIPPED T H E LOCK
56
I79&-I80& A G I F T IN GILLELEJE
I803-I8I&
16
64
108
H A I R FOR 5 A L E A T SOTHEBY'S
1813-1824
118
143
C H E GUEVARA'5 H A I R
1824-1826
154
183
VERY MODERN MICROSCOPES
1826-1827 CODA
Acknowledgments
191
247 257
274
PRELUDE
BEETHOVEN'S
HAIR,
SHELTERED
FOR
NEARLY
two
c e n t u r i e s i n s i d e a glass l o c k e t , w a s a b o u t t o b e c o m e t h e s u b j e c t o f rapt a t t e n t i o n o n a w a r m D e c e m b e r m o r n i n g i n 1995. T h e t w o m e n p r i n c i p a l l y i n v o l v e d i n its p u r c h a s e — B r o o k l y n - b o r n Ira B r i l l i a n t , a r e t i r e d P h o e n i x real e s t a t e d e v e l o p e r , a n d a M e x i c a n - A m e r i c a n physician w h o s e surprising n a m e is C h e G u e v a r a — h a d b e e n j o i n e d by a coterie of inquisitors in a teaching theater at the University of Arizona Medical C e n t e r in T u c s o n : a forensic anthropologist was present; so w e r e a m e d ical e x a m i n e r , a n a r c h i v i s t a n d c o n s e r v a t o r , a m e d i c a l p h o t o g r a pher, a r e c o r d i n g secretary, a n o t a r y public, a local television
n e w s t e a m , plus a L o n d o n - b a s e d film c r e w from t h e B B C . E v e r y o n e gathered p r o m p d y at 10:30 because there was m u c h to do, a n d t h e first o r d e r of business was t h e signing of a contract that stipulated h o w the hair w o u l d b e divided. O n c e c o u n t e d , strand by aging and fragile strand, 27 p e r c e n t w o u l d remain the p r o p e r t y o f Dr. Alfredo " C h e " Guevara, t h e principal investor, a urological surgeon from the border t o w n of Nogales. T h e rem a i n d e r w o u l d b e d o n a t e d b y h i m a n d B r i l l i a n t t o t h e Ira F . Brilliant
Center
for
Beethoven
Studies
at
San Jose
State
University in California, w h e r e it w o u l d r e m a i n in perpetuity. C o n t r a c t s i g n e d a n d t h e n o t a r y ' s seal c o r r e c t l y affixed, s o o n i t w a s t i m e t o t u r n t o t h e l o c k e t that h e l d t h e hair. H o u s e d i n a d a r k - w o o d oval f r a m e a b i t m o r e t h a n t e n c e n t i m e t e r s l o n g , t h e coil o f f i n e b r o w n a n d gray hair was sealed b e t w e e n t w o p i e c e s o f glass, o n e o f w h i c h w a s c o n v e x . O n t h e b r i t t l e p a p e r that was sealed t o t h e f l a t b a c k o f t h e f r a m e , s o m e o n e n a m e d Paul
Hiller long ago
had written
the
following w o r d s
in
G e r m a n , t h e n a d d e d his s i g n a t u r e b e n e a t h t h e m :
T h i s h a i r w a s c u t off B e e t h o v e n ' s c o r p s e b y m y father, D r . Ferdinand
v.
Hiller
on
the
day
after
Ludwig
van
B e e t h o v e n ' s d e a t h , t h a t is, o n 2 7 M a r c h 1 8 2 7 , a n d w a s given to me as a birthday present in C o l o g n e on M a y 1, 1883.
W h i l e Ira B r i l l i a n t a n d t h e o t h e r s w a t c h e d w i t h f a s c i n a t i o n , Dr. G u e v a r a and conservator N a n c y O d e g a a r d — b o t h dressed
in
green
surgical
scrubs
and wearing
masks
and
gloves—
w o r k e d a t a s t e r i l e t a b l e , m e a s u r i n g w i t h c a l i p e r s t h e glass a n d t h e f r a m e t h a t s u r r o u n d e d it, c a l l i n g o u t a s e r i e s o f n u m b e r s a s well
as
their
impressions
of the
lockets
condition
before
G u e v a r a w i e l d e d a scalpel a n d p r e p a r e d t o g o i n s i d e . T h i s was s u r g e r y o f a s o r t , a n d t h e d o c t o r p r o c e e d e d w i t h careful c o n fidence, describing each cut and every observation with the k i n d of c o m m e n t a r y he m i g h t have m a d e if the subject at h a n d had been a h u m a n gut and the gathered observers w e r e surgical i n t e r n s still p r o n e t o g e t t i n g q u e a s y .
" N o w I ' m slicing
t h r o u g h t h e last o f t h e g l u e t h a t h o l d s t h e p a p e r b a c k i n g , " h e a n n o u n c e d , h i s v o i c e b e a r i n g m o r e t h a n a h i n t o f his p r e o c c u pation.
" I ' l l p u l l t h e b a c k i n g a w a y n o w , a n d . . . let's s e e ,
b e l o w . . . h e r e ' s a n o t h e r l a y e r o f p a p e r , w i t h w r i t i n g o n it, a n d . . . t h e w r i t i n g s in F r e n c h , I b e l i e v e . C a n s o m e o n e v e r i f y t h a t this i s i n F r e n c h a n d t r a n s l a t e i t for u s ? " A v i d e o c a m e r a d e s i g n e d for r e c o r d i n g t h e i n t r i c a c i e s a n d complexities
of rather
more
conventional
surgeries
looked
d o w n f r o m o v e r h e a d a n d t h e rest o f t h e g r o u p w a t c h e d t h e doctor's w o r k o n television m o n i t o r s placed a r o u n d the r o o m , a n d y e s , t h a t was F r e n c h , s o m e o n e o f f e r e d . T h e t e x t w a s set i n t y p e , b u t w a s difficult t o m a k e sense of, a n d t h e r o o m ' s q u i c k c o n s e n s u s w a s t h a t t h e p a p e r w a s s i m p l y n e w s p a p e r scrap t h a t h a d b e e n u s e d for b a c k i n g . Y e t t h e w o r d s w r i t t e n o n t h e n e x t layer G u e v a r a e x p o s e d w e r e b o t h decipherable a n d surprising. H a n d w r i t t e n this t i m e , a n d a g a i n i n G e r m a n , t h e y e x p l a i n e d that the locket was " n e w l y pasted" by a picture framer in C o l o g n e in
1 9 1 1 , the resealing d o n e at a time w h e n Paul
Hiller w o u l d have b e e n fifty-eight years old, a n d presumably
a b o u t t h e t i m e w h e n h e w r o t e his e x p l a n a t o r y n o t e o n t h e outer paper. A t last t h e s u r g e o n h e l d n o t h i n g m o r e t h a n t h e c o n j o i n e d p i e c e s o f glass i n his g l o v e d h a n d s , a n d O d e g a a r d h e l p e d s t e a d y t h e glass o n e d g e a s G u e v a r a b e g a n t o b r e a k t h e seal w i t h a scalpel. " W o w , c o u l d y o u h e a r t h a t ? " h e a s k e d . " I h e a r d a r u s h o f air like a v a c u u m w h e n I s t a r t e d t o s e p a r a t e t h e glass." T w o m i n u t e s passed as the surgeon's knife slowly c i r c u m n a v i g a t e d t h e oval, t h e n finally the pieces w e r e free and G u e v a r a delic a t e l y lifted t h e d o m e d glass a w a y f r o m its m a t e , a n d a l t h o u g h n o o n e s p o k e for a m o m e n t , y o u c o u l d s e n s e t h e m a s s e d e x c i t e m e n t . E x p o s e d for t h e f i r s t t i m e i n a t least e i g h t d e c a d e s , p e r h a p s m a n y m o r e , there w a s B e e t h o v e n ' s h a i r — d a r k e r t h a n i t a p p e a r e d u n d e r glass, a carefully s h a p e d c o i l c o n t a i n i n g a h u n d r e d o r t w o h u n d r e d strands, o n e o f t h e g r o u p guessed. W h e n h e h a d b e e n h e l p e d w i t h t h e straps t h a t h e l d his m a s k o v e r his n o s e , G u e v a r a b e n t t o t h e t a b l e t o s m e l l t h e hair. I t w a s o d o r less, h e d e c l a r e d , t h e n Ira B r i l l i a n t a n d t h e o t h e r s p r e s s e d f o r w a r d to get close to t h e r e m a r k a b l e relic themselves. Before
the
morning
ended
and
the
team
adjourned
for
s o m e t h i n g of a celebratory lunch, Beethoven's hair was p h o tographed, weighed, and examined under a high-power m i croscope. Forensic anthropologist Walter Birkby declared that on quick inspection the condition of the hair appeared consistent w i t h hair that was approximately t w o h u n d r e d years old; h e n o t e d t h a t i t a p p e a r e d t o b e f r e e o f l i c e — o r t h e carcasses o f lice—and the g r o u p was delighted w h e n he n o t e d as well that follicles w e r e a t t a c h e d t o a t least s o m e o f t h e s t r a n d s . F i f t e e n -
year-old Ferdinand Hiller must have pulled at the hair as he s n i p p e d i t — t h a t w a s t h e initial s u p p o s i t i o n — a n d t h e fact t h a t t h e b o y i n a d v e r t e n t l y p u l l e d a f e w follicles f r o m B e e t h o v e n ' s scalp m e a n t D N A t e s t i n g m i g h t i n d e e d b e feasible, a p o s s i b i l ity t h a t n o n e o f t h e g r o u p h a d d a r e d c o u n t o n t i l l t h a t m o ment. T h e cameras c o n t i n u e d to roll at a press c o n f e r e n c e in the e a r l y a f t e r n o o n , a n d t h e t e a m o u t l i n e d p u b l i c l y for t h e f i r s t t i m e t h e a r r a y o f tests i t p l a n n e d t o u n d e r t a k e . P r i o r t o e x a m i n i n g t h e hair's D N A — i f t h a t w e r e d o n e — l i k e l y t h e r e w o u l d be examinations to d e t e r m i n e w h e t h e r opiates had b e e n in B e e t h o v e n ' s s y s t e m a t t h e t i m e o f his d e a t h . O t h e r analyses w o u l d s e a r c h for t r a c e m e t a l s i n his h a i r : h i g h levels o f z i n c m i g h t m e a n t h a t his i m m u n e s y s t e m h a d b e e n s e v e r e l y c o m promised; the presence of m e r c u r y could indicate that he had b e e n t r e a t e d for a n i n f e c t i o n , a n d e l e v a t e d levels o f m e r c u r y might even go s o m e distance t o w a r d explaining Beethoven's n o t o r i o u s l y e c c e n t r i c b e h a v i o r ; a n a b u n d a n c e o f lead w o u l d p o i n t t o o n e p o t e n t i a l c a u s e o f t h e c o m p o s e r ' s deafness, a n d e v e n m i g h t explain the c o n c e r t of o t h e r maladies that had p l a g u e d h i m t h r o u g h o u t his a d u l t life. D r a w i n g on techniques a n d testing p r o c e d u r e s that w e r e established w h e n a lock of N a p o l e o n ' s hair was studied in t h e 1 9 7 0 s — t e s t s t h a t c o n c l u d e d t h a t t h e e m p e r o r h a d not b e e n poisoned,
contrary to w h a t m a n y historians long had sus-
p e c t e d — t h e B e e t h o v e n t£sts w o u l d b e d e s i g n e d t o d e s t r o y o r p e r m a n e n t l y alter o n l y a v e r y m i n i m a l a m o u n t of t h e hair he had just unlocked, Guevara informed the assembled reporters.
A n d t h e tests w o u l d b e c a r r i e d o u t o n l y b y h i g h l y q u a l i f i e d s c i entists: " W e ' r e g o i n g t o p r e p a r e a p r o t o c o l t o d o t h e w o r k u n d e r strict c o n d i t i o n s that are forensic, sterile, a n d m o d e r n . We plan to tabulate people w h o have FBI-quality expertise, t h e n i n v i t e t h e m t o p r o p o s e specific tests t o u s . B u t w e w o n ' t sacrifice t h e b u l k o f t h e hair. T h e m a i n t h i n g i s o u r h o p e t h a t t w o h u n d r e d years f r o m n o w p e o p l e w o n ' t think that t h e r e w e r e n e o p h y t e s a t w o r k w h o c o u l d n ' t g e t t h e i r act t o g e t h e r . T w e n t y - f i v e o r f i f t y y e a r s a g o , this k i n d o f t e s t i n g w o u l d n ' t h a v e b e e n possible. A n d f i f t y years f r o m n o w , m a y b e w e ' l l get m u c h m o r e information." B u t the n e w s p a p e r a n d television reporters w a n t e d t o k n o w m o r e : t h e y n e e d e d s o m e sense o f w h a t m o t i v a t e d G u e v a r a a n d his p a r t n e r t o b u y t h e h a i r a n d n o w b e g i n t h e p r o c e s s o f h a v ing it rigorously examined. W h a t was it a b o u t B e e t h o v e n that so obsessed t h e m ? " M y i n t e r e s t i n B e e t h o v e n i s like a f i r e b u r n i n g i n s i d e m e , " answered seventy-three-year-old
Ira B r i l l i a n t ,
his B r o o k l y n
accent diluted only a bit by thirty years of expatriation in Arizona. twenty
"I years
started collecting his letters ago
out
of a
deep
Beethoven himself had touched.
wish
and first editions to
own
something
It was my way of paying
h o m a g e t o his greatness." A s h o r t m a n w h o s e dense e y e b r o w s and
deep-set
eyes
seemed
to
mirror
the
composer's,
Ira
Brilliant explained that on a N o v e m b e r day almost a year earlier,
h e p h o n e d G u e v a r a , his
friend
a n d fellow B e e t h o v e n
z e a l o t , s o o n after h e h a d s e e n t h e l o c k o f h a i r listed i n a Sotheby's catalog, and the t w o had agreed that they w o u l d try
to m a k e it theirs. " T h i s was m u c h m o r e than simply s o m e t h i n g B e e t h o v e n h a d t o u c h e d . T h e h a i r i s B e e t h o v e n . It's a m a r velous relic." A n d the d o c t o r agreed, of course. A large m a n w i t h a thick s h o c k o f b l a c k h a i r a t o p his h e a d , h i s s p e e c h i n f l e c t e d w i t h e c h o e s o f his n a t i v e S p a n i s h — a n d " C h e " t o his f r i e n d s s i n c e his
long-ago
college
days—Guevara's
obsession
with
both
Beethoven's music and Beethoven the m a n tumbled out of h i m w i t h a k i n d of evangelical passion.
" B e e t h o v e n w a s deaf, a s
y o u k n o w . H e suffered f r o m k i d n e y stones, w h i c h i s a v e r y painful c o n d i t i o n . H e had heparins; h e h a d multiple episodes of gastrointestinal infections. For s o m e o n e to have that m a n y m a l a d i e s a n d t o suffer s o g r e a t l y a n d y e t p r o d u c e s u p e r h u m a n m u s i c , m u s i c t h a t c a n a c t u a l l y e l e v a t e t h e s p i r i t t o a m u c h different plane t h a n t h e o r d i n a r y plane we live in, is quite p h e nomenal." B e e t h o v e n ' s hair—still in the same coil in w h i c h it w a s w r a p p e d nearly t w o centuries ago, t h e h u n d r e d s o f separate s t r a n d s still w a i t i n g t o b e safekeeping, but C h e
c o u n t e d — h a d b e e n r e m o v e d for
Guevara spoke of it as t h o u g h it r e -
m a i n e d i n t h e r o o m : " T o get this close t o a m a n w h o was able t o d o t h i s . . . for m e it's a p e r s o n a l t r i u m p h . A c q u i r i n g t h e h a i r a l r e a d y h a s c h a n g e d m y life."
ON
A WARM
MAY
A F T E R N O O N a h u n d r e d and seventy
years before, B e e t h o v e n ' s hair w o u l d have spread wildly o u t
f r o m his h e a d a n d t h e d a r k e y e s b e n e a t h i t w o u l d h a v e a p p e a r e d s m a l l b u t p i e r c i n g l y b r i g h t a s h e m a d e his daily w a l k t h r o u g h t h e city. H i s c o m p l e x i o n w a s s w a r t h y , his f o r e h e a d b r o a d a n d h i g h , a n d m u c h o f his face h a d b e e n p o c k m a r k e d b y smallpox b a c k w h e n he was a boy. He was short, e v e n by t h e s t a n d a r d s o f h i s day, a n d b e c a u s e o f i n t e s t i n a l t r o u b l e s t h a t b y 1 8 2 4 h a d p l a g u e d h i m for t h r e e d e c a d e s , n o l o n g e r w a s h e t h e stout and stocky m a n
he
once
had been.
He would have
w a l k e d w i t h a l u m b e r i n g gait t h a t s p r i n g , o n e t h a t e v i d e n c e d a curious k i n d of clumsiness, and he w o u l d not have heard the d i n o f t h e g r a n d a n d boisterous city i n w h i c h h e t r o d — n o t t h e constant racket of v e n d o r s '
carts a n d carriages, n o r t h e c a -
c o p h o n o u s noise of the jugglers, p u p p e t e e r s , and street m u s i cians w h o s e e m e d t o clog e v e r y c o r n e r ; n e i t h e r t h e kindly proffered
greetings
of acquaintances
nor
the
taunts
of the
u r c h i n s w h o t a g g e d a t his h e e l s . T h e d e a f n e s s t h a t t w e n t y y e a r s before h a d b e g u n t o r o b h i m o f t h e subtlest kinds o f s o u n d s i n e x o r a b l y h a d r e d u c e d his w o r l d t o a n i m a t e d a n d v e r y i s o l a t e d s i l e n c e , a n d b y n o w h e c o u l d h e a r o n l y w h a t his m i n d i m a g ined. Y e t L u d w i g v a n B e e t h o v e n , this strange a n d e c c e n t r i c figu r e — w h o o n c e had b e e n arrested as a vagrant—was at that m o m e n t , i n fact, t h e m o s t c e l e b r a t e d c o m p o s e r i n a c i t y f i l l e d t o its e x q u i s i t e r o o f t o p s w i t h c o m p o s e r s . H i s N i n t h S y m p h o n y h a d b e e n p r e m i e r e d o n l y days b e f o r e t o t h e m o s t g l o r i o u s k i n d of acclaim. He had b e c o m e a true legend in Vienna in the t h r e e d e c a d e s s i n c e h e h a d m a d e t h e c i t y his h o m e , a n d his bold, passionate, and altogether revolutionary compositions al-
ready seemed destined to endure. T h e people w h o w o u l d have greeted or simply recognized h i m as he walked that afternoon would
have
understood
that
Herr
Beethoven
was
aging
q u i c k l y a n d c l e a r l y w a s n o t w e l l . B u t a t least his m u s i c , t h e y w o u l d h a v e w a r r a n t e d , w o u l d s u r v i v e for c e n t u r i e s .
LUDWIG
VAN
BEETHOVEN
HAD
BEEN
his
grandfather's
n a m e a s w e l l , a n d a l t h o u g h h e w a s n o t q u i t e t h r e e w h e n his grandfather died in 1773, the c o m p o s e r always imagined that his h u g e t a l e n t s h a d c o m e t o h i m
from
his m u c h r e v e r e d
n a m e s a k e — h i m s e l f t h e s o n of a baker in t h e Flemish city of M e c h e l e n — w h o h a d b e c o m e Kapellmeister,
music director, of
the B o n n court of Maximilian Friedrich in 1761. Beethoven's father, J o h a n n , w a s for m a n y y e a r s a t e n o r i n t h e c o u r t c h o i r ; h e t a u g h t s i n g i n g a n d w a s a passably a c c o m p l i s h e d p i a n i s t a n d violinist as well,
b u t a t t h e t i m e his f a t h e r d i e d i n
1773,
Johann's career was languishing and seemed unlikely to catch
fire in the foreseeable future. His wife, b o r n M a r i a M a g d a l e n a Keverich, the daughter of a c o o k at Maximilian Friedrich's s u m m e r palace at Ehrenbreitstein, already had b e e n w i d o w e d w h e n she m a r r i e d J o h a n n in t h e a u t u m n of 1767, a few days before her twenty-first birthday. A son by her first husband h a d died in infancy; so had her s e c o n d child, L u d w i g M a r i a , w h o d i e d six d a y s after his b i r t h i n 1 7 6 9 , t h e y e a r b e f o r e t h e t h i r d c h i l d , also n a m e d L u d w i g , w a s b o r n . Maria van B e e t h o v e n was intelligent, patient, kind, and, it a p p e a r s , u t t e r l y u n a s s u m i n g , t h e y o u n g family's c r i t i c a l c o u n terpoint t o J o h a n n , w h o g r e w increasingly bombastic, erratic, a n d u n d e p e n d a b l e f o l l o w i n g his father's d e a t h a n d t h e d e n i a l o f his a p p l i c a t i o n t o s u c c e e d h i m a s Kapellmeister,
his b e h a v i o r
later exacerbated by a severe d e p e n d e n c e on d r i n k . If M a r i a w a s h e r y o u n g son's r e a d y s u p p o r t , J o h a n n , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e few a c c o u n t s that exist, often w a s a t e r r o r to t h e boy, b u l l y i n g h i m , b e a t i n g h i m o n o c c a s i o n a s w e l l as, l e g e n d s c o n t e n d , d r a g g i n g t h e w e e p i n g f i v e - y e a r - o l d f r o m his b e d t o t h e p i a n o late at n i g h t a n d d r u n k e n l y c o m p e l l i n g h i m to practice. Y e t his father's r a g e s a n d o v e r b e a r i n g d e m e a n o r s o m e h o w n e v e r s o u r e d t h e b o y o n m u s i c , a n d his r e m a r k a b l e t a l e n t s quickly e m e r g e d despite t h e m . Y o u n g L u d w i g was only seven w h e n h e g a v e his f i r s t p u b l i c p e r f o r m a n c e o n t h e p i a n o ; a t eight, he b e g a n to receive piano, violin, a n d viola instruction from a series of n o t e d c o u r t musicians, a n d by age eleven he had b e c o m e d e p u t y t o c o u r t organist Christian G o t d o b Neefe, who
had taken
t h e b o y u n d e r his
tutelage a year before.
B e e t h o v e n , w h o s e academic education already h a d ended, o c c a s i o n a l l y p l a y e d t h e o r g a n a t masses a n d c o u r t f u n c t i o n s w h e n
N e e f e h a d t o b e a b s e n t , a n d t h e t u t o r w a s far f r o m r e l u c t a n t t o h e a p p r a i s e o n his y o u n g p r o t e g e . A t N e e f e ' s u r g i n g , t h e e d i tors
of t h e
German
Magazin
der Musik
posted
a
notice
in
M a r c h 1783 heralding Beethoven as a b o y of "most promising t a l e n t . H e plays t h e c l a v i e r v e r y skillfully a n d w i t h p o w e r [and] r e a d s at s i g h t v e r y w e l l . . . . T h i s y o u n g g e n i u s d e s e r v e s a s u b sidy in o r d e r to enable h i m to travel. He will surely b e c o m e a s e c o n d M o z a r t i f h e c o n t i n u e s a s w e l l a s h e has b e g u n . " I t r e m a i n s u n c l e a r w h e t h e r i t w a s N e e f e o r s o m e o n e else w h o a r r a n g e d f o u r y e a r s h e n c e f o r B e e t h o v e n t o visit V i e n n a , seat o f t h e H a p s b u r g t h r o n e , t h e c a p i t a l o f t h e H o l y R o m a n E m p i r e , a n d t h e l o c u s also o f E u r o p e ' s c u l t u r e d p a s s i o n for music. Neefe—rather m o r e in the m o l d of Beethoven's grandf a t h e r t h a n his f a t h e r — w a s k i n d , c u l t i v a t e d , a n d w e l l - r e a d , a s well as b e i n g a multitalented musician, and he p r e s u m e d that further training in Vienna, plus a m o r e general sort of e x p o s u r e t o its r a r e f i e d m u s i c a l c l i m a t e , w o u l d t r a n s f o r m t h e s i x teen-year-old's p r o d i g i o u s talents into m a t u r e r e n o w n . N e e f e e v e n had h o p e d privately that the b o y m i g h t secure an a p prenticeship w i t h Wolfgang M o z a r t , b u t it appears instead that the Austrian m a s t e r — w h o w o u l d be dead in only four m o r e y e a r s — h e a r d t h e y o u n g m a n play on solely a single occasion. M o z a r t ' s initial r e a c t i o n o n a n A p r i l a f t e r n o o n t o t h e s e l e c t i o n t h e b o y f r o m B o n n h a d p r e p a r e d for h i m w a s d e c i d e d l y c o o l — s u r e l y t h e r e w e r e d o z e n s o f y o u n g fellows i n V i e n n a w h o c o u l d master a single s h o w y piece. B u t w h e n B e e t h o v e n begged to be given a t h e m e on w h i c h he might improvise, M o z a r t acquiesced a n d soon was astonished by the teenager's range and inventiveness and the p o w e r w i t h w h i c h he played.
T h e y o u n g B e e t h o v e n still s e e m e d b e g u i l e d b y t h e m u s i c h e w a s d r a w i n g o u t o f t h e master's p i a n o w h e n M o z a r t f i n a l l y walked o u t of the r o o m a n d eagerly spoke to a g r o u p
of
courtiers w h o m h e h a d kept waiting: " K e e p y o u r eyes o n that o n e , " h e instructed. " S o m e d a y h e will give t h e w o r l d p l e n t y t o talk a b o u t . " B e e t h o v e n m i g h t have m e t M o z a r t again; h e m i g h t e v e n h a v e s t u d i e d w i t h h i m for a t i m e , b u t his s o j o u r n i n V i e n n a w a s a b r u p t l y c u t s h o r t b y n e w s f r o m B o n n t h a t his m o t h e r w a s g r a v e l y ill. H e w a s a b l e t o r e a c h h e r b e d s i d e b e f o r e s h e s u c c u m b e d to tuberculosis, but her death was a terrible blow to t h e w h o l e family. B e e t h o v e n ' s i n f a n t sister, M a r i a M a r g a r e t h a , d i e d a f e w m o n t h s l a t e r ; t w o y o u n g e r b r o t h e r s n o w w e r e left i n L u d w i g ' s c a r e , a n d his f a t h e r — n o w w i t h o u t his wife's h a r d y support and moderating influence—simply drank himself into a personal a n d professional collapse. W h e n J o h a n n w a s forced t o r e s i g n his m o d e s t p o s i t i o n i n 1 7 8 9 , B e e t h o v e n , w h o w a s n o t y e t n i n e t e e n , successfully p e t i t i o n e d t h e c o u r t t o g r a n t h i m h a l f h i s father's f o r m e r salary t o h e l p h i m k e e p t h e c l a n f r o m d e s t i tution, b e c o m i n g in the process the actual h e a d of the h o u s e hold. B u t a l t h o u g h h e n o w h a d t o a t t e n d c a r e f u l l y t o family m a t t e r s , B e e t h o v e n n o n e t h e l e s s also b e g a n t o b l o s s o m socially i n t h e y e a r s t h a t f o l l o w e d his m o t h e r ' s d e a t h . H e c o n t i n u e d t o play viola in the orchestras of t h e c o u r t chapel a n d c o u r t t h e ater, f o r g i n g l a s t i n g f r i e n d s h i p s w i t h o t h e r y o u n g m u s i c i a n s . H e m e t C o u n t F e r d i n a n d W a l d s t e i n , e i g h t y e a r s his s e n i o r , a m u s i c d e v o t e e t o w h o m h e b e c a m e closely attached. A n d i t was within
the
bonds
of the
prominent,
progressive,
and
i n t e l l e c t u a l l y c u r i o u s B r e u n i n g family, h e a d e d b y t h e d y n a m i c y o u n g w i d o w H e l e n e v o n B r e u n i n g , t h a t B e e t h o v e n first w a s e x p o s e d to a k i n d of joie de vivre t h a t a l w a y s h a d b e e n m i s s i n g i n his o w n h o m e . H e b e c a m e s o c l o s e l y t i e d t o t h e B r e u n i n g s that h e often e v e n slept a t t h e i r h o m e , a n d a l o n g t h e w a y h e became
something
of a
beloved
stepchild
to
Frau
von
B r e u n i n g : s h e n u r s e d h i m t h r o u g h b o u t s o f illness, h e l p e d b a t tle his r e c u r r e n t b l a c k m o o d s a n d sieges o f b r o o d i n g s i l e n c e , a n d did h e r best t o b u o y u p t h e self-confidence o f t h e y o u n g m a n w h o a t t i m e s w a s p a r a l y z i n g l y shy. It was Frau v o n B r e u n i n g , as well as C o u n t Waldstein and Neefe, w h o introduced the y o u n g m a n t o the thrilling n e w n o t i o n s o f r e f o r m , f r e e d o m , a n d b r o t h e r h o o d — t h e Aujklarung, or Enlightenment—that were becoming c o m m o n conversat i o n p i e c e s i n t h e cities t h a t f l a n k e d t h e R h i n e a n d t h r o u g h o u t m u c h of central E u r o p e . Yet it was Waldstein w h o n o w did the m o s t t o n u r t u r e Beethoven's musical d e v e l o p m e n t .
He dis-
creetly p r o v i d e d financial s u p p o r t t o t h e y o u n g m a n w h o m h e openly labeled a musical genius;
he
commissioned h i m to
c o m p o s e t h e m u s i c for his o w n p r o d u c t i o n o f a folk ballet; a n d he was a m e m b e r as well of a larger g r o u p of the B o n n n o b i l ity w h o c o m m i s s i o n e d B e e t h o v e n t o c o m p o s e t w o c a n t a t a s c o m m e m o r a t i n g the death of the much-loved E m p e r o r Joseph I I a n d t h e e l e v a t i o n o f h i s s u c c e s s o r , L e o p o l d II. A l t h o u g h n e i ther cantata was performed, Waldstein nonetheless recognized their brilliance. It is probable that it was he w h o pressed the Joseph Cantata i n t o t h e h a n d s o f c o m p o s e r F r a n z J o s e p h H a y d n d u r i n g his visit t o B o n n i n 1 7 9 2 i n a n effort t o c o n v i n c e h i m to tutor y o u n g Beethoven once he was at h o m e in Vienna
again, a n d it is certain that it w a s W a l d s t e i n w h o c o n v i n c e d his friend B o n n Elector Maximilian Franz,
Friedrich's successor,
b o t h t o p a y for B e e t h o v e n ' s j o u r n e y t o V i e n n a a n d t o s u p p o r t h i m while he remained in temporary residence there. T h e revolution in France that had c o m m e n c e d three years before
by
now
had led to
rumors
o f w a r across
much
of
E u r o p e . T h e n e w French r e g i m e had declared w a r o n Austria; F r e n c h forces already h a d r e a c h e d t h e R h i n e , and B e e t h o v e n — d e s p i t e his father's failing h e a l t h — h a d t o h u r r y t o l e a v e B o n n i f h e w e r e t o b e r e l a t i v e l y a s s u r e d ' o f safe t r a v e l b y c o a c h
to
V i e n n a . As he d e p a r t e d , he r e c e i v e d enthusiastic farewells from d o z e n s o f f r i e n d s a n d a d m i r e r s , all o f w h o m a n t i c i p a t e d his r e t u r n to his h o m e t o w n before t o o l o n g a t i m e , a n d in an a l b u m filled w i t h t h e i r w r i t t e n g o o d w i s h e s w a s i n c l u d e d t h i s m e s s a g e f r o m his d e v o t e d p a t r o n :
D E A R B E E T H O V E N : YOU a r e g o i n g t o V i e n n a i n fulfillment
of your
long-frustrated
wishes.
The
Genius
of
M o z a r t i s still m o u r n i n g a n d w e e p i n g o v e r t h e d e a t h o f her pupil. She f o u n d a refuge b u t no o c c u p a t i o n w i t h the inexhaustible H a y d n ; t h r o u g h h i m she wishes o n c e m o r e to f o r m a u n i o n w i t h another. W i t h the help of assiduous labor y o u
shall r e c e i v e :
Mozart's spirit from
Y O U R TRUE FRIEND, WALDSTEIN.
Haydn's hands.
T H E BOY WO SNIPPED T H E LOCK
IT WAS N O T U N T I L
1 8 7 1 t h a t Kapellmeister F e r d i n a n d H i l l e r ,
t h e c o r p u l e n t dean of music in t h e R h i n e - s i d e city of C o l o g n e , f i r s t d e s c r i b e d for f a s c i n a t e d G e r m a n r e a d e r s w h a t i t h a d b e e n l i k e t o m e e t L u d w i g v a n B e e t h o v e n a n d w h a t , i n fact, t h e c i r cumstances of the master composer's final days h a d b e e n . "I can s c a r c e l y b l a m e myself, m u c h a s I r e g r e t it, for n o t t a k i n g d o w n m o r e e x t e n d e d notes than I did," sixty-year-old Hiller w r o t e . " I n d e e d , I r e j o i c e t h a t a lad o f f i f t e e n y e a r s w h o f o u n d h i m s e l f i n a g r e a t c i t y for t h e f i r s t t i m e w a s self-possessed e n o u g h t o r e g a r d any details. [ B u t ] I c a n v o u c h w i t h t h e b e s t c o n s c i e n c e for t h e p e r f e c t a c c u r a c y o f all t h a t I a m able t o r e p e a t . "
Ferdinand Hiller had m a d e the snow-slowed j o u r n e y from W e i m a r t o musical, magical V i e n n a w i t h his p i a n o a n d c o m position instructor, J o h a n n N e p o m u k H u m m e l , i n t h e early s p r i n g o f 1 8 2 7 because H u m m e l h a d h e a r d t h e n o w far-flung n e w s that his old f r i e n d a n d musical rival was d y i n g . H e h a d w a n t e d t o see a n d e m b r a c e B e e t h o v e n again b e f o r e h e was g o n e , a n d t o o , h e h a d h o p e d his t a l e n t e d p r o t e g e m i g h t b e i n s p i r e d b y a t least a f e w m i n u t e s s p e n t i n t h e c o m p a n y o f i n contestable greatness. B e e t h o v e n had received the t w o m e n w a r m l y o n M a r c h 8 a n d h a d satisfied t h e m t h a t t h e i r c o m p a n y w o u l d b e efficacious i n fact; t h e y s t a y e d w i t h h i m for h o u r s t h a t day, t h e n r e t u r n e d t h r e e m o r e t i m e s d u r i n g t h e s u c c e e d i n g fortnight before B e e t h o v e n finally s u c c u m b e d to a diseased l i v e r a n d a life o f r e l e n t l e s s p a i n . Y e t o n t h a t f i r s t day, H i l l e r r e m e m b e r e d , t h e d y i n g m a n still h a d s e e m e d v e r y m u c h alive:
T h r o u g h a spacious a n t e r o o m in w h i c h high cabinets were
piled
with
thick,
tied-up
parcels
of music,
we
r e a c h e d — h o w my heart beat!—Beethoven's living-room, a n d w e r e n o t a little a s t o n i s h e d t o f i n d t h e m a s t e r s i t t i n g in apparent comfort at the w i n d o w He w o r e a long, gray sleeping-robe
and
high
boots
reaching
to
his
knees.
E m a c i a t e d b y l o n g a n d s e v e r e illness, h e s e e m e d t o m e , w h e n h e a r o s e , o f tall s t a t u r e ; h e w a s u n s h a v e n , his t h i c k , h a l f - g r a y h a i r fell i n d i s o r d e r o v e r h i s t e m p l e s . T h e e x pression
o f his
features
heightened
when
he
caught
sight o f H u m m e l , a n d h e s e e m e d t o b e e x t r a o r d i n a r i l y g l a d t o see h i m . T h e t w o m e n e m b r a c e d e a c h o t h e r m o s t
cordially.
Hummel
introduced me.
Beethoven
showed
h i m s e l f e x t r e m e l y k i n d a n d I w a s p e r m i t t e d t o sit o p p o site h i m at t h e w i n d o w . . . . [In o r d e r f o r h i m t o c a r r y o n a c o n v e r s a t i o n , ] t h i c k sheets of o r d i n a r y w r i t i n g paper in q u a r t o f o r m a n d lead p e n c i l s lay n e a r h i m a t all t i m e s . H o w p a i n f u l i t m u s t h a v e b e e n for t h e a n i m a t e d , easily i m p a t i e n t m a n t o b e o b l i g e d to wait for e v e r y answer, to m a k e a pause in e v e r y m o m e n t of conversation, during which, as it were, thought w a s c o n d e m n e d t o c o m e t o a standstill! H e a l w a y s f o l lowed
the
hand
of the
writer with
h u n g r y eyes
and
c o m p r e h e n d e d w h a t was w r i t t e n at a glance instead of r e a d i n g it. . . . T h e c o n v e r s a t i o n at first t u r n e d , as u s u a l , o n d o m e s t i c affairs—the j o u r n e y a n d sojourn, m y relations w i t h H u m m e l , and matters of that kind. B e e t h o v e n asked a b o u t G o e t h e ' s health w i t h e x t r a o r d i n a r y solicitude a n d w e w e r e able t o m a k e t h e best o f r e p o r t s , since o n l y a few days before t h e great p o e t h a d w r i t t e n in my a l b u m . C o n c e r n i n g his o w n p o o r state, p o o r B e e t h o v e n c o m p l a i n e d m u c h . " H e r e I h a v e b e e n l y i n g for f o u r m o n t h s , " he cried out,
" o n e m u s t a t last lose p a t i e n c e ! "
Other
t h i n g s i n V i e n n a d i d n o t s e e m t o b e t o his l i k i n g a n d h e s p o k e w i t h t h e u t m o s t s e v e r i t y o f " t h e p r e s e n t taste i n art" and " t h e dilettantism that is r u i n i n g everything." N o r d i d h e s p a r e t h e g o v e r n m e n t , u p t o t h e h i g h e s t levels. . . . "Little thieves are h a n g e d , b u t big ones are allowed to go f r e e ! " h e e x c l a i m e d i n ill h u m o r .
H e asked a b o u t m y
s t u d i e s a n d , e n c o u r a g i n g m e , said, " a r t m u s t b e p r o p a g a t e d ceaselessly," a n d w h e n I s p o k e o f t h e e x c l u s i v e i n -
terest in Italian o p e r a that t h e n prevailed in V i e n n a , he g a v e u t t e r a n c e t o t h e m e m o r a b l e w o r d s , " I t i s said vox popidi, vox dei. I n e v e r b e l i e v e d it." On M a r c h 13, H u m m e l t o o k me with h i m a second t i m e t o B e e t h o v e n . W e f o u n d his c o n d i t i o n t o b e m a t e rially w o r s e . H e lay i n b e d , s e e m e d t o suffer g r e a t p a i n s , a n d a t i n t e r v a l s g r o a n e d d e e p l y d e s p i t e t h e fact t h a t h e spoke
much
and
animatedly. . . . He
also
begged
of
H u m m e l t o b r i n g his w i f e t o s e e h i m ; s h e h a d n o t c o m e w i t h u s , for s h e h a d n o t b e e n a b l e t o p e r s u a d e h e r s e l f t o s e e i n his p r e s e n t s t a t e t h e m a n w h o m s h e h a d k n o w n a t t h e z e n i t h o f his p o w e r s . A s h o r t t i m e b e f o r e , h e h a d r e ceived a present of a picture of the house in w h i c h H a y d n was b o r n . He kept it close at h a n d a n d s h o w e d it to us. " I t g i v e s m e a c h i l d i s h p l e a s u r e , " h e said, " t h e c r a d l e o f s o great a m a n ! " Shortly throughout
after
our
Vienna
second that
the
visit,
the
report
Philharmonic
spread
Society
of
L o n d o n h a d s e n t B e e t h o v e n , £ 1 0 0 i n o r d e r t o ease his sickbed. It was a d d e d that this surprise h a d m a d e so great a n i m p r e s s i o n o n t h e p o o r m a n t h a t i t h a d also b r o u g h t p h y s i c a l relief. W h e n w e s t o o d a g a i n a t h i s b e d s i d e o n t h e 2 0 t h , w e c o u l d d e d u c e f r o m his u t t e r a n c e s h o w greatly h e h a d b e e n rejoiced b y this altruism, b u t h e w a s v e r y w e a k a n d s p o k e o n l y i n faint a n d d i s c o n n e c t e d p h r a s e s . " I shall, n o d o u b t , s o o n b e g o i n g a b o v e , " h e w h i s p e r e d after o u r greeting. Similar remarks r e c u r r e d frequently. In t h e intervals, h o w e v e r , he spoke of projects and hopes that w e r e destined n o t to be realized. Speaking of t h e n o b l e
c o n d u c t o f t h e P h i l h a r m o n i c Society a n d i n praise o f t h e English people, he expressed the intention, as soon as matters w e r e better with him, to undertake the j o u r n e y t o L o n d o n . " I w i l l c o m p o s e a g r a n d o v e r t u r e for t h e m , and a symphony." T h e n too, he told Frau H u m m e l , w h o h a d j o i n e d h e r h u s b a n d t h a t day, t h a t h e w o u l d visit h e r and g o t o I d o n o t k n o w h o w m a n y places. His eyes, w h i c h w e r e still l i v e l y w h e n w e s a w h i m o n o u r p r e v i o u s visit, w e r e c l o s e d n o w , a n d i t w a s difficult f r o m t i m e t o t i m e for h i m t o raise himself. I t w a s n o l o n g e r p o s s i b l e t o d e c e i v e o n e ' s self-—the w o r s t w a s t o b e f e a r e d . Hopeless was the picture presented by the extraordin a r y m a n w h e n w e saw h i m again o n M a r c h 23rd. I t was t o b e t h e last t i m e . H e lay, w e a k a n d m i s e r a b l e , s i g h i n g d e e p l y a t i n t e r v a l s . N o t a w o r d fell f r o m his lips; s w e a t s t o o d o u t o n his f o r e h e a d .
His handkerchief not being
c o n v e n i e n t l y a t h a n d , H u m m e l ' s w i f e t o o k h e r fine c a m bric
h a n d k e r c h i e f a n d d r i e d his
face
again
and
again.
N e v e r shall I f o r g e t t h e g r a t e f u l g l a n c e w i t h w h i c h his b r o k e n eyes l o o k e d u p o n her.
ON A
MONDAY
E V E N I N G T H R E E days h e n c e , Hiller a n d
b o t h H u m m e l s w e r e d i n i n g a t t h e h o m e o f friends w h e n a d ditional guests a r r i v e d w i t h t h e w o e f u l n e w s that B e e t h o v e n had died in the midst of the sudden afternoon storm. W h e n Hummel
and
the
Scbwarzspanierhaus,
boy
the
returned
to
the
"Black Spaniard's
lodging House,"
called
the
on Tuesday
t o p a y t h e i r f i n a l r e s p e c t s , t h e face o f t h e m a n w h o m H u m m e l loved and y o u n g Hiller n e w l y was in a w e of appeared strangely c h a n g e d . B e e t h o v e n ' s b o d y still lay i n h i s b e d r o o m , b u t n o w h a d b e e n p l a c e d i n a n o a k coffin t h a t s t o o d o n a brass b i e r , his h e a d r e s t i n g o n a w h i t e silk p i l l o w . H i s l o n g h a i r h a d b e e n c o m b e d a n d w a s c r o w n e d w i t h a w r e a t h o f w h i t e r o s e s , b u t his g r i z z l e d v i s a g e h a d g o n e b l u e a n d t h e sides o f h i s face w e r e oddly s u n k e n because at autopsy that m o r n i n g the temporal b o n e s s u r r o u n d i n g h i s e a r s — a s w e l l a s small b o n e s o f t h e e a r s t h e m s e l v e s — h a d b e e n r e m o v e d for f u t u r e study. T h e autopsy had been performed by Dr. Johannes Wagner, a p a t h o l o g i s t a n d associate of B e e t h o v e n ' s final physician, D r . A n d r e a s W a w r u c h , w h o h a d assisted h i m . D u r i n g t h e m e thodical m o r n i n g procedure, the t w o m e n had discovered that B e e t h o v e n ' s liver, s h r u n k t o h a l f t h e size o f a h e a l t h y o n e , w a s leathery a n d c o v e r e d w i t h n o d u l e s ; the spleen was black a n d t o u g h a n d t w i c e its n o r m a l size; t h e p a n c r e a s t o o w a s u n u s u ally large a n d h a r d ; a n d e a c h o f t h e p a l e k i d n e y s c o n t a i n e d n u m e r o u s calcified s t o n e s . T h e d e a f m a n ' s a u d i t o r y n e r v e s w e r e s h r i v e l e d a n d m a r r o w l e s s , b u t t h e n e a r b y facial n e r v e s w e r e impressively large; t h e a u d i t o r y arteries w e r e "dilated to m o r e t h a n t h e size o f a c r o w ' s q u i l l " a n d h a d b e c o m e s u r p r i s i n g l y b r i t t l e ; t h e b o n e o f t h e skull w a s s t r a n g e l y d e n s e , a n d t h e r e m a r k a b l y w h i t e a n d fluid-filled c o n v o l u t i o n s o f t h e b r a i n w e r e m u c h deeper, wider, and m o r e n u m e r o u s than t h e physicians w o u l d have expected t h e m to be. T h e t w o doctors had not been
surprised,
of course,
that was abnormal,
when
but knowledge
they
encountered
of both
much
pathology and
disease
etiology
remained
limited
enough
in
that
era
that
n e i t h e r m a n c o u l d infer f r o m t h e f i n d i n g s w h a t m i g h t h a v e caused t h e c o m p o s e r ' s deafness o r i n d e e d any o f his m a n y o t h e r maladies. B e c a u s e o f t h e t r a u m a i n d u c e d b y t h e a u t o p s y itself, a s w e l l a s t h e d i s f i g u r e m e n t o f his face c a u s e d b y t h e m i s s i n g b o n e s , B e e t h o v e n appeared only suggestive o f the m a n w i t h w h o m Hummel
and
Ferdinand
Hiller
had
conversed
a
few
days
earlier, a n d t h e t w o m e n d i d n o t r e m a i n for l o n g b e s i d e his coffin.
But
before
they
departed,
young
Hiller
asked
his
m e n t o r w h e t h e r he might be permitted to cut a lock of the m a s t e r c o m p o s e r ' s hair. choose
not
It was a request that Hiller w o u l d
to m e n t i o n
in
his
1871
recollection—perhaps
r e l u c t a n t t o d e t a i l o r a c k n o w l e d g e it, e v e n h a l f a c e n t u r y later, b e c a u s e t h r o u g h o u t his life t h e o t h e r w i s e o p e n a n d g r e g a r i o u s Hiller virtually n e v e r h a d s p o k e n a b o u t his p r i v a t e f i f e o r w h a t he
secretly
permission
held to
dear,
take
a
but
perhaps
keepsake
had
also not
because been
explicit
granted
by
Beethoven's brother Johann, by Stephan von Breuning, w h o h a d b e c o m e e x e c u t o r o f his e s t a t e , o r e v e n b y t h e f a c t o t u m A n t o n Schindler. Yet o t h e r locks of hair, it was o b v i o u s , h a d b e e n c u t already, a n d i t i s easy t o i m a g i n e H u m m e l w h i s p e r i n g his assent t o his s t u d e n t , t h e t w o m e n q u i e t l y m o v e d b y t h e simple ritual a n d t h e sadness o f t h e m o m e n t , F e r d i n a n d Hiller w i e l d i n g t h e scissors h e h a d b r o u g h t w i t h h i m for t h a t h o p e f u l p u r p o s e , lifting a t h i c k l o c k o f B e e t h o v e n ' s l o n g a n d h a l f - g r a y h a i r , p u l l i n g i t a w a y f r o m his h e a d , a n d s e t t i n g i t f r e e .
FERDINAND
HILLER
HAD
BEEN
BORN
i n Frankfurt i n
1811, the son of a wealthy merchant w h o , in order to help c o n c e a l his J e w i s h i d e n t i t y a t a t i m e w h e n a n t i - S e m i t i s m w a s r i s i n g p e r i l o u s l y i n E u r o p e , h a d c h a n g e d h i s n a m e late i n t h e e i g h t e e n t h c e n t u r y f r o m Isaac H i l d e s h e i m t o J u s t u s H i l l e r . Y e t F r a n k f u r t itself w a s a c o m p a r a t i v e l y t o l e r a n t city, o n e i n w h i c h J e w s , d e s p i t e a f e w significant l i m i t a t i o n s , w e r e able to live free from persecution.
Ferdinands
father
and
his
wife,
Regine
Sichel Hiller, w e r e w e l l - t o - d o , urbane, and cultivated; they w e r e c o m m i t t e d t o d o i n g e v e r y t h i n g t h e y c o u l d t o assimilate their son into Germany's cultural mainstream, b u t they w e r e d e t e r m i n e d a s w e l l t o e n s u r e t h a t h e t r u l y e n j o y e d his c h i l d h o o d , t r y i n g — r a t h e r unsuccessfully as it t u r n e d o u t — n o t to d r a w t o o m u c h e a r l y a t t e n t i o n t o his r e m a r k a b l e m u s i c a l t a l ents. W h e n he was seven, they acquiesced to entreaties f r o m friends, and agreed that the boy could b e c o m e a regular stud e n t of pianist Aloys S c h m i t t as w e l l as take lessons in c o m p o sition from Frankfurt c o m p o s e r J. G. Vollweiler. T h r e e years later, t e n - y e a r - o l d F e r d i n a n d p e r f o r m e d i n p u b l i c for t h e f i r s t time, playing Mozart's C o n c e r t o in C M i n o r and dazzling t w o musicians w h o w e r e present at the recital—his parents' friends L u d w i g S p o h r and Ignaz Moscheles, b o t h o f w h o m had b e e n colleagues of B e e t h o v e n d u r i n g years they spent in Vienna. T h e t w o m e n insisted that t h e b o y really m u s t b e sent t o W e i m a r to study with
Kapellmeister J o h a n n H u m m e l ,
himself
n o t o n l y a c o n t e m p o r a r y a n d f r i e n d o f B e e t h o v e n , b u t also t h e sole c o m p o s e r i n E u r o p e w h o s e talents e q u a l e d B e e t h o v e n ' s , a t least a c c o r d i n g t o m e n l i k e S p o h r a n d M o s c h e l e s .
Warm
and
generous
a n d surpassingly
homely,
the
much
loved and respected H u m m e l accepted few students, yet as a p r o d i g y h i m s e l f f o r t y y e a r s b e f o r e i n V i e n n a , h e h a d l i v e d for t w o years w i t h W o l f g a n g M o z a r t a n d h a d b e e n his s t u d e n t , a n e x t r a o r d i n a r i l y f o r m a t i v e e x p e r i e n c e t h a t h e n o w felt c o m pelled to try to return in kind. W h e n he m e t the y o u n g Hiller a n d h e a r d h i m play t h e piano, he was impressed by the boy's p r o m i s e , a n d s o o n after H i l l e r b e c a m e h i s p u p i l i n 1 8 2 5 t h e t w o also b e c a m e q u i t e close, H u m m e l a n d his w i f e , E l i s a b e t h , t a k i n g p a t e r n a l c h a r g e o f t h e t h i r t e e n - y e a r - o l d o n his p a r e n t s ' behalf, a n d e n c o u r a g i n g h i m t o e x p a n d his t a l e n t s i n e v e r y d i rection. Accordingly, they introduced h i m to former student Felix M e n d e l s s o h n , himself a n impressive p r o d i g y o n l y t w o years Hiller's senior, as well as t h e celebrated p o e t a n d playw r i g h t J o h a n n W o l f g a n g v o n G o e t h e . I n t h e days before t h e y h a d set o u t f r o m W e i m a r for V i e n n a i n t h e s p r i n g o f 1 8 2 7 , G o e t h e h a d w r i t t e n a verse in y o u n g Hiller's s o u v e n i r a l b u m , a n d B e e t h o v e n h a d b e e n h e a r t e n e d t o hear Hiller's n e w s o f G o e t h e w h e n h e a n d H u m m e l visited h i m i n t h e days before he died. Hiller h e a r d the venerated poet's n a m e i n t o n e d o n c e m o r e a t t h e gates o f t h e W a h r i n g c e m e t e r y o n t h e a f t e r n o o n o f B e e t h o v e n ' s funeral, w h e n actor H e i n r i c h Anschiitz declared that B e e t h o v e n a n d G o e t h e l o n g h a d b e e n t h e f o r e m o s t figures i n t h e arts o f t h e G e r m a n - s p e a k i n g w o r l d . Still o n l y a t e e n a g e r , Ferdinand Hiller had m e t and conversed w i t h b o t h of these t o w e r i n g m e n , a n d a s h e w a t c h e d H u m m e l , his p o r t l y f r i e n d a n d w o n d e r f u l teacher, t h r o w three laurel w r e a t h s o n t o the
c l o s e d coffin t h a t n o w lay d e e p i n t h e e a r t h , i t s e e m e d t o t h e y o u n g m a n — t h e l o c k o f h a i r h e h a d c l a i m e d safely t u c k e d a w a y i n his a l b u m — t h a t a life l i v e d r i c h l y i n t h e arts s u r e l y w a s all t h a t h e s h o u l d s t r i v e for.
F E R D I N A N D H I L L E R H A D R E T U R N E D T O W e i m a r again in
July
when
he
read
in
t h e ^Abendzeitung,
published
in
Dresden, an obituary written by poet and historian J o h a n n Sporschil that described an aspect of B e e t h o v e n that the b o y had not been fortunate e n o u g h to glimpse:
N o l o n g e r w i l l t h e c i t i z e n s o f f r i e n d l y V i e n n a . . . see h i m h u r r y i n g t h r o u g h t h e street w i t h his s h o r t y e t f i r m steps b a r e l y t o u c h i n g t h e g r o u n d , u n t i l , fast a s l i g h t n i n g , h e vanishes a r o u n d t h e c o r n e r . N o l o n g e r will t h e y b e able to whisper with benevolent and indulgent pride to one a n o t h e r : " D i d y o u see? B e e t h o v e n ! "
Y e s , H i l l e r had s e e n h i m , a n d h e e v e n h a d c a p t u r e d a l o c k o f t h e g r e a t c o m p o s e r ' s hair.
T h e m e m e n t o had been part of
B e e t h o v e n ; i t w a s n e i t h e r his flesh n o r his b l o o d b u t i t was h i m n o n e t h e l e s s . F o r m a n y y e a r s , his w i l d h a i r h a d b e e n t h e p h y s ical t h i n g t h a t m o s t i m m e d i a t e l y c h a r a c t e r i z e d h i m — i t w a s a metaphor
somehow
for
his
eccentric
ebullience,
his
utter
unpredictability,
his
astonishing
artistic
power—and
Hiller
k n e w he always w o u l d cherish the lock of hair and protect it vigilantly. It may have been d o n e while he remained in Weimar, or the task c o u l d h a v e b e e n c o m p l e t e d d u r i n g t h e m o n t h s h e s p e n t a t h o m e i n F r a n k f u r t w i t h his p a r e n t s , b u t b y t h e t i m e h e t r a v eled to Paris in O c t o b e r 1828, F e r d i n a n d Hiller h a d e m p l o y e d a p i c t u r e f r a m e r t o s e c u r e t h e l o c k o f h a i r i n s i d e a small, o v a l w o o d e n frame that had b e e n painted black, the kind of locket i n w h i c h m i n i a t u r e portraits c o m m o n l y w e r e displayed. T h e clutch of h a i r s — w h o k n e w h o w many of t h e m there w e r e ? — h a d b e e n l o o p e d i n t o a l o o s e c o i l , a n d p r o t e c t e d b y glass. T h e k e e p s a k e w a s n o w s e c u r e for t h o s e i n f r e q u e n t o c c a s i o n s w h e n he w o u l d choose to s h o w it to friends w h o m he was sure w o u l d a p p r e c i a t e its i m p o r t , a n d w h o c o u l d b e c o u n t e d o n t o demonstrate
a p p r o p r i a t e v e n e r a t i o n w h e n t h e y briefly held
something of Beethoven in their hands. Although
he had just turned seventeen in
1828,
Hiller's
m o v e t o P a r i s m a r k e d his e m a n c i p a t i o n i n t o a d u l t h o o d . H i s p a r e n t s w e r e i n h e a r t y s u p p o r t o f his s o j o u r n , a n d t h e y m a d e s u r e a s w e l l t h a t t h e i r s o n d i d n o t suffer f r o m m a t e r i a l w a n t s w h i l e h e w a s t h e r e . U n l i k e t h e y o u n g B e e t h o v e n , L e Savant Hiller, a s h e w o u l d b e c o m e k n o w n , w a s a b o n a fide f e l l o w o f m e a n s — a short, dark-eyed y o u n g m a n w h o s e r o u n d and exp r e s s i v e face e v i d e n c e d a n o p e n n e s s t h a t d r e w p e o p l e t o h i m . W i t h the revolution l o n g over, a n d on the heels of the final d e feat o f N a p o l e o n i n 1 8 1 5 , t h e g o v e r n m e n t o f F r a n c e h a d b e e n returned
to
a
repressive yet decidedly
insecure
monarchy,
t h o u g h faint w i n d s o f r e v o l u t i o n still b l e w t h r o u g h t h e s q u a l i d ,
disease-plagued districts o f Paris. O n c e again, r i c h a n d p o o r l i v e d u t t e r l y s e p a r a t e lives i n t h e c i t y t h a t n o w t o t a l e d a m i l l i o n r e s i d e n t s , a n d for a m o n e y e d i m m i g r a n t like F e r d i n a n d H i l l e r , i t w a s h a r d t o i m a g i n e a m o r e vital a n d s t i m u l a t i n g p l a c e t o c o n t i n u e his m u s i c a l t r a i n i n g . I t d i d s e e m t o H i l l e r , h o w e v e r , t h a t Paris's m u s i c a l c u l t u r e p o s s e s s e d a s i n g l e d i s t r e s s i n g flaw. U n l i k e t h e cities i n G e r m a n y a n d Austria that he h a d lived in or visited by n o w , w h e r e t h e w o r k s of L u d w i g van B e e t h o v e n had b e c o m e very widely adm i r e d , in Paris the music of the recently deceased c o m p o s e r still
was
deemed
too
peculiar,
too
intense,
too
"difficult"
s o m e h o w , a n d o n l y r e c e n t l y h a d b e g u n t o b e p e r f o r m e d a t all. Y e t early i n t h e w i n t e r o f 1 8 2 9 , H i l l e r m e t a t w e n t y - f i v e - y e a r o l d F r e n c h m u s i c i a n w h o w a s u t t e r l y d e t e r m i n e d t o set h i s c o u n t r y m e n s t r a i g h t a n d t o e n l i g h t e n t h e m a t l o n g last a b o u t "this inconceivable p r o d u c t o f the m o s t s o m b e r a n d reflective genius."
H e c t o r Berlioz
had been b o r n in La
Cote-Saint-
A n d r e , a n d h a d m o v e d t o P a r i s six y e a r s b e f o r e t o s t u d y m e d icine as well as music; he was a y o u n g m a n w i t h a wild laugh w h o a l w a y s s e e m e d t o b e filled t o o v e r f l o w i n g w i t h e n e r g y and the m o s t public kinds of passion, and Hiller quickly was c a p t i v a t e d b y h i m p e r s o n a l l y a s w e l l a s b y his s t a l w a r t a d v o c a c y o f B e e t h o v e n a n d his m u s i c . " I d o n o t t h i n k t h a t a n y o n e c o u l d have m e t Berlioz w i t h o u t being struck by the extraordinary e x p r e s s i o n o f his face," H i l l e r l a t e r w r o t e i n a m e m o i r . " T h e high forehead, precipitously o v e r h a n g i n g the deep-set eyes, t h e g r e a t c u r v i n g h a w k n o s e , t h e t h i n , f i r m l y c u t Hps, t h e r a t h e r s h o r t c h i n , t h e e n o r m o u s s h o c k o f hair. . . . W h o e v e r h a d o n c e s e e n t h i s h e a d c o u l d n e v e r f o r g e t it."
T h a t Hiller, in t u r n , actually had b e e n in B e e t h o v e n ' s p r e s e n c e — t h a t h e h a d sat w i t h h i m a n d h e a r d h i m s p e a k , a n d e v e n h a d s n i p p e d a l o c k o f his h a i r — w a s a l m o s t t o o w o n d e r f u l t o imagine
for
Berlioz,
and
the
two
men
soon
became
fast
friends. Berlioz ardently believed that G e r m a n i c culture was m o r e e n l i g h t e n e d , m o r e f o r w a r d - t h i n k i n g t h a n his o w n , a n d he was therefore eager to attach himself to Hiller, despite the fact t h a t t h i s p a r t i c u l a r G e r m a n w a s still a t e e n a g e r w h o r e m a i n e d n a i v e a b o u t t h e w o r l d ' s p e r i l s a n d its p l e a s u r e s . B e r l i o z d e l i g h t e d i n s h o c k i n g his n e w f r i e n d w i t h g r i s l y tales f r o m t h e h o s p i t a l m o r g u e w h e r e h e h a d s t u d i e d , a n d h e d i d his b e s t t o educate h i m t o o a b o u t the pleasures o f a m o r o u s love, m a k i n g H i l l e r his r e a d y c o n f i d a n t a n d w r i t i n g h i m i m p a s s i o n e d n o t e s a b o u t his p a r t i c u l a r l o n g i n g for Irish actress H a r r i e t S m i t h s o n , w h o m he recently had seen onstage, t h e n subsequently had met. " M y dear Ferdinand!" he pleaded on o n e occasion. " C a n y o u tell m e w h a t i s t h i s o v e r w h e l m i n g p o w e r o f e m o t i o n , this faculty for s u f f e r i n g t h a t i s k i l l i n g m e ? . . . I h a v e s p e n t s o m e t i m e d r y i n g t h e f l o o d s t h a t h a v e fallen f r o m m y e y e s — w h i l e I s a w B e e t h o v e n l o o k i n g at me w i t h s e v e r i t y . . . . T r u l y : I am a most unhappy man." It was a curious notion to think that B e e t h o v e n might be w a t c h i n g d o w n o n h i m like a g o d a n d j u d g i n g w h e t h e r , i n fact, y o u n g B e r l i o z ' s d e s i r e for a y o u n g w o m a n ' s affections w a r r a n t e d his t o r m e n t e d e m o t i o n s . Y e t that was t h e d e g r e e t o w h i c h h e i m a g i n e d his h e r o ' s o m n i p o t e n c e a s w e l l a s t h e t r a n s c e n d e n t m a s t e r y his m u s i c h e l d o v e r t h o s e w h o o p e n e d t h e m selves t o it. A n d B e r l i o z , a s i t h a p p e n e d , w a s n o t a l o n e i n believing
that
the
posthumous
Beethoven
somehow
could
i n t e r v e n e i n c o n t e m p o r a r y lives. F o r m a n y y o u n g artists a n d writers as well as musicians, the w o r l d truly had t u r n e d d u r i n g the years of the N a p o l e o n i c wars and their aftermath; l o n g s t a n d i n g i d e a s a n d classical f o r m s o f e x p r e s s i o n h a d g o n e s o u r a n d stale, h a d b e c o m e i r r e l e v a n t i n fact, t h e i r p l a c e s s u b s u m e d b y a n e w artistic a n d i n t e l l e c t u a l c u r r e n t t h a t w a s c h a r a c t e r i z e d by devotion to nature, to e m o t i o n and imagination, as well as a c o n s c i o u s rebellion against established rules a n d c o n v e n t i o n s . W h o better than Beethoven exemplified Romanticism,
this
vital a n d t h r i l l i n g n e w m e a n s o f artistic e x p r e s s i o n ? A n d w h a t b e t t e r p l a c e w a s t h e r e t h a n P a r i s for y o u n g p e o p l e c o m m i t t e d t o this n e w f o r m o f s e l f - e x p r e s s i v e — a n d o f t e n s e l f - a b s o r b e d — artistic p a s s i o n t o g a t h e r i n s u p p o r t , m u t u a l e n c o u r a g e m e n t , and revelry? By the time Hiller arrived there, so m a n y y o u n g R o m a n t i c artists h a d e s t a b l i s h e d t h e m s e l v e s i n t h e g e n t e e l a s w e l l as b o h e m i a n e n v i r o n s of P a r i s t h a t a n a m e , Les Jeunes France, h a d b e e n a p p l i e d t o t h e m . " T h e Young France" included writers such as Victor H u g o , Honore
de
Balzac,
George
Sand,
and
the
German
poet
H e i n r i c h H e i n e ; artists s u c h a s E u g e n e D e l a c r o i x ; a n d a m o n g t h e m a n y m u s i c i a n s for w h o m P a r i s n o w h a d b e c o m e t h e e p i c e n t e r o f R o m a n t i c i n n o v a t i o n w e r e P o l i s h - b o r n pianist a n d composer
Frederic
Chopin,
Hungarian
Franz
Liszt,
Italian
V i n c e n z o B e l l i n i , as w e l l as B e r l i o z . C o l l e c t i v e l y , Les Jeunes France c o m p r i s e d a c u l t u r a l e l i t e , o n e c a p a b l e o f a p p r e c i a t i n g w h a t less s e n s i t i v e , less romantic m i n d s c o u l d n o t . " T h e o t h e r d a y I h e a r d o n e o f t h e late q u a r t e t s o f B e e t h o v e n . . . " B e r l i o z w r o t e t o h i s sister N a n c i , " t h e r e w e r e n e a r l y t h r e e h u n d r e d persons
present,
of w h o m
six
found
ourselves
half-dead
through the truth of the emotion we had experienced, but we six w e r e t h e o n l y o n e s w h o d i d n o t f i n d h i s c o m p o s i t i o n a b surd, incomprehensible, barbarous. He rose to such heights t h a t o u r b r e a t h b e g a n to fail u s . . . . T h i s is m u s i c [ o n l y ] for h i m o r for t h o s e o f u s w h o h a v e f o l l o w e d t h e i n c a l c u l a b l e flight o f his g e n i u s . " Although
Luigi
Cherubini,
director
of the
Paris
Con-
servatory, was skeptical a b o u t w h e t h e r B e e t h o v e n truly d e s e r v e d his s w e l l i n g r e p u t a t i o n , h e n o n e t h e l e s s h a d p l a y e d a k e y role in finally bringing Beethoven's music before the French public. T h e conservatory had sponsored the French premiere o f t h e Eroica S y m p h o n y a f e w m o n t h s b e f o r e H i l l e r h a d a r r i v e d i n P a r i s , a n d t h a t successful c o n c e r t s o o n h a d b e e n f o l l o w e d b y a p e r f o r m a n c e o f t h e Fifth S y m p h o n y t h a t left t h e c o g n o s c e n t i a m o n g its l i s t e n e r s foudroye, t h u n d e r s t r u c k , a s B e r l i o z r e m e m b e r e d it. B u t t h e p u b l i c p e r f o r m a n c e s o f t h e g r e a t s y m p h o n i e s w e r e far f r o m c o m m o n e v e n t s , a n d i t w a s a t s a l o n s h o s t e d b y t h e m u s i c i a n s a n d artists t h e m s e l v e s , a s w e l l a s b y t h e i r w e a l t h y benefactors,
that Beethoven's
chamber music
regularly was
p e r f o r m e d , analyzed, and profusely praised. It was a m a r k of H i l l e r ' s c h a r m a n d g e n i a l g o o d h u m o r a s m u c h a s o f his f i n a n cial w h e r e w i t h a l t h a t h i s o w n m o n t h l y s a l o n b e c a m e a n e a g e r l y s o u g h t - a f t e r invitation, particularly w h e n his m o t h e r R e g i n e m o v e d t o P a r i s i n 1 8 3 3 for t h e m a n i f e s t p u r p o s e o f h e l p i n g her son make the evenings spent at their h o m e decidedly m e m o r a b l e o n e s . T h e y w e r e lavish n i g h t s , r e p l e t e w i t h f o o d , drink, animated conversation, and the impassioned playing of m u s i c — e v e n i n g s as well, no d o u b t , w h e n a lock of hair in a
black w o o d e n f r a m e s o m e t i m e s was passed f r o m h a n d t o g r a t e ful h a n d . P a r i s w a s s u c h a feast o f a r t a n d p l e a s u r e s , i n fact, t h a t H i l l e r i n s i s t e d t h a t his f r i e n d F e l i x M e n d e l s s o h n , w h o h a d r e m a i n e d i n G e r m a n y , c o m e t a k e p a r t i n it, a n d b e g i n n i n g i n D e c e m b e r 1 8 3 1 , H i l l e r , C h o p i n , Liszt, a n d M e n d e l s s o h n f o r m e d a s h o w y P a r i s i a n f o u r s o m e for a t i m e , p l a y i n g t o g e t h e r r e g u l a r l y a t b o t h c o n c e r t s a n d salon recitals, as w e l l as s p e n d i n g h o u r s each day a t a f a v o r i t e s i d e w a l k cafe o n t h e B o u l e v a r d d e s I t a l i e n s , e a t i n g p a s t r i e s , p l a y i n g c h e s s , a n d t a l k i n g endlessly. M e n d e l s s o h n r e c o u n t e d for his n e w f r i e n d s a n d for H i l l e r h o w , i n t h e s p r i n g o f 1 8 3 0 , h e h a d v i s i t e d G o e t h e a t his h o m e i n W e i m a r , a n d a t t h e a g i n g p o e t ' s i n s i s t e n c e h a d p l a y e d for h i m a s u r v e y o f t h e great music o f t h e age. A l t h o u g h G o e t h e had a c k n o w l e d g e d B e e t h o v e n ' s artistic g e n i u s w h e n t h e y h a d m e t i n T e p l i t z e i g h t e e n y e a r s b e f o r e , t h e t r u e p l e a s u r e s o f his w o r k a l w a y s h a d e s c a p e d h i m , a n d i n t h i s p r i v a t e m u s i c - a p p r e c i a t i o n class l e d b y the y o u n g m a n w h o m he saw as a kind of surrogate grandson, G o e t h e h a d h o p e d s i m p l y t o s k i p o v e r t h e c o m p o s e r w h o m his visitor believed was wanted
nothing to
the
most important of them
do with Beethoven,"
all.
Mendelssohn
"He ex-
p l a i n e d , f e i g n i n g s h o c k , " b u t I t o l d h i m I c o u l d n o t let h i m e s c a p e , a n d p l a y e d t h e f i r s t p a r t o f t h e [Fifth] S y m p h o n y i n C M i n o r . I t h a d a s i n g u l a r effect o n h i m . A t f i r s t h e said, ' t h i s arouses no e m o t i o n ; n o t h i n g but astonishment; it is grandiose.' H e c o n t i n u e d g r u m b l i n g i n this w a y , b u t after a l o n g p a u s e h e b e g a n a g a i n . 'It i s v e r y g r e a t ; q u i t e w i l d ; i t m a k e s o n e fear t h a t t h e h o u s e m i g h t fall d o w n . ' "
T h e three w h o heard the story delighted in the n o t i o n that brave Mendelssohn had made a Beethoven convert of the great bard
of the
German-speaking
world.
But
Chopin,
"Little
C h o p i n e t t o , " as t h e o t h e r s called h i m , actually shared s o m e of Goethe's misgivings about Beethoven's might. C h o p i n certainly was the m o s t quiet, e v e n i n t r o v e r t e d m e m b e r o f t h e Paris fours o m e , his h e a l t h a l r e a d y p o o r w h e n h e m o v e d t o t h e city f r o m W a r s a w i n 1 8 3 1 , his d e m e a n o r fastidious a n d i n e v e r y w a y r e s e r v e d . Effusive a n d f i e r y e x p r e s s i o n s — w h e t h e r m u s i c a l o r o t h erwise—plainly repulsed him, and he did everything he could t o a v o i d t h e c o n s t a n t e m o t i o n a l t h e a t r i c s o f m e n like H e c t o r Berlioz. H e w a s a R o m a n t i c w h o disliked R o m a n t i c i s m , Franz Liszt e x p l a i n e d y e a r s later w h e n h e d e s c r i b e d his b y - t h e n deceased colleague's uncertainties a b o u t t h e cult of admiration they had built a r o u n d the Viennese composer. F o r his p a r t , t h e p a l l i d b u t d a s h i n g L i s z t — h i s face a r r e s t i n g l y h a n d s o m e a n d expressive, his dark hair c h o p p e d in a severe l i n e b e l o w his e a r s — b e l o n g e d , l i k e B e r l i o z , a t t h e h e a d o f t h e q u e u e of true-believers. A native of H u n g a r y , he had lived in P a r i s for m o r e t h a n a d e c a d e b y n o w a n d i n t h a t t i m e h a d e s t a b l i s h e d h i m s e l f a s a s p e c t a c u l a r l y i n n o v a t i v e p i a n i s t , o n e for w h o m t h e p e r f o r m a n c e difficulties i m p o s e d b y B e e t h o v e n ' s c o m p o s i t i o n s o n l y s e r v e d t o h i g h l i g h t his o w n v i r t u o s i t y . " F o r u s m u s i c i a n s , " Liszt a v e r r e d , " B e e t h o v e n ' s w o r k i s like t h e p i l lar o f c l o u d a n d f i r e t h a t g u i d e d t h e Israelites t h r o u g h t h e d e s e r t . " I t w a s a p a t h t h a t H i l l e r a n d his c o m r a d e m u s i c i a n s w e r e k e e n t o a d h e r e t o ; for t h e m i t r e p r e s e n t e d n o t o n l y a c o l legial a p p r e c i a t i o n o f B e e t h o v e n ' s c e r t a i n g e n i u s , b u t also a v i sion of t h e shape their o w n careers as c o m p o s e r s m i g h t take in
t h e years t o c o m e . W r i t i n g s y m p h o n i e s o r string quartets o r piano
pieces
was
taxing and
time-consuming
work,
how-
e v e r — i t d e p e n d e d on a k i n d of daily d r u d g e r y as m u c h as it did on inspiration. B o t h M e n d e l s s o h n and Hiller had the l u x u r i o u s m e a n s t o live a n d w o r k a n y w h e r e that best suited t h e m , and
early
in
1836
Mendelssohn,
already
home
again
in
G e r m a n y , c o n v i n c e d Hiller, n o w nearly t w e n t y - f o u r , that d e s p i t e his f l o u r i s h i n g f r i e n d s h i p s , his g r o w i n g r e p u t a t i o n a s a n o r g a n i n s t r u c t o r , a n d t h e f l a t t e r i n g e s t e e m h e e a r n e d f r o m his r e n o w n e d a n d highly favored sal^n, it was time, nevertheless, for h i m t o f o c u s his e n e r g i e s o n c o m p o s i t i o n , t o " l e a v e t h e Parisian a t m o s p h e r e of glory and pleasure and m o v e into the w o r k i n g quarters."
LUDWIG
VAN
BEETHOVEN
NEVER
JOURNEYED
to
England, as he long had h o p e d he would, n o r did he ever ret u r n t o t h e b r o a d valley o f t h e R h i n e w h e r e h e h a d b e e n r a i s e d . B u t t h e l o c k o f his l o n g h a i r t h a t h a d b e e n c u t f r o m his corpse by Ferdinand Hiller had b e c o m e remarkably peripatetic by 1844. It h a d traveled in Hiller's careful c o m p a n y first to Frankfurt and W e i m a r in
Germany,
to pleasure-laden Paris
w h e r e i t h a d r e m a i n e d for six y e a r s , t h e n i t j o i n e d t h e y o u n g c o m p o s e r i n his n e a r l y a n n u a l m o v e s b a c k t o F r a n k f u r t , o n t o Milan, to Frankfurt o n c e m o r e , then to Leipzig before r e t u r n ing
to
Italy—to
Florence
and
Rome
this
time—then
to
Frankfurt again, t h e n again to Leipzig, a n d finally to D r e s d e n , w h e r e a t last H i l l e r s l o w e d his m a r c h a n d s e t t l e d for t h r e e
y e a r s . S i n c e his d e p a r t u r e f r o m P a r i s , H i l l e r h a d b e e n i n s e a r c h o f a stable a n d l o n g - t e r m artistic p o s i t i o n , a t t e m p t i n g a s b e s t h e could to transform himself from child prodigy and adolescent savant i n t o a musician of m a t u r e r e n o w n . B u t for reasons that seemed to have m o r e to do with p o o r luck and unfortunate t i m i n g t h a n w i t h p a r t i c u l a r d e f i c i e n c i e s o n his p a r t , h e h a d y e t t o find t h e j o b h e w a n t e d , a n d w i t h o u t t h e k i n d o f security t h a t his f r i e n d F e l i x M e n d e l s s o h n h a d a c h i e v e d i n L e i p z i g — w h e r e he had b e c o m e director of the r e n o w n e d Gewandhaus O r c h e s t r a — i t s e e m e d t o F e r d i n a n d H i l l e r t h a t h e h a d little c h o i c e b u t t o g o w h e r e v e r fresh o p p o r t u n i t i e s l e d h i m . Hiller had held n u m e r o u s s h o r t - t e r m musical positions in Frankfurt a n d R o m e d u r i n g the 1830s; i n Milan, h e had d i r e c t e d t h e r a t h e r w a n l y r e c e i v e d p r o d u c t i o n o f Romilda,
his
first o p e r a , a n d i n L e i p z i g h e h a d o v e r s e e n a h u g e l y successful production Jerusalem.
He
of
the
oratorio
had replaced
he
titled
The
Mendelssohn in
Destruction
1841
while
of his
friend spent a hiatus in Berlin, b u t d u r i n g that year in w h i c h Hiller had m a n a g e d the Leipzig orchestra, a calamitous but u n e x p l a i n e d rift h a d d e v e l o p e d b e t w e e n h i m a n d M e n d e l s s o h n . N e i t h e r m a n w o u l d d e s c r i b e t h e details o f w h a t h a d g o n e s o a w r y b e t w e e n t h e m — i t was a quarrel caused by "social, n o t p e r s o n a l , sensitivities," Hiller o n l y w o u l d s a y — a n d each r e m a i n e d unwilling to repair the twenty-year-old relationship w i t h o u t first r e c e i v i n g a s i g n o f a p o l o g y f r o m t h e o t h e r . D u r i n g a s o j o u r n i n Italy t h e y e a r b e f o r e , H i l l e r h a d m e t a n d p r o m p t l y m a r r i e d singer Antolka H o g e , a native of Poland w h o , b e c a u s e o f h e r striking beauty, h a d b e e n d u b b e d L a Bella
P o l a c c a b y t h e m u s i c a l press. S h e w a s a C a t h o l i c ; H i l l e r l o n g had been a nonpracticing Jew, and the t w o chose to contend w i t h what w o u l d have been perceived as a scandalous i n c o m patibility by b e c o m i n g Protestants, a decision that was m a d e m u c h m o r e for convenience than out of a shared and n e w f o u n d faith. U n l i k e his f r i e n d H e c t o r B e r l i o z , w h o a l w a y s h a d b e e n s o b o l d , s o u t t e r l y o p e n a b o u t his r o m a n t i c e n t a n g l e m e n t s , H i l l e r , o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , a l w a y s h a d k e p t t h e details o f his r e l a t i o n s h i p s w i t h w o m e n r a t h e r s e c r e t . D e s p i t e his g r e g a r i o u s n a t u r e a n d his c o n s t a n t c o n v i v i a l i t y , H i l l e r w a s essentially p r i v a t e , a n d e v e n his d i a r y o n l y o b l i q u e l y refers t o t h e l i k e l i h o o d t h a t i n its f i r s t y e a r s his m a r r i a g e t o A n t o l k a w a s n o t a n easy o n e . O u t g o i n g F e r d i n a n d c o n t i n u e d t o e n j o y t h e c o m p a n i o n s h i p o f f e m a l e f r i e n d s — r e l a t i o n s h i p s t h a t his n e w w i f e a l w a y s w a s w a r y of-—and d e s p i t e
t h e fact t h a t t h e
would
than
remain
childless
for
more
a
decade,
couple Antolka
quickly was forced to subsume her singing career to her h u s b a n d ' s q u e s t for a stable a n d s u i t a b l y p r e s t i g i o u s m u s i c a l p o s i t i o n , n e c e s s a r i l y a b a n d o n i n g h e r b u r g e o n i n g f a m e i n Italy for t h e life o f a n i t i n e r a n t G e r m a n c o m p o s e r ' s w i f e . O n c e t h e y w e r e settled i n D r e s d e n i n 1844, A n t o l k a Hiller j o i n e d h e r h u s b a n d i n e s t a b l i s h i n g y e t a n o t h e r o f h i s s t o r i e d sal o n s , a f r e q u e n t g a t h e r i n g o f t h e city's artists a n d i n t e l l e c t u a l s that
this t i m e i n c l u d e d c o m p o s e r a n d m u s i c
critic R o b e r t
S c h u m a n n a n d his n e w w i f e , C l a r a , a s w e l l a s R i c h a r d W a g n e r , w h o s e dramatically innovative opera
Tannhduser r e c e n t l y h a d
been premiered before rather puzzled Dresden audiences. T h e t w o S c h u m a n n s , like s o m a n y o f F e r d i n a n d Hiller's musical
contemporaries,
were
ardent
believers
in
the
genius
of
B e e t h o v e n , a n d t h e fact t h a t H i l l e r r e p e a t e d l y c o u l d r e g a l e t h e m w i t h t h e tale o f his d e a t h b e d visits t o t h e m a s t e r f o r m e d an i m p o r t a n t c o m p o n e n t of their b u d d i n g friendship. F o r his p a r t , W a g n e r ' s p a s s i o n for B e e t h o v e n e v e n s u r p a s s e d the adoration of the Schumanns, with w h o m he had b e c o m e friends p r i o r to their separate arrivals in D r e s d e n in t h e 1840s. In
much
beguiled,
the it
same had
way
been
in
at
a
which Paris
Berlioz first had Conservatoire
been
concert—in
W a g n e r ' s case, a n 1 8 3 9 p e r f o r m a n c e o f t h e N i n t h S y m p h o n y , w h i c h w o u l d b e c o m e his l i f e l o n g o b s e s s i o n — w h e n h e h a d discovered the transcendent p o w e r of Beethoven's music. Like B e r l i o z , W a g n e r t o o c o u l d i m a g i n e n o artistic g e n i u s g r e a t e r t h a n that w h i c h Shakespeare a n d B e e t h o v e n clearly h a d shared; a n d like t h e F r e n c h m a n as well, W a g n e r was s p e l l b o u n d :
T h e effect o n m e w a s i n d e s c r i b a b l e .
T o this m u s t b e
added the impression p r o d u c e d on me by Beethoven's features, w h i c h I saw in the lithographs that w e r e c i r c u l a t e d e v e r y w h e r e a t t h a t t i m e , a n d b y t h e fact t h a t h e w a s deaf, a n d l i v e d a q u i e t , s e c l u d e d life. I s o o n c o n c e i v e d an image of h i m in my m i n d as a sublime and unique supernatural being, w i t h w h o m n o n e
could compare.
image
brain
was
associated
in
the
with
This
that
of
S h a k e s p e a r e ; i n ecstatic d r e a m s I m e t b o t h o f t h e m , s a w and
spoke
to
b a t h e d in tears.
them,
and on
awakening found
myself
N o t o n l y in D r e s d e n , b u t in Paris as well by t h e 1840s, praise for B e e t h o v e n ' s m u s i c h a d b e c o m e w i d e s p r e a d . N o l o n g e r w a s his m u s i c t o o a v a n t - g a r d e for F r e n c h tastes, o r for a n y o t h e r s , n o r w a s i t his m u s i c a l o n e t h a t h a d c a p t u r e d p e o p l e ' s f a s c i n a tion.
In t h e n i n e t e e n years since B e e t h o v e n ' s death, y o u n g
R o m a n t i c s l i k e W a g n e r , B e r l i o z , Liszt, t h e t w o S c h u m a n n s — a n d F e r d i n a n d H i l l e r — h a d s h o u t e d t h a t t h e r e must h a v e b e e n s o m e t h i n g s u p e r n a t u r a l a b o u t t h e m u s i c i a n himself; s u r e l y n o ordinary mortal could have reached such creative heights.
IN THE
DAYS
IMMEDIATELY
F O L L O W I N G the composer's
d e a t h , a p y r a m i d a l h e a d s t o n e h a d b e e n laid a t his g r a v e i n t h e W a h r i n g cemetery, bearing only the w o r d BEETHOVEN in c a p ital l e t t e r s . H i s e s t a t e h a d b e e n i n v e n t o r i e d , t h e n a u c t i o n e d — everything
from
manuscripts
to
musical
instruments,
from
household goods to clothes and shoes. Stephan v o n B r e u n i n g , t h e e x e c u t o r o f B e e t h o v e n ' s e s t a t e a n d his c h o i c e t o b e c o m e his n e p h e w Karl's g u a r d i a n , h a d d i e d u n e x p e c t e d l y o n l y t w o m o n t h s after B e e t h o v e n ' s d e a t h , a n d t h e w o r k o f d i s p o s i n g o f t h e e s t a t e — a s w e l l a s t h e f u t u r e o v e r s i g h t o f Karl's i n h e r i tance—had gone to lawyer Jacob Hotschevar. A n t o n Schindler, the factotum w h o m Beethoven b o t h had n e e d e d greatly and m u c h mistrusted, had helped himself d u r i n g t h e d a y s after t h e c o m p o s e r ' s d e a t h t o f o u r b u n d l e s o f c o n versation books,
m a n y manuscripts and letters, Beethoven's
eyeglasses a n d e a r t r u m p e t s , a f a v o r i t e c l o c k , a s w e l l a s o t h e r
m e m o r a b i l i a — t h e w r i t t e n materials taken w i t h Beethoven's prior permission, Schindler had contended, because they w e r e t o b e passed along t o J o h a n n F r i e d r i c h R o c h l i t z , t h e l o n g t i m e editor
of
the
Allgemeine
musikalische
Zeitung
and
the
man
B e e t h o v e n h a d h o p e d w o u l d b e his b i o g r a p h e r . B u t w h e n a g e a n d illness h a d p r e v e n t e d R o c h l i t z f r o m u n d e r t a k i n g t h e p r o j ect, Schindler believed that he had had no c h o i c e b u t to take it
on
himself,
producing
a
book
alleging
that
he
and
Beethoven had worked together longer and m u c h m o r e amicably t h a n t h e y actually had, a b o o k w h o s e accuracy w i t h r e g a r d t o m a n y a s p e c t s o f t h e c o m p o s e r ' s life q u i c k l y h a d b e e n c a l l e d i n t o q u e s t i o n . T h e first r e l i a b l e a c c o u n t o f B e e t h o v e n ' s life h a d b e e n p u b l i s h e d b y t h e c o m p o s e r ' s c l o s e c h i l d h o o d friend Franz
Wegeler
a
decade
later.
With
the
help
of
Beethoven's devoted piano pupil Ferdinand Ries, Wegeler had assembled d o c u m e n t s , anecdotes, and impressions from a variety of sources into a "biographical n o t e " that he had intended t o b e o f foremost interest t o people w h o k n e w the c o m p o s e r o r t o t h o s e w h o w e r e p a s s i o n a t e a b o u t his m u s i c , a s w e l l a s a v a l u a b l e r e s o u r c e for t h e b i o g r a p h e r w h o o n e d a y w o u l d w r i t e a c o m p r e h e n s i v e life o f B e e t h o v e n — a task t h a t a y o u n g l a w y e r from America named Alexander W h e e l o c k Thayer had begun t o c o n t e m p l a t e , i n fact. Almost as spellbound by Beethoven's music as the R o m a n t i c composers were, in the b e g i n n i n g T h a y e r simply had h o p e d to w r i t e a t r a n s l a t i o n o f S c h i n d l e r ' s b o o k for A m e r i c a n r e a d e r s , b u t w h e n he had b e g u n to c o m p a r e it to Wegeler and Ries's Notizen, h e h a d b e e n s t r u c k b y t h e m a n y s u b s t a n t i a l d i s c r e p a n cies b e t w e e n t h e m . I n o r d e r t o r e c o n c i l e t h e t w o a n d t o p r o -
duce a third b o o k that could be d e e m e d trustworthy in every d e t a i l , T h a y e r n o w h o p e d t o t r a v e l t o E u r o p e t o i n i t i a t e his o w n p r i m a r y r e s e a r c h for a m o n u m e n t a l p r o j e c t t h a t h e w o u l d n o t even b e g i n until 1849 and w h i c h , in the end, w o u l d c o n s u m e t h e r e s t o f his life. B i o g r a p h i e s o f t h e g r e a t m a n w e r e fine, a s far a s t h e y w e n t , b u t fierce B e e t h o v e n p a r t i s a n s s u c h a s F r a n z Liszt w e r e c o n v i n c e d t h a t a p h y s i c a l m o n u m e n t h o n o r i n g h i m a n d his i m mortality was immediately m u c h m o r e important.
In 1839,
Liszt h a d c o m e t o t h e r e s c u e o f a ^ g r o u p o f d i s t i n g u i s h e d c i t i z e n s i n B o n n w h o w e r e w o r k i n g t o raise t h e f u n d s t o e r e c t a s t a t u e i n h o n o r o f t h e i r city's n a t i v e s o n . T o a i d t h e m i n t h e i r efforts, Liszt h a d o r g a n i z e d a n d p e r f o r m e d a t a s e r i e s o f b e n e fit c o n c e r t s i n V i e n n a , P a r i s , a n d L o n d o n , e a c h o n e f e a t u r i n g m u s i c b y t h e m a s t e r , a n d b y w a y o f e x p r e s s i n g its t h a n k s t o h i m , t h e c o m m i t t e e i n t u r n r e q u e s t e d t h a t Liszt c o m p o s e a n e w w o r k t h a t w o u l d b e p r e m i e r e d a t a gala " B e e t h o v e n Festival," t h e h i g h l i g h t o f w h i c h w o u l d b e t h e u n v e i l i n g o f t h e grand statue of B e e t h o v e n in Bonn's Miinsterplatz. In August
1845, the bronze m o n u m e n t , designed by r e -
n o w n e d Dresden sculptor Ernst Julius Hahnel, was completed a n d i n p l a c e ; f i v e t h o u s a n d v i s i t o r s h a d d e s c e n d e d o n t h e small city, a n d a h i g h - m i n d e d a n d l a u d a t o r y c a n t a t a c o m p o s e d b y Liszt w a s r e a d y for p e r f o r m a n c e . T h e f o u r - d a y festival w a s a g r a n d l y successful, i f c h a o t i c e v e n t — t h e r e w e r e p e r f o r m a n c e s o f t h e Missa solemnis a n d t h e N i n t h S y m p h o n y a s w e l l a s t h e c a n t a t a b y Liszt; t h e r e w e r e g r a n d s o i r e e s a n d d i n n e r s a n d e v e n the
christening and
maiden
voyage
of the
S.S.
Ludwig van
Beethoven, w h i c h h e n c e f o r t h w o u l d p l y t h e l a n g u i d w a t e r s o f
the R h i n e — c u l m i n a t i n g in the unveiling of a larger-than-life figure of B e e t h o v e n , standing high on a pedestal and w e a r i n g r o b e s m e a n t t o m a k e h i m l o o k m a g i s t e r i a l a n d m o r e t h a n a little o t h e r w o r l d l y , h o l d i n g a p e n i n o n e h a n d a n d a n o t e b o o k i n the other. Eighty-year-old Franz W e g e l e r p r o u d l y was in attendance at t h e dedication; so t o o was H e c t o r Berlioz, n o w feeling distressingly old a t f o r t y - o n e . B u t F r e d e r i c C h o p i n d e c l i n e d t o a t t e n d t h e e v e n t s i m p l y b e c a u s e its p r o s p e c t s o u r e d his s t o m ach.
" L i s z t i s t o call o u t t h e h u r r a h s i n B o n n , w h e r e t h e
B e e t h o v e n m o n u m e n t i s t o b e p l a c e d , " h e w r o t e t o his f a m i l y i n t h e d a y s b e f o r e t h e festival b e g a n . " I n B o n n t h e y a r e s e l l i n g c i g a r s , veritables cigarres a la Beethoven, w h o p r o b a b l y s m o k e d n o t h i n g b u t V i e n n e s e p i p e s ; a n d t h e r e a l r e a d y has b e e n s u c h a sale o f o l d b u r e a u s a n d o l d d e s k s t h a t b e l o n g e d t o B e e t h o v e n t h a t t h e p o o r c o m p o s e r de la symphonie pastorale w o u l d h a v e h a d to d r i v e a h u g e trade in furniture." N e i t h e r was Felix M e n d e l s s o h n p r e s e n t , i n p a r t b e c a u s e his h e a l t h w a s p o o r , b u t also b e c a u s e h e , like C h o p i n , w a s d i s t r e s s e d b y t h e d e g r e e o f p e r s o n a l s h o w m a n s h i p h e w a s s u r e Liszt w o u l d d i s p l a y d u r i n g the four days, unfairly d i v e r t i n g a t t e n t i o n f r o m the n o m i n a l h o n o r e e . F e r d i n a n d Hiller, w h o r e m a i n e d a t h o m e i n D r e s d e n t h a t A u g u s t , s h a r e d C h o p i n ' s c o n c e r n , b u t h e also h a d g r o w n w a r y o f Liszt for a n o t h e r r e a s o n — b e c a u s e , H i l l e r h a d h e a r d r u m b l i n g s , t h e b o l d H u n g a r i a n n o w m a d e n o s e c r e t o f t h e fact t h a t h e d i d n o t like J e w s . I t w a s difficult t o b e l i e v e i n t h e b e g i n n i n g . T h e t w o m e n h a d r e v e l e d i n each other's c o m p a n y d u r i n g t h e i r Paris days; t h e y h a d m a d e s e v e r a l r e n d e z v o u s i n Italy, a n d a l t h o u g h t h e
m a n y miles that physically h a d separated t h e m m e a n t that t h e y d i d n o t see e a c h o t h e r o f t e n , t h e y h a d c o n t i n u e d t o e x c h a n g e w a r m , i f o n l y p e r i o d i c , g r e e t i n g s b y m a i l . Still s t u n g b y t h e r u p t u r e o f his f r i e n d s h i p w i t h M e n d e l s s o h n , F e r d i n a n d H i l l e r h a d b e e n d e t e r m i n e d n o t t o lose a n o t h e r l o n g - t e r m r e l a t i o n ship, a n d h e h a d simply i g n o r e d t h e occasional r u m o r s h e h a d h e a r d d u r i n g the t h r e e years he spent as an i n t e r i m music d i r e c t o r i n Diisseldorf b e f o r e b e g i n n i n g his f i r s t h e a d y a n d h e a r t e n i n g years in C o l o g n e — j u s t a d o z e n miles d o w n the R h i n e f r o m B o n n — w h e r e i n 1 8 5 0 h e h a d b e e n a p p o i n t e d t h e city's p e r m a n e n t Kapellmeister, t h e p o s i t i o n h e p a t i e n t l y h a d b e e n i n s e a r c h o f f o r t h e past f o u r t e e n y e a r s . I n 1 8 5 1 , H i l l e r w e n t s o far b y w a y o f r e a c h i n g o u t t o his f o r m e r p i a n o p a r t n e r as
to
dedicate
his Etudes RJrythmiques t o
Liszt, still t h e f i n e s t p i a n i s t H i l l e r e v e r h a d h e a r d . A y e a r later, Liszt r e t u r n e d t h e c o m m e n d a t i o n , w r i t i n g t o H i l l e r t o c o m m u n i c a t e t o h i m " t h e i m m e d i a t e impression o f y o u r beautiful s y m p h o n y that was p e r f o r m e d t o n i g h t in o u r t h e a t e r . . . a n d it is w i t h great sincerity that I transmit to y o u the c o m p l i m e n t s o f y o u r p u b l i c i n W e i m a r , " w h e r e Liszt n o w s e r v e d a s m u s i c director
for
Grand
Duke
Charles
Alexander.
Yet
within
m o n t h s o f m a i l i n g t h a t letter, Liszt n o n e t h e l e s s o p e n l y a s s a u l t e d J e w s i n g e n e r a l — a n d H i l l e r b y i m p l i c a t i o n — i n his n e w b o o k o n H u n g a r i a n gypsies a n d their music, p u b l i s h e d f i r s t i n F r a n c e a s Les Bohemiens, w h i c h c o n t e n d e d t h a t J e w s l a c k e d a n y c r e ative
abilities
and
recommended
that
they
leave
cultured
E u r o p e en masse a n d relocate in Palestine. Was it possible that the author of those sentiments did not k n o w that Ferdinand Hiller, t h e n o m i n a l L u t h e r a n , was Jewish? A l m o s t certainly it
w a s n o t , especially g i v e n Hiller's o w n assertion that h e n e v e r h a d b e e n " m o d e s t e n o u g h t o c o n c e a l t h e fact t h a t I b e l o n g t o o n e of the world's oldest races, t h r o u g h w h i c h I h a v e h a d the h o n o r o f e n r i c h i n g t h e city treasury e v e r y w e e k , " b y p a y i n g t h e tariffs t h a t t h e n w e r e i m p o s e d o n J e w s b y t h e G e r m a n g o v ernment. A l t h o u g h no evidence survives indicating w h e t h e r Hiller r e a d Liszt's w o r d s s o o n after t h e y w e r e p u b l i s h e d o r first h e a r d of t h e m from p e r p l e x e d friends, it is clear that their r e l a t i o n ship did n o t take a dramatic d o w n w a r d t u r n until 1855, t h r e e y e a r s after Les Bohemiens a p p e a r e d , a d e t e r i o r a t i o n t h a t b e g a n to be expressed publicly t h r o u g h the t w o men's crescendoing c r i t i c i s m s o f e a c h o t h e r ' s t a l e n t s . Liszt, like W a g n e r , h a d b e c o m e a n a v i d p r o p o n e n t o f w h a t p e o p l e h a d b e g u n t o call t h e N e w S c h o o l , a n d t h a t Liszt a n d his f r i e n d a n d c o n f e d e r a t e R i c h a r d W a g n e r s i m p l y l i k e d t o call " t h e m u s i c o f t h e f u t u r e . " B e e t h o v e n ' s R o m a n t i c flame still b u r n e d b r i g h t l y , a s far a s Liszt was c o n c e r n e d , but m a n y of the composers w h o had followed h i m h a d failed t h e m a s t e r b y c r e a t i n g a t e p i d k i n d o f m u s i c o f t h e i r o w n t h a t w a s " n e i t h e r fish n o r m e a t , " a s h e p u t it, c o m plaining as well that Hiller seemed "philosophically disintere s t e d " i n h i s o w n m u s i c o r a n y o n e else's. T h e b e a r d e d , b a l d i n g , a n d b y n o w r o t u n d Kapellmeister f r o m C o l o g n e r e s p o n d e d c u t t i n g l y i n k i n d , w r i t i n g a l o n g a n d b l i s t e r i n g r e v i e w for t h e Kolnische Zeitung,
C o l o g n e ' s l e a d i n g n e w s p a p e r , of Liszt's p e r -
formance as a c o m p o s e r and c o n d u c t o r at the 1857 A a c h e n M u s i c Festival, b u t p e n n i n g o n l y t w o w o r d s a b o u t t h e e v e n t i n his p e r s o n a l d i a r y : " M y R a g e ! " W h e n W a g n e r , n o w i n e x i l e i n Z u r i c h b e c a u s e o f his r a d i c a l
p o l i t i c s , r e a d H i l l e r ' s a s s e s s m e n t , h e w a s q u i c k t o d e f e n d Liszt against w h a t h e b e l i e v e d h a d b e e n a n u n w a r r a n t e d attack b y t h e "FalstafF from C o l o g n e , " a r e f e r e n c e m e a n t as a j a b at Hiller's physical b u l k as well as an i r o n i c r e m i n d e r that he w a s r e n o w n e d for his g e n i a l i t y r a t h e r t h a n his v e n o m . W a g n e r himself was u n c o n s t r a i n e d by a similar r e p u t a t i o n , a n d s o o n he w r o t e d i r e c d y t o H i l l e r t o tell h i m h o w d i s t r e s s e d h e w a s t o hear
that
Hiller
recently
Konservatorium in C o l o g n e .
had
reestablished
the
music
" B e t t e ^ a Destruktorium," he p o i n t -
edly suggested, before a d d i n g that he h o p e d Hiller w o u l d n o t t a k e his r e m a r k s t o o p e r s o n a l l y . I t w a s a h o p e W a g n e r p r o fessed t o c l i n g t o d e s p i t e t h e fact t h a t s e v e n y e a r s e a r l i e r h e h a d p u b l i s h e d a n o n y m o u s l y his o w n d i a t r i b e a g a i n s t J e w s , o n e t h a t h a d p r e c e d e d Liszt's racist r e m a r k s , i n fact. I n h i s 1 8 5 0 b o o k , Jewry in Music—which w a s r e r e l e a s e d , this t i m e w i t h his n a m e a t t a c h e d t o it, i n 1 8 6 9 — W a g n e r h a d i s s u e d a d a m n i n g i n d i c t ment
of the Jewish
spirit
and
its p e r n i c i o u s
influence
on
G e r m a n culture. J e w s , h e declared, w e r e interested i n art o n l y i n o r d e r t o sell it, a n d t h e y w e r e h o r r i b l y d e t r i m e n t a l t o t h e Fatherland's
cultural glory because they w o r k e d to
convert
t h e lofty r e a l m o f artistic c r e a t i o n i n t o a m e r e m a r k e t p l a c e . Without
mentioning
Hiller
or
anyone
else
by
name,
he
l a m e n t e d t h e fact t h a t J e w s n o w h e l d i m p o r t a n t artistic p o s i t i o n s t h r o u g h o u t G e r m a n y , and h e w o r r i e d that they i n a p p r o priately influenced music and the theater in particular. B y 1 8 7 0 , n e i t h e r W a g n e r n o r L i s z t — w h o lately h a d b e c o m e Wagner's father-in-law—pretended any longer that they r e tained
remnants
of their
early
friendships
with
Ferdinand
Hiller, a n d h e , i n t u r n , n o w was b l u n t a n d i m p a s s i o n e d i n his
assaults o n t h e t w o m e n ' s p o l i t i c s a s w e l l a s t h e k i n d s o f m u s i c they
made.
"Richard,
the
Wagnerian,
[began
to]
hurl
his
a n a t h e m a a g a i n s t t h e J e w s f r o m his p u l p i t i n S w i t z e r l a n d s o m e y e a r s a g o . . ." H i l l e r w r o t e in t h e Kolnische Zeitung, " a n d n o w h e h a s p u b l i s h e d a n e w p a m p h l e t t h a t i s b u r s t i n g w i t h falseh o o d a n d i n j u s t i c e . " T w o y e a r s later, H i l l e r j o k e d b i t t e r l y i n a letter t o his colleague, t h e c o n d u c t o r H e r m a n n Levi, " Y o u h a d n ' t t o l d m e t h a t y o u r e c e i v e d a kiss f r o m W a g n e r . I t s e e m s h e w a s n ' t afraid o f t h e J e w i s h c o n t a g i o n ! " A n d a g a i n i n t h e Kolnische Zeitung, H i l l e r w a s a c i d i c i n his r e s p o n s e t o t h e n e w s paper's
suggestion
Cologne—where Lohengrin—would
be
that he
Wagner's
would
akin
to
stage "a
upcoming and
bold
appearance
conduct
knight
his
in
opera
[entering]
the
c a m p o f d e c l a r e d e n e m i e s " : " I c a n n o t d e n y t h e fact t h e g r e a t e r part of w h a t H e r r W a g n e r writes, composes, and does is extremely unpleasant to me," Hiller w r o t e . "I must nevertheless p o i n t o u t t h a t I h a v e p r e s e n t e d his c o n c e r t c o m p o s i t i o n s t o t h e p u b l i c i n s p l e n d i d p e r f o r m a n c e s o v e r t h e y e a r s . T o see H e r r W a g n e r c o n d u c t i n g o n e o f his w o r k s i s s o m e t h i n g t h a t s h o u l d i n t e r e s t his foes a n d f o l l o w e r s alike, e s p e c i a l l y s i n c e h e w i l l b e u s i n g a b a t o n for t h i s a n d n o t his v i l e G e r m a n p r o s e . "
FELIX
MENDELSSOHN,
ONLY THIRTY-EIGHT,
had died
s u d d e n l y in 1847 before he a n d F e r d i n a n d Hiller had b e e n able to reconstruct their long and once-vital friendship, the dissol u t i o n o f w h i c h h e still c o n s i d e r e d " o n e o f t h e g r e a t e s t losses I h a v e h a d t o e n d u r e i n m y restless life."
Chopin,
the man
w h o m H i l l e r a d m i t t e d h e h a d fallen a little i n l o v e w i t h w h e n t h e y m e t i n w o n d r o u s Paris, h a d b e e n sickly since that t i m e a n d h a d d i e d t w o y e a r s after M e n d e l s s o h n ; S c h u m a n n , w h o s e m i n d h a d b e t r a y e d h i m , h a d s p e n t his f i n a l y e a r s i n a n a s y l u m i n B o n n b e f o r e his d e a t h i n
1856;
and dear and ebullient
B e r l i o z , o n c e s o w i l d a n d f l u s h w i t h life, n o w w a s g o n e a s w e l l . Liszt a n d t h e racist W a g n e r r e m a i n e d a m o n g t h e q u i c k , a n d a l t h o u g h Liszt l a m e l y i n s i s t e d t h a t t h e a n t i - S e m i t i c beliefs a t t r i b u t e d t o h i m h a d b e e n i n s e r t e d i n t o h i s b o o k w i t h o u t his a p p r o v a l b y his l o n g t i m e m i s t r e s s V r i n c e s s C a r o l y n e o f S a y n Wittgenstein, and that he was a friend of m a n y J e w s , b o t h m e n p r e s e n t l y w e r e a s far f r o m H i l l e r ' s life a s h e c o u l d p u s h t h e m . T h e aging R o m a n t i c n o w was quite alone. Y e t for t w e n t y y e a r s F e r d i n a n d H i l l e r h a d b e e n t h e d y n a m i c s p a r k o f C o l o g n e ' s r i c h m u s i c a l life, a n d h e w a s g r e a t l y g r a t i f i e d b y w h a t h e h a d a c c o m p l i s h e d . T h e city's m u s i c c o n s e r v a t o r y f l o u r i s h e d n o w a n d its e d u c a t i o n a l q u a l i t y w a s h e r a l d e d t h r o u g h o u t G e r m a n y ; h e h a d e s t a b l i s h e d t h e city's m o n t h l y Giirzenich c o n c e r t s , as w e l l as t h e Niederrheinische Musikfeste, a s u m m e r festival, b r i n g i n g E u r o p e ' s f i n e s t m u s i c i a n s a n d c o m posers to C o l o g n e , as well as achieving there over m a n y years w h a t h e still b e l i e v e d h a d b e e n " m y g r e a t e s t j o y , m y g r e a t e s t s o u r c e o f p r i d e — t o b e able t o c o n d u c t s o m a n y m a r v e l o u s performances of the N i n t h S y m p h o n y of Beethoven." D u r i n g his t e n u r e i n C o l o g n e , H i l l e r h a d b e c o m e m u c h s o u g h t - a f t e r as a visiting c o n d u c t o r by orchestras across the c o n t i n e n t ; he had organized and judged dozens of performance competit i o n s ; h e h a d b e c o m e a r e s p e c t e d w r i t e r a n d c r i t i c , a n d his skills a s a p i a n i s t — w h i c h f i r s t h a d c a u g h t t h e c o n n o i s s e u r s '
attention fifty years
before—still
were
t h e stuff o f l e g e n d .
H i l l e r a n d his w i f e , A n t o l k a , i t w a s t r u e , n e v e r h a d f o u n d a w a y to forge a j o y o u s m a r r i a g e or a truly supportive p a r t n e r ship,
but they
had chosen to
remain by each
o t h e r ' s side
nonetheless, and their C o l o g n e salon h a d b e c o m e as storied o v e r t h e y e a r s a s t h o s e g a t h e r i n g s t h e y h a d h o s t e d i n cities e l s e w h e r e . A n d although Hiller virtually never w r o t e or spoke p u b l i c l y a b o u t his f a m i l y life,
i t i s also
clear that he w a s
m u c h a d o r e d b y his son, Paul, a n d his d a u g h t e r , T o n y , b o t h of w h o m
had
r e a c h e d t h e i r early
adulthoods
by
n o w and
w h o , t o his g r e a t d e l i g h t , h a d b e c o m e m u s i c i a n s t h e m s e l v e s . But at those m o m e n t s w h e n he was utterly honest w i t h h i m self, H i l l e r also h a d t o c o n f e s s a s i n g l e y e t e n o r m o u s d i s a p pointment: he had not become the towering composer he once b e l i e v e d h e c o u l d b e . H e r e m e m b e r e d w h a t his b e l o v e d m e n t o r J o h a n n H u m m e l o n c e h a d t o l d h i m a b o u t his o w n efforts t o achieve a certain greatness, and he w o n d e r e d w h e t h e r a similar fate m i g h t h a v e b e f a l l e n h i m . " I n m y o p i n i o n , H u m m e l w o u l d have achieved m o r e as a c o m p o s e r if Beethoven's o v e r p o w e r i n g g e n i u s h a d n o t a p p e a r e d r i g h t i n t h e m i d d l e o f his d e v e l o p m e n t like a t e r r i b l e t r o u b l e m a k e r , " H i l l e r w r o t e i n his b o o k Lives of the Artists.
" ' I t w a s a s e r i o u s m o m e n t for me w h e n
B e e t h o v e n a p p e a r e d , ' m y m a s t e r t o l d m e o n e day. ' S h o u l d I r e ally a t t e m p t t o f o l l o w i n t h e f o o t s t e p s o f s u c h a g e n i u s ? F o r a long while I did n o t k n o w w h e r e my place w a s . ' " Ferdinand Hiller t o o h a d faced f o r m i d a b l e c o m p e t i t i o n a l o n g t h e w a y — his m i n d r e e l e d t o t h i n k o f t h e e x t r a o r d i n a r y n u m b e r o f g r e a t c o m p o s e r s w h o m h e h a d c o u n t e d a m o n g his f r i e n d s — b u t n o w
he could n o t help but w o n d e r w h e t h e r he too had been too s l o w t o r e c o g n i z e his p l a c e . N o n e o f h i s six o p e r a s e v e r h a d b e e n r e c e i v e d enthusiastically;
only o n e
o f his
three sym-
p h o n i e s h a d f a r e d b e t t e r ; his o r a t o r i o s , o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , h a d b e e n b o t h p o p u l a r a n d critical successes, a n d h e a g r e e d that his s o n g s a n d p i a n o p i e c e s likely w e r e his b e s t w o r k , b u t h e r e mained haunted by what Mendelssohn had told h i m as long ago a s 1 8 3 7 , w h e n H i l l e r h a d b e g g e d for a n h o n e s t c r i t i q u e : " I b e l i e v e t h a t y o u a r e n o w e q u a l t o a m / m u s i c i a n a s far a s t a l e n t i s concerned, but I do not k n o w of any piece of yours w h i c h is p r o p e r l y c a r r i e d o u t . " M u c h later, a t a b o u t t h e r i m e w h e n t h e i r falling o u t c o m m e n c e d , Liszt, t o o , f r a n k l y h a d f o u n d H i l l e r ' s m u s i c w a n t i n g : " O n e c o u l d r e p r o a c h h i m for n o t h a v i n g faults, a n d for n o t g i v i n g sufficient g r o u n d s for c r i t i c i s m . H e s h o w s himself to be a musician w h o is well organized and experie n c e d , w h i c h h e i s i n all t h i n g s , w i t h o u t b e i n g a m a s t e r o f a n y o n e o f t h e m . " A n d b e f o r e h e h a d b e c o m e m e n t a l l y ill, i t w a s S c h u m a n n w h o h a d said i t all t o o s u c c i n c t l y : H i l l e r ' s m u s i c s i m p l y " l a c k e d t h a t t r i u m p h a n t p o w e r t h a t w e a r e u n a b l e t o resist." For the occasion of w h a t w o u l d have been Beethoven's eightieth birthday, Hiller had c o m p o s e d b o t h text a n d m u s i c for a c a n t a t a i n his h o n o r , p e r f o r m e d for t h e f i r s t a n d o n l y t i m e a t a C o l o g n e Society C o n c e r t o n the night o f D e c e m b e r 17, 1850. T w o d e c a d e s later, F e r d i n a n d H i l l e r h a d p r o p o s e d i n a l o n g e s s a y — p u b l i s h e d in a special issue of t h e m a g a z i n e Salon t h a t celebrated Beethoven's c e n t e n a r y — p r e c i s e l y w h e r e the light of his g e n i u s s h o n e m o s t b r i g h t l y . H e h a d c o n c l u d e d t h a t t h e f u n d a m e n t a l brilliance of t h e master's music w a s that it achieved
softness
without
weakness,
enthusiasm
without
hol-
lowness, l o n g i n g w i t h o u t sentimentality, passion w i t h o u t madness. He is d e e p b u t n e v e r turgid, pleasant b u t n e v e r i n s i p i d , lofty b u t n e v e r b o m b a s t i c . I n t h e e x p r e s s i o n o f love, fervent, tender, overflowing, but never w i t h ignoble sensuality. H e c a n b e c o r d i a l , c h e e r f u l , j o y f u l t o e x t r a v a g a n c e , t o e x c e s s — n e v e r t o v u l g a r i t y . I n t h e d e e p e s t suff e r i n g h e d o e s n o t lose h i m s e l f — h e t r i u m p h s o v e r it. . . . M o r e u n i v e r s a l effects h a v e b e e n a c h i e v e d b y o t h e r s , b u t n o n e m o r e d e e p o r n o b l e . N o , w e m a y say w i t h o u t e x a g g e r a t i o n t h a t n e v e r d i d a n artist l i v e w h o s e c r e a t i o n s w e r e so truly n e w — h i s sphere was the unforeseen.
It is impossible to k n o w w h e t h e r Caroline van Beethoven, the w i d o w o f B e e t h o v e n ' s n e p h e w Karl, m i g h t have read those w o r d s prior to writing to Ferdinand Hiller in M a r c h 1876. But for s o m e r e a s o n — p e r h a p s she k n e w that h e o n c e h a d m e t h e r l a t e h u s b a n d ' s c e l e b r a t e d u n c l e , p e r h a p s i t w a s his w e a l t h t h a t was r e n o w n e d — i t was Hiller i n faraway C o l o g n e t o w h o m she c h o s e t o r e a c h o u t for f i n a n c i a l h e l p . K a r l v a n B e e t h o v e n , t h e c o m p o s e r ' s sole h e i r , h a d b e e n i n t h e A u s t r i a n m i l i t a r y u n t i l 1832, the year in w h i c h he married. He had w o r k e d as a farm m a n a g e r f o r t w o y e a r s u n t i l t h e d e a t h o f his u n c l e J o h a n n , w h o , like h i s b r o t h e r L u d w i g , h a d b e e n c h i l d l e s s , a n d w h o also b e q u e a t h e d t h e w h o l e o f his estate t o h i s n e p h e w . T h e sole b e n e f i c i a r y o f b o t h u n c l e s , K a r l a n d his f a m i l y h a d h a d t h e m e a n s t o live i n c o m f o r t , a n d Karl h a d n o t b e e n e m p l o y e d again before he died in April 1858.
F o l l o w i n g h e r h u s b a n d ' s d e a t h , C a r o l i n e h a d b e e n able t o c a r e for h e r f o u r d a u g h t e r s a n d h e r s o n w i t h t h e little c a p i t a l that r e m a i n e d from t h e t w o estates, as w e l l as w i t h a s t i p e n d offered h e r by m e m b e r s of Vienna's Society of t h e F r i e n d s o f M u s i c . B u t h e r w i d o w h o o d h a d n o t b e e n easy:
her son,
n a m e d L u d w i g , h a d b e e n a difficult c h i l d a n d h a d g r o w n u p to be a m o s t disreputable m a n — e m p l o y i n g himself as a dealer in b o g u s B e e t h o v e n m e m o r a b i l i a , s w i n d l i n g a substantial s u m from the k i n g of Bavaria, to whc^m he had b e e n i n t r o d u c e d by
Richard
Wagner,
and
ending
up
in
prison
in
1872.
Caroline's y o u n g e s t d a u g h t e r , H e r m i n e , h a d suffered a l o n g illness a n d a l m o s t h a d s u c c u m b e d t o t h e " s t r a i n s o f p o v e r t y , " F r a u v a n B e e t h o v e n e x p l a i n e d i n h e r l e t t e r t o H i l l e r , a n d lately the
family
had
fallen
into
desperate
straits
because
the
S o c i e t y for t h e F r i e n d s o f M u s i c h a d n o t i f i e d h e r t h a t , m o s t regrettably,
the
funds
for
the
Beethoven
monument
it
p l a n n e d t o e r e c t i n V i e n n a w e r e p r o v i n g insufficient, a n d that therefore the society w o u l d have to discontinue her stipend immediately. F e r d i n a n d H i l l e r ' s r e p l y t o C a r o l i n e v a n B e e t h o v e n has n o t survived, b u t a s e c o n d letter to h i m m a k e s it clear that he a n swered her solicitation, probably suggesting that she m a k e h e r difficult c i r c u m s t a n c e s m o r e w i d e l y k n o w n b y m a k i n g a n a p peal in a music j o u r n a l . B u t such a public entreaty w o u l d p r o v e disastrous, she e x p l a i n e d in t h e s e c o n d letter; family m e m b e r s w e r e g r e a t l y a n n o y e d w i t h h e r for p u b l i c i z i n g t h e i r p o v e r t y t o t h e d e g r e e t h a t s h e a l r e a d y h a d . N o t for h e r s e l f b u t for h e r d a u g h t e r , s h e b e g g e d , m i g h t t h e k i n d a n d c a r i n g p e o p l e o f B o n n b e able t o offer assistance? M i g h t H i l l e r m o u n t a
p r o d u c t i o n o f Fidelio i n C o l o g n e a n d p l e d g e its p r o c e e d s t o h e r daughter? Hiller, it appears, t u r n e d a w a y from h e r supplication at that p o i n t , n e i t h e r t a k i n g i t u p w i t h associates i n n e a r b y B o n n n o r personally agreeing to a charitable performance on Frau van B e e t h o v e n ' s behalf. H e r m i n e m a r r i e d i n 1 8 7 6 , t h e s a m e y e a r i n w h i c h h e r b r o t h e r L u d w i g was released from prison, at w h i c h p o i n t h e a b a n d o n e d his w i f e a n d s i x - y e a r - o l d s o n a n d e m i g r a t e d t o A m e r i c a , w h e r e h e w o r k e d for a t i m e for t h e U n i o n Pacific
Railroad.
Although
poor,
Caroline
van
Beethoven
w o u l d l i v e fifteen m o r e y e a r s — l o n g e n o u g h t o b e m a d e a g u e s t of honor, together with her four daughters, at the M a y 1880 dedication in the Vienna square r e n a m e d Beethovenplatz of a b r o n z e statue placed in m e m o r y of a m a n w h o m she n e v e r had m e t , his c o l o s s a l l i k e n e s s s e a t e d a t o p a t w e n t y - t w o - f o o t - h i g h granite pedestal, to the base of w h i c h c l u n g t w e l v e angels and c h e r u b s . D r e s s e d i n t h e k i n d o f c l o t h i n g h e actually w o r e , this B e e t h o v e n looked d o w n w i t h the severest k i n d o f c o n c e n t r a t i o n o n t h e m a n y t h o u s a n d s w h o h a d g a t h e r e d b e l o w h i m for t h e a u g u s t o c c a s i o n , t h e c o m p o s e r d e p i c t e d this t i m e a bit m o r e l i k e a h u m a n b e i n g t h a n t h e g o d H i l l e r a n d his c o n t e m p o r a r i e s had believed h i m to be.
" I A M L I V I N G T H R O U G H M Y f i n a l e only reasonably well," F e r d i n a n d H i l l e r w r o t e t o his f r i e n d a n d f o r m e r p u p i l , t h e C o l o g n e - b o r n composer M a x Bruch in N o v e m b e r 1882. In recent years, he had been m a d e a m e m b e r of the prestigious
Berlin Academy, the University of B o n n had granted h i m an honorary doctoral degree, and he had been knighted as well w h e n the O r d e r of the C r o w n of W u r t t e m b e r g was bestowed o n h i m . H e n o w w a s t h e e s t e e m e d D r . F e r d i n a n d von H i l l e r , b u t h e w a s also o l d a n d failing a n d o f t e n w a s d e p r e s s e d . " A t r i m e s quite sick—at r i m e s s o m e w h a t d i s g r u n t l e d — I pull m y self t o g e t h e r b o t h p h y s i c a l l y a n d m e n t a l l y i n o r d e r t o g o o n , " he c o n t i n u e d in the letter to B r u c h . " T h e meanness and v u l garity that, i t seems, b e l o n g t o t h ^ necessities o f m a n k i n d are the most miserable of things." T h e great physical w e i g h t that H i l l e r h a d c a r r i e d for s o m a n y y e a r s b y n o w h a d t a k e n a h e a v y toll o n his h e a r t a n d c i r c u l a t o r y s y s t e m , a n d a l t h o u g h h e c o n t i n u e d t o h o l d t h e m u s i c d i r e c t o r s h i p t h a t h a d b e e n his life's f o c u s for m o r e t h a n t h i r t y y e a r s , h e n o n e t h e l e s s s u s p e c t e d t h a t his life w a s d r a w i n g t o a c l o s e . W r i t i n g t o his d e a r f r i e n d J o h a n n e s B r a h m s i n V i e n n a , h e c o n f i d e d o n e y e a r later, " I have n o t h i n g against living a few m o r e years. B u t I really h o p e it w o n ' t be that many." B r a h m s ' s r e j e c t i o n o f t h e s o - c a l l e d N e w S c h o o l , a s w e l l a s his r a t h e r u n f a s h i o n a b l e r e t u r n t o classical f o r m s i n h i s o w n c o m positions, had greatly e n d e a r e d h i m to Hiller, and Hiller h o p e d that the city administrators o f C o l o g n e o n e day w o u l d a c c e d e t o his r e c o m m e n d a t i o n t h a t B r a h m s b e n a m e d his p e r m a n e n t r e p l a c e m e n t . B u t b e f o r e h e left p u b l i c life, H i l l e r w o r k e d h a r d to conclude it in ways he found fitting, c o n d u c t i n g as always a n d still w r i t i n g
frequently—about
music, religion, and the
w o r l d o f p o l i t i c s , w h i c h h e a v i d l y h a d o b s e r v e d t h r o u g h o u t his life, i f a l w a y s f r o m s o m e d i s t a n c e . In his b o o k Letters to an Anonymous
Woman, a c o l l e c t i o n of
m e m o i r s a n d essays p r e s e n t e d a s m i s s i v e s p e n n e d t o a f i c t i o n a l w o m a n w h o m h e h a d m e t only i n passing b u t h a d b e e n e n c h a n t e d by, H i l l e r c o n f i d e d ,
You are right, dearest M a d a m , m u s i c a n d religion are t h e t w o things a b o u t w h i c h the most e r r o n e o u s things have b e e n t h o u g h t , said, a n d w r i t t e n . F o r t u n a t e l y , o u r m u s i c i s quite an i n n o c e n t thing a n d is in no position to cause g r e a t d a m a g e . . . a n d its p r i e s t s a r e h a r m l e s s p e o p l e . . . . R e l i g i o n , w h i c h s h a r e s w i t h m u s i c t h e fact t h a t i t i s also an unsolved mystery, s h o u l d imitate t h e latter a n d allow t h e believers to a d h e r e to t h e manifestations that best suit t h e m . . . . T h e a d v a n t a g e t h a t m u s i c h a s o v e r r e l i g i o n is that it is capable of uplifting and inspiring m a n y p e o p l e w i t h o u t h a v i n g to a p p r o a c h reason t o o closely . . . [but b o t h ] a r e u n i t e d i n t h e task o f lifting h u m a n i t y a b o v e t h e prosaic h u m d r u m of life—to b r i n g h o p e and consolation, to transfigure grief and joy.
In Lives of the Artists, he w r o t e w i t h g r e a t p a s s i o n a b o u t t h e life a n d t h o u g h t o f J e w i s h p h i l o s o p h e r M o s e s M e n d e l s s o h n , grandfather of Felix, a r g u i n g that it was scandalous that t h e "Jews of Berlin, b o t h the n o n c o n v e r t e d and the converted," h a d n o t y e t e r e c t e d a m o n u m e n t in t h e nation's capital in h o n o r o f the h u m b l e b u t brilliant m a n w h o s o eloquently had insisted that it w a s possible i n d e e d to be b o t h J e w i s h a n d a p a -
triotic G e r m a n . A n d , of course, Hiller had b e e n outraged b e ginning in
1881
w h e n state-sanctioned p o g r o m s perpetrated
against J e w s in Russia h a d led to increasingly v i o l e n t r h e t o r i c a n d scattered anti-Semitic attacks t h r o u g h o u t eastern E u r o p e and in G e r m a n y as well. M o r e t h a n thirty years before, Hiller briefly h a d b e e n elated by the promise of another revolution in France,
the
1848
w o r k e r s ' r e v o l t i n Paris that h a d led o n c e m o r e t o t h e e s t a b lishment of a republican government.
" I n the space of t w o
d a y s , t h e F r e n c h h a v e p r o p e l l e d w o r l d h i s t o r y f o r w a r d b y fifty years,"
he had written at the time.
" N o one would have
t h o u g h t of the establishment of a n e w republic in the middle of old E u r o p e , and certainly n o t so soon. H o w generous and m a g n i f i c e n t i s t h e b e g i n n i n g o f t h i s n e w e r a i n t h e life o f n a t i o n s ! " B u t a s a n o l d a n d n o w far m o r e c y n i c a l m a n , F e r d i n a n d H i l l e r n o l o n g e r easily c o u l d m u s t e r o p t i m i s m a b o u t t h e c o n tinent's political future, particularly w i t h regard to the w a y in w h i c h h e i n c r e a s i n g l y o b s e r v e d J e w s b e i n g r o b b e d o f basic h u m a n rights. " A lot o f w a t e r will flow d o w n the R h i n e b e f o r e a J e w is g i v e n a fine f u n e r a l in G e r m a n y . I f i n d t h e p o l i t ical a n d r e l i g i o u s c i r c u m s t a n c e s e v e r y w h e r e t o b e w o r t h y o f the strongest criticism," he w r o t e to aging J e w i s h theologian Berthold Auerbach shortly before Auerbach's death. "I w o n d e r w h e t h e r y o u a n d I w i l l r e a l l y miss t a k i n g p a r t i n t h e n e x t fifty y e a r s . I d o n ' t t h i n k so. W e w i l l b e able t o t r a v e l m o r e c o m f o r t a b l y — m a y b e we will e v e n eat a n d d r i n k b e t t e r — b u t a lot o f b l o o d will flow a n d m e n will n o t b e h u m a n a n y m o r e , " he added w i t h chilling prescience.
O n M a y 1 , 1 8 8 3 , F e r d i n a n d Hiller systematically b e g a n t o p u t his affairs i n o r d e r i n p r e p a r a t i o n for t h e d e a t h t h a t h e s e n s e d s o o n w o u l d b e a t h a n d , a n d t h e first o f h i s f i n a l acts w a s t o offer his s o n , P a u l — n o w a n o p e r a s i n g e r w i t h a b u r g e o n i n g c a r e e r like h i s m o t h e r o n c e h a d h a d — a m o m e n t o u s gift o n t h e o c c a s i o n o f his t h i r t i e t h b i r t h d a y . H i l l e r w a n t e d h i s o n l y s o n t o have and h e n c e f o r t h safeguard the locket in w h i c h fifty-six years
before
he
had
secreted
the
lock
of Ludwig
van
B e e t h o v e n ' s hair. N e x t , h e r e t i r e d f r o m t h e p o s i t i o n t h a t h a d b e e n his h o n o r a n d g r e a t j o y t o h o l d for t h i r t y - f o u r y e a r s ; a n d t h e n , w i t h his wife Antolka's help, he b e g a n to catalog t h e w r i t i n g and c o r r e s p o n d e n c e t h a t carefully c h r o n i c l e d his r i c h life. H e b e g a n o n e m o r e p r o j e c t , a series o f essays h e h o p e d t o title Letters from the Sick Room, b u t s o o n his failing h e a l t h p r e c l u d e d it. "You w a n t to k n o w h o w I ' m doing," he scribbled in response to an i n q u i r y from friend and fellow c o m p o s e r Carl R e i n e c k e . " T h i s i s h a r d t o a n s w e r . I eat, s l e e p , e v e n c o m p o s e a little, b u t i n b e t w e e n I a m p l a g u e d b y s u c h m i s e r y t h a t I basically h a v e little j o y left i n life. I h a v e n ' t left m y r o o m n o w for m o r e t h a n two months." H i s h e a r t r e m a i n e d u n d e r e n o r m o u s stress, his b l a d d e r failed, a n d l a c k o f c i r c u l a t i o n c a u s e d his legs t o b e c o m e g r o s s l y a n d painfully
swollen.
He
complained
about
the
music—the
noise—he h e a r d c o m i n g f r o m h u r d y - g u r d y p l a y e r s i n t h e s t r e e t o u t s i d e his w i n d o w , a n d f r i e n d s w o u l d c o m e o n o c c a s i o n t o offer h i m t h e blissful s o u n d s o f v i o l i n s o r t h e s o n g s o f t h e i r v o i c e s i n s t e a d , b u t t h e n , i n t h e still a n d d a r k e a r l y m o r n i n g o f
M a y 1 1 , 1885, seventy-three-year-old Ferdinand Hiller died, h i s h e a d h e l d i n his s o n ' s e m b r a c i n g a r m s . N e w s p a p e r s t h r o u g h o u t E u r o p e r e p o r t e d his p a s s i n g , a n d obituaries n o t e d in particular the astonishing n u m b e r of great musicians w i t h w h o m h e h a d c o m e i n close c o n t a c t d u r i n g his l o n g life, m a n y o f w h o m h e h a d m a d e his d e a r a n d d e v o t e d friends.
London's
Musical
Times
noted
that
"Hiller,
in
the
r e c o r d s o f his a r t , w i l l s t a n d h i g h a m o n g t h e dei minores, a n d e v e n w i t h i n t h e s h a d o w o f t h e t h r o n e o f g e n i u s — n o t t h e loftiest p l a c e , b u t o n e w o r t h g a i n i n g surely." F o l l o w i n g a s o m b e r m e m o r i a l s e r v i c e h e l d for f a m i l y m e m b e r s i n his h o m e o n M a y 13,
Hiller's
remains
were
carried
to
Cologne's
Melaten
Cemetery, w h e r e a Lutheran minister conducted a brief graveside
service
and
conductor
Franz
Wiillner
delivered what
e v e r y o n e in a t t e n d a n c e a g r e e d w a s a lyrical a n d utterly m e r ited eulogy, W i i l l n e r affirming that his friend h a d s u c c e e d e d w o n d e r f u l l y i n his lifelong c o m m i t m e n t t o c o u n t e r i n g m u n danity with the exhilarating sounds of beauty, that he had d e v o t e d his life t o a r t . N o a c c o u n t o f t h e act has s u r v i v e d — a n d o f c o u r s e i t m a y n o t h a v e h a p p e n e d — b u t t h e r e i s fitting s y m m e t r y i n s u p p o s i n g t h a t b e f o r e h e h e l p e d c o m m i t his b o d y t o t h e g r o u n d , P a u l H i l l e r s u r e l y s a v e d a l o c k o f his f a m e d father's h a i r .
M U C H L I K E T H E M U S I C H E made, Beethoven himself harbored
stark
contradictions
and
moods
that
would
vacillate
w i l d l y . H e w a s o b s e s s i v e a b o u t b a t h i n g , for e x a m p l e , b u t i n his later years he s e e m e d to i g n o r e utterly t h e filthy clothes that he w o r e . H e b e l i e v e d i n t h e n o b i l i t y o f a r t b u t also w a s e n d u r ingly impressed by t h e rather paler nobility that was b e s t o w e d b y s o c i a l class. " Y o u w i l l see t h a t I h a v e b e c o m e a f i r s t - r a t e f e l l o w , " h e h a d b o a s t e d i n a l e t t e r t o F r a n z W e g e l e r , his b o y h o o d friend from B o n n w h o was then a medical student. " N o t only a s a n artist b u t also a s a m a n y o u w i l l f i n d m e b e t t e r a n d m o r e fully d e v e l o p e d . " B u t t h e f e l l o w w h o m W e g e l e r h a d e n c o u n -
17 9 2 - 1 8 0 2
tered w h e n he visited V i e n n a h a d p r o v e d as capable of b e i n g irascible, s e l f - o b s e s s e d , tactless, a n d p e t t y a s h e s o m e t i m e s w a s at demonstrating o v e r w h e l m i n g kindness, the m o s t stalwart sort of friendship, a n d a ready, still-boyish sense of h u m o r . In a d d i t i o n , B e e t h o v e n r e p e a t e d l y fell i n l o v e w i t h w o m e n w h o s e m a r r i a g e s o r social p o s i t i o n s h a d m a d e a c t u a l a n d a u t h e n t i c r e lationships w i t h h i m impossible, yet rather simpler friendships w i t h f e m a l e s w e r e o f t e n difficult for h i m . T h e c l o s e c o m p a n i o n w h o m h e r e p e a t e d l y h a d l a b e l e d a "false d o g " w o u l d b e c o m e , j u s t a s c e r t a i n l y , his " D e a r L i t t l e I g n a z o f m y H e a r t " w i t h i n a day o r t w o each t i m e . Yet this m a n o f m a n y t e m p e r s a n d d i v e r s e o p i n i o n s also w a s c a p a b l e o f r e c o g n i z i n g his c o n tradictions a n d bountiful shortcomings, confessing to t h e m as r e a d i l y a s h e o c c a s i o n a l l y a c k n o w l e d g e d his g e n i u s . " I t i s a p e c u l i a r f e e l i n g , " h e o n c e h a d a l l o w e d t o his c l o s e f r i e n d , t h e v i olinist a n d t h e o l o g i a n Karl A m e n d a , " t o s e e a n d h e a r o n e s e l f praised a n d at t h e same t i m e to realize one's o w n inferiority as fully as I d o . " Surely s o m e of Beethoven's petulant t e m p e r a m e n t — o r even t h e lion's s h a r e o f it, i n f a c t — w a s e x p l a i n e d b y h i s p e r e n n i a l l y p o o r h e a l t h . W h i l e still a n a d o l e s c e n t , h e h a d b e g u n t o b e b a t t e r e d b y b o u t s o f g a s t r o i n t e s t i n a l disease, a n d i n m a d d e n i n g p r o g r e s s i o n o v e r t h e s u c c e e d i n g y e a r s h e also h a d suffered i n t e n s e h e a d a c h e s , a s e r i e s o f v i r u l e n t abscesses a n d i n f e c t i o n s , p n e u m o n i a , a n d b r o n c h i t i s . A t s i x t e e n , s o o n after h e w a s r e c a l l e d f r o m V i e n n a t o his m o t h e r ' s d e a t h b e d ,
he had c o n -
tracted a s u d d e n fever a c c o m p a n i e d by l a b o r e d b r e a t h i n g , a n d the t w o maladies had b e e n succeeded by w h a t he labeled a melancholia, and w h i c h surely could have b e e n attributed to
h e r death. By the t i m e he settled in V i e n n a in 1792, he p e r i odically
was
plagued
with
the
abdominal
pain,
constipation, and diarrhea that t h e n was labeled
cramping,
kolik.
H e suf-
fered a p r o l o n g e d b o u t of this " c o l i c " in 1 7 9 5 ; t h e n in 1797 "a t e r r i b l e t y p h u s " befell h i m , a n illness t h a t likely w a s a s e v e r e , d i s o r i e n t i n g fever. W h e n a t last h e c o n f e s s e d h i s failing h e a r ing in an 1801 letter to Franz Wegeler, w h o n o w was a p r a c t i c i n g p h y s i c i a n i n B o n n , his w h o l e h e a l t h a p p e a r e d t o b e collapsing:
F o r t h e last t h r e e y e a r s m y h e a r i n g h a s b e c o m e w e a k e r and weaker. T h e trouble is supposed to have b e e n caused by the condition of my abdomen, which, as you know, w a s w r e t c h e d e v e n b e f o r e I left B o n n , b u t h a s b e c o m e w o r s e i n V i e n n a , w h e r e I h a v e b e e n c o n s t a n t l y afflicted w i t h diarrhea a n d have b e e n suffering in c o n s e q u e n c e from an e x t r a o r d i n a r y d e b i l i t y . . . . D u r i n g t h i s last w i n t e r I w a s t r u l y w r e t c h e d for I h a d d r e a d f u l a t t a c k s o f kolik a n d again relapsed c o m p l e t e l y i n t o my f o r m e r c o n d i t i o n . . . . I n o r d e r t o g i v e y o u s o m e i d e a o f this s t r a n g e deafness, let m e tell y o u t h a t i n t h e t h e a t e r I h a v e t o p l a c e m y s e l f q u i t e close t o t h e orchestra i n o r d e r t o u n d e r s t a n d w h a t t h e a c t o r is saying, a n d that at a distance I c a n n o t h e a r t h e h i g h n o t e s o f i n s t r u m e n t s o r v o i c e s . A s for t h e s p o k e n w o r d , it is surprising that s o m e people have never noticed m y deafness; b u t s i n c e I h a v e a l w a y s b e e n liable t o fits o f absentmindedness they attribute my hardness of hearing to that. S o m e t i m e s t o o I can scarcely h e a r a p e r s o n w h o
17 9 2 - 1 8 0 2
s p e a k s softly; I c a n h e a r s o u n d s , it is t r u e , b u t I c a n n o t m a k e o u t t h e w o r d s . B u t i f a n y o n e s h o u t s , I c a n ' t b e a r it. Heaven alone knows what is to b e c o m e of me.
For the time being, Beethoven confided only in Wegeler in B o n n a n d his f r i e n d K a r l A m e n d a , w h o h a d left t h e c i t y o n a n e x t e n d e d j o u r n e y i n 1 7 9 9 . E x c e p t for t h e s e t w o d i s t a n t c o n f i d a n t s , h e r e m a i n e d m u t e a b o u t hjs t e r r i b l e n e w t r o u b l e a n d d i d his b e s t t o s h i e l d i t f r o m f r i e n d s a n d c o l l e a g u e s a t h o m e , a l t h o u g h i t s e e m s sadly c e r t a i n t h a t h e s u c c e e d e d i n f o o l i n g o n l y himself.
I T WAS I N 1 7 9 7 , A T T H E a g e o f t w e n t y - s i x , w h e n h e h a d b e g u n t o miss w o r d s a n d t h e n w h o l e p h r a s e s i n c o n v e r s a t i o n s , a n d h e b e g a n t o o to hear incessant, painful,
and surely d e r a n g i n g
b u z z i n g a n d r i n g i n g sounds. B u t four years had passed before h e h a d b e e n a b l e t o c o n f e s s his failing h e a r i n g a n d t o b e g i n t o s e e k t h e c u r e t h a t n e v e r h a d c o m e . F i v e m o n t h s later, after W e g e l e r h a d b e g g e d for m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t his h e a r i n g loss, B e e t h o v e n a g a i n w r o t e t o his f r i e n d , b u t t h i s t i m e w i t h slightly b e t t e r n e w s . " M y life i s a g a i n s o m e w h a t p l e a s a n t e r , for I a m m i x i n g m o r e i n society. Y o u c a n s c a r c e l y i m a g i n e w h a t a d r e a r y , sad life I l e d d u r i n g t h e past t w o y e a r s . " A l t h o u g h his h e a r i n g h a d n o t i m p r o v e d , t h e r e w a s a v e r y specific r e a s o n w h y his spirits h a d lifted: " T h i s c h a n g e h a s b e e n b r o u g h t a b o u t b y a d e a r c h a r m i n g girl w h o l o v e s m e a n d w h o m I l o v e . A f t e r
t w o y e a r s I a m a g a i n e n j o y i n g a f e w blissful m o m e n t s ; a n d for t h e f i r s t t i m e I feel t h a t m a r r i a g e m i g h t b r i n g m e h a p p i n e s s . U n f o r t u n a t e l y , s h e i s n o t o f m y class, a n d n o w — f o r t h e m o ment
I
certainly
could
not
marry—I
must
bravely
bustle
about." A l t h o u g h h e didn't n a m e her, the y o u n g w o m a n w h o m B e e t h o v e n was e n c h a n t e d by as the year 1801 c a m e to a close almost
certainly
was
his
seventeen-year-old
piano
student,
Countess Giulietta Guicciardi, s o m e o n e w h o s e nobility w o u l d h a v e m a d e m a r r i a g e t o h i m m o s t unlikely. A n d she was n o t , i n fact, t h e f i r s t w o m a n B e e t h o v e n h a d c o n s i d e r e d m a r r y i n g — h i s 1795 proposal to singer Magdalena W i l l m a n quickly had b e e n r e j e c t e d — b u t it is clear in t h e letters he w r o t e to C o u n t e s s G u i c c i a r d i t h a t , a t least briefly, B e e t h o v e n b e l i e v e d h e finally h a d f o u n d s o m e o n e w h o n o t o n l y l o v e d h i m b u t w h o also m i g h t m a k e b e a r a b l e his s t e a d i l y d i m i n i s h i n g h e a r i n g . N i n e m o n t h s later, n e a r t h e e n d o f a s o j o u r n i n t h e t r a n q u i l v i l l a g e o f H e i l i g e n s t a d t n o t far f r o m V i e n n a — w h e r e h e h a d g o n e o n t h e a d v i c e o f his p h y s i c i a n — B e e t h o v e n h a d g r o w n d e e p l y d i s t r a u g h t n o t o n l y a b o u t h i s a d v a n c i n g deafness b u t also his g r o w i n g r e c o g n i t i o n t h a t his r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h a c o u n t ess little m o r e t h a n h a l f his a g e s i m p l y h e l d n o p r o m i s e . O n O c t o b e r 6 , 1 8 0 2 , h e a d d r e s s e d t o his t w o b r o t h e r s a l o n g , f u l minating letter that s e e m e d intended to be at o n c e a public c o n f e s s i o n o f his t e r r i b l e m e d i c a l s e c r e t — a w i l l o f s o r t s , p e r h a p s e v e n a s u i c i d e n o t e — a s w e l l a s a n i m p a s s i o n e d p l e a for u n d e r s t a n d i n g . " Y o u m e n w h o t h i n k o r say I a m h o s t i l e , p e e vish, o r m i s a n t h r o p i c , " h e w r o t e ,
h o w greatly y o u w r o n g m e . You d o n o t k n o w t h e secret cause w h i c h m a k e s m e s e e m s o t o y o u . F r o m c h i l d h o o d o n , m y h e a r t a n d s o u l w e r e full o f t h e t e n d e r f e e l i n g o f goodwill, and I was always inclined to accomplish great d e e d s . B u t j u s t t h i n k , for six y e a r s n o w I h a v e h a d a n i n c u r a b l e c o n d i t i o n . . . . T h o u g h b o r n w i t h a fiery, lively t e m p e r a m e n t , s u s c e p t i b l e t o t h e d i v e r s i o n s o f society, I s o o n h a d t o w i t h d r a w myself, t ^ s p e n d m y life a l o n e . A n d y e t i f I w i s h e d a t r i m e s t o i g n o r e all t h i s , o h h o w h a r s h l y w a s I p u s h e d b a c k b y t h e d o u b l y sad e x p e r i e n c e o f m y b a d h e a r i n g ; a n d y e t i t w a s i m p o s s i b l e for m e t o say t o p e o p l e , " S p e a k l o u d e r , s h o u t , for I a m deaf." A h , h o w c o u l d I possibly a d m i t w e a k n e s s of t h e o n e sense w h i c h s h o u l d be m o r e perfect in me t h a n o t h e r s , a sense w h i c h I o n c e possessed in t h e greatest perfection, a p e r f e c t i o n such as few in my profession have or ever have had? W h a t h u m i l i a t i o n for m e w h e n s o m e o n e s t a n d i n g n e a r m e h e a r d a flute i n t h e d i s t a n c e a n d I h e a r d n o t h i n g , o r s o m e o n e h e a r d t h e s h e p h e r d singing and again I heard n o t h i n g . S u c h incidents b r o u g h t me almost to despair; a little m o r e a n d I w o u l d h a v e e n d e d m y life. O n l y m y art held m e back. A h , i t s e e m e d t o m e i m p o s s i b l e t o l e a v e t h e w o r l d u n t i l I h a d p r o d u c e d all t h a t I felt w a s w i t h i n m e ; a n d so I s p a r e d t h i s w r e t c h e d life. . . . You, my brothers, Carl and [johann], as soon as I am d e a d , i f D r . S c h m i d t i s still alive, ask h i m i n m y n a m e t o d e s c r i b e m y disease, a n d a t t a c h this w r i t t e n d o c u m e n t t o
h i s a c c o u n t o f m y illness, s o t h a t a t least a s m u c h a s p o s s i b l e t h e w o r l d m a y b e r e c o n c i l e d t o m e after m y death. . . . Farewell, and do n o t c o m p l e t e l y forget me w h e n I am d e a d . I h a v e d e s e r v e d this from y o u , since I often t h o u g h t o f y o u d u r i n g m y life, a n d o f w a y s t o m a k e y o u h a p p y ; d o b e so.
Still
two
months
away
from
his
thirty-second birthday,
L u d w i g van Beethoven was c o n s u m e d with the melodramatic c e r t a i n t y t h a t h i s l i f e — o r a t least t h e life t h a t m a t t e r e d t o h i m — w a s c o m i n g t o a close. H e h a d a c c o m p l i s h e d m u c h i n t h e d e c a d e s i n c e his a r r i v a l i n V i e n n a : h e c o u l d c l a i m a c e r t a i n p e r s o n a l fame a m o n g t h e c u l t u r e d elite, a r e p u t a t i o n as t h e f i n e s t p i a n i s t his a d o p t e d
city ever h a d seen,
and growing
r e n o w n as a composer. His oeuvre by n o w included m o r e than t w o d o z e n p i a n o sonatas, violin sonatas, p i a n o trios, string quartets, a piano quintet, a piano concerto, a C major symphony, as well as a n e w s y m p h o n y in D major, on w h i c h he c u r r e n t l y was at w o r k . C r i t i c s w e r e fascinated by his music, if o f t e n m o r e t h a n a little p e r p l e x e d b y it; h i s loyal a n d g e n e r o u s p a t r o n s , a s w e l l a s t h e p u b l i c a t i o n o f his c o m p o s i t i o n s , n o w k e p t h i m c o m f o r t a b l e f i n a n c i a l l y ; f r i e n d s w e r e q u i c k t o rally t o h i s a s s i s t a n c e — a n d t o his d e f e n s e w h e n r e q u i r e d — a n d a t l o n g last h e e v e n h a d p r o v e d t o h i m s e l f t h a t h i s c h a r m s w e r e n o t e n t i r e l y lost o n w o m e n . Y e t n o n e o f i t s e e m e d t o m a t t e r a s his e x i l e i n H e i l i g e n s t a d t d r e w t o a c l o s e . H e h a d little c h o i c e , i t a t last s e e m e d clear, b u t t o r e t u r n t o his life i n t h e r a u c o u s c i t y
17
9
2 - 1 8 0 2
w h o s e s o u n d s i n c r e a s i n g l y w e r e lost t o h i m a n d t o r e s o l v e , n o n e t h e l e s s , t o d r a w t h e m u s i c o u t . H e confessed his terrible c a l a m i t y , h i s a w f u l fate, t o h i s b r o t h e r s a n d all t h e w o r l d , b u t t h e n B e e t h o v e n f o l d e d t h e p a p e r o n w h i c h h e h a d w r i t t e n his a c h i n g t e s t a m e n t a n d t u c k e d i t a w a y , s h o w i n g i t t o n o o n e for t h e r e m a i n d e r o f his life.
A GIFT IN GILLELEJE
AUTUMN
SOON WOULD
G I V E WAY t o w i n t e r and C o l o g n e
art dealer H e r m a n n Grosshennig's busy C h r i s t m a s season was u n d e r w a y in m i d - D e c e m b e r 1911 w h e n he m a d e time to att e n d to a special request. A r a t h e r formal b u t nonetheless c o n genial g e n t l e m a n sporting a Kaiser W i l h e l m m u s t a c h e — h e was a j o u r n a l i s t a n d l o n g a g o w a s a singer, he h a d e x p l a i n e d — r e cently
had
come
into
Grosshennig's
small
gallery
in
the
Langgasse b e a r i n g a w o o d - f r a m e locket r o u g h l y as b i g a r o u n d a s a n a p p l e . T h e l o c k e t h e l d t i g h t t w o p i e c e s o f glass a n d b e t w e e n t h e m was a lock of hair shaped i n t o a coil. T h e m a n ' s father h a d placed t h e hair in the locket eighty-four years b e -
f o r e , b a c k w h e n h e w a s still a b o y , a n d after n e a r l y a c e n t u r y of b e i n g passed f r o m h a n d to h a n d , it n o w n e e d e d a bit of r e pair. G r o s s h e n n i g m a d e f r a m e s for t h e a r t w o r k h e s o l d , a n d y e s , h e a s s u r e d t h e m a n , h e c o u l d reseal a n d r e s t o r e t h e l o c k e t . T h e hair inside it was Beethoven's, t h e m a n had told h i m . He w a s c e r t a i n i t h a d b e l o n g e d t o t h e g r e a t c o m p o s e r b e c a u s e his o w n f a t h e r h a d c u t it, a n d his f a t h e r h a d b e e n C o l o g n e ' s beloved
Kapellmeister F e r d i n a n d H i l l e r , w h o m G r o s s h e n n i g r e -
m e m b e r e d , of course.
^
W h e n Paul Hiller, n o w f i f t y - e i g h t , r e t u r n e d t h e w e e k before C h r i s t m a s t o t h e g a l l e r y t h a t lay i n t h e l o n g s h a d o w o f t h e Dom—Cologne's
enormous,
twin-spired
Gothic
cathedral—
the locket was ready to be collected as promised, and it seemed t o b e p r e p a r e d a s w e l l for a n o t h e r e i g h t y y e a r s o f s e r v i c e . T h e t w o p i e c e s o f glass w e r e c l e a n e d a n d p o l i s h e d , a n d t h e e d g e s w h e r e t h e y t o u c h e d h a d b e e n sealed t o g e t h e r w i t h glue; t h e w o o d e n f r a m e w a s freshly p a i n t e d , a n d i t t o o h a d b e e n s e a l e d w i t h b r o w n b a c k i n g paper. B u t the craftsman h a d d o n e o n e m o r e thing, h e explained t o the locket's o w n e r , a n d h e h o p e d H e r r Hiller w o u l d n o t object: b e n e a t h the outer backing was a similar layer of p a p e r on w h i c h G r o s s h e n n i g had w r i t t e n , " N e w l y pasted to m a k e it dust-free. Original condition i m p r o v e d . C o l o g n e d . 1 8 / 1 2 1 9 1 1 . " H e h a d s i g n e d his n a m e a s w e l l , h e said, b e c a u s e a c h e r i s h e d r e l i c s u c h a s this d e s e r v e d careful d o c u m e n t a t i o n , a n d also b e c a u s e i t m e a n t v e r y m u c h to him to have drawn so near to Beethoven, even if only briefly a n d i n a m a n n e r s o s i m p l e . It is impossible to k n o w — b e c a u s e , unlike the frame maker, he did n o t date the w o r d s he w r o t e — b u t presumably it was
also d u r i n g t h a t h o l i d a y s e a s o n o f 1 9 1 1 w h e n P a u l H i l l e r m a d e his o w n i n s c r i p t i o n o n t h e b r o w n p a p e r t h a t w a s visible o n t h e l o c k e t ' s u n d e r s i d e : " T h i s h a i r w a s c u t off B e e t h o v e n ' s c o r p s e b y m y f a t h e r , D r . F e r d i n a n d v . H i l l e r o n t h e d a y after L u d w i g v a n B e e t h o v e n ' s d e a t h , t h a t is, o n 2 7 M a r c h 1 8 2 7 , a n d w a s given to me as a birthday present in C o l o g n e on M a y 1, 1883." Grosshennig had
been
correct,
Hiller
recognized:
it
made
g o o d sense t o d o c u m e n t w h a t treasure t h e locket c o n t a i n e d , p a r t i c u l a r l y b e c a u s e t h e i n c r e d i b l y c u r i o u s p r i z e his l o c k e t h e l d w a s a palpable bit of L u d w i g v a n B e e t h o v e n himself.
PAUL
HILLER
HAD
B E E N T H I R T Y y e a r s o l d w h e n his fa-
t h e r — - j u s t t w o y e a r s a w a y f r o m his d e a t h — h a d p r e s e n t e d h i m w i t h t h e l o c k e t t h a t h e l d t h e hair. I t w a s a gift t h a t m i g h t h a v e b e e n m a d e t o h i s sister, T o n y , t h r e e y e a r s his e l d e r a n d a n a c c o m p l i s h e d m u s i c i a n herself, b u t l i k e l y i t h a d s e e m e d m o r e f i t t i n g t o t h e e l d e r l y F e r d i n a n d H i l l e r t o pass B e e t h o v e n ' s f r a g i l e r e m a i n s t o his o n l y s o n . B o r n i n P a r i s i n 1 8 5 3 d u r i n g his p a r e n t s ' b r i e f h o l i d a y t h e r e , P a u l H i l l e r h a d b e c o m e a p r o f e s s i o n a l s i n g e r — l i k e his m o t h e r b e f o r e h i m — b y t h e t i m e o f his t h i r t i e t h b i r t h d a y , a b a r i t o n e i n t h e city o p e r a at C h e m n i t z , n e a r D r e s d e n . A l t h o u g h t h e r e is n o r e c o r d o f h i m b e i n g m a r r i e d a t t h a t t i m e , h e also w a s t h e father o f a o n e - y e a r - o l d son, Felix F e r d i n a n d , w h o w a s b o r n in C h e m n i t z in
1882.
N i n e t e e n y e a r s after t h e gift o f t h e
l o c k e t — w h e n Paul Hiller was forty-nine—he had returned to live i n C o l o g n e again, a n d h e f i n a l l y h a d m a r r i e d i n 1 9 0 2 .
L i t t l e i s k n o w n a b o u t his w i f e , S o p h i e L i o n , e x c e p t t h a t , like h e r h u s b a n d , she was b o t h a J e w a n d a professional singer, a n d that soon she b o r e h i m t w o m o r e sons, Edgar Ferdinand, b o r n in May 1906, and Erwin Ottmar, b o r n in April 1908. A y e a r after his m a r r i a g e , P a u l H i l l e r w a s a p p o i n t e d m u s i c critic o f C o l o g n e ' s
Rheinische Zeitung, a n e w s p a p e r p o s i t i o n h e
w o u l d h o l d for t w e n t y - f o u r y e a r s , r e v i e w i n g o v e r t h e c o u r s e of a quarter c e n t u r y virtually every operatic and orchestral p e r f o r m a n c e s c h e d u l e d t h r o u g h o u t tl^e l o w e r R h i n e l a n d , i n c l u d ing the monthly
Giirzenich c o n c e r t s h i s f a t h e r h a d e s t a b l i s h e d
l o n g a g o , a n d t h e still e n o r m o u s l y p o p u l a r s u m m e r m u s i c festival t h a t h a d b e e n his father's o f f s p r i n g a s w e l l . I t w a s w o n derful w o r k for s o m e o n e w h o h a d b e e n s t e e p e d i n m u s i c a n d c u l t u r e t h r o u g h o u t his life: P a u l H i l l e r w a s able t o m a k e his h o m e i n t h e vital, R h i n e - s i d e m e t r o p o l i s w h e r e h e h a d g r o w n u p ; h e h a d t h e h e a d y p r i v i l e g e o f a t t e n d i n g c o n c e r t s for a l i v i n g a n d s u b s e q u e n t l y s p e a k i n g his m i n d a b o u t t h e i r d e l i g h t s a n d d e m e r i t s ; a n d h e h a d t i m e t o o t o w r i t e a t l e n g t h a b o u t his rather
more
specialized
German-language Verdi's o p e r a s Ricordi;
he
musical
interests.
translations of t h e
He
librettos
wrote to
new,
Giuseppe
Ernani, Rigoletto, a n d // Trovatore f o r t h e p u b l i s h e r translated Camille
Saint-Saens's
Dejanire i n t o
G e r m a n a s w e l l ; a n d h e p u b l i s h e d t w o s c h o l a r l y texts—The
Lieder Cycle of A. Friedrich von Hessen in 1 9 1 0 , a n d Old English Tunes i n 1 9 1 1 . A l t h o u g h his n a m e i s n o t a t t a c h e d t o it, P a u l Hiller seems certain to have b e e n the a u t h o r as well of a tribu t e t o his f a t h e r p u b l i s h e d i n t h e
Kolnische Zeitung o n O c t o b e r
2 4 , 1 9 1 1 , t h e o n e h u n d r e d t h a n n i v e r s a r y o f F e r d i n a n d Hiller's birth.
T h e elder Hiller h a d c o n t r i b u t e d d o z e n s o f articles a n d letters t o C o l o g n e ' s l e a d i n g n e w s p a p e r d u r i n g his t h r e e - d e c a d e t e n u r e a s t h e city's m u s i c d i r e c t o r , s o i t w a s f i t t i n g t h a t i t w a s the
Kolnische Zeitung
that chose to r e m e m b e r h i m . His son was
e m p l o y e d by a rival n e w s p a p e r , t h o u g h , a n d t h e article r e f e r r e d t o h i m i n t h e t h i r d p e r s o n , y e t b o t h its t o n e a n d its c o n t e n t a f f i r m t h a t h e , i n fact, w a s t h e t r i b u t e ' s a n o n y m o u s a u t h o r . Anecdotal
and
enormously
appreciative
of the
breadth
of
F e r d i n a n d Hiller's musical career, t h e s h o r t article cataloged h i g h l i g h t s r a n g i n g f r o m his t e e n a g e e n c o u n t e r w i t h G o e t h e t o his sad f a r e w e l l f r o m p u b l i c life. I n his e a r l y y e a r s i n P a r i s , t h e a r t i c l e r e c o u n t e d , F e r d i n a n d H i l l e r " b e f r i e n d e d t h e s p i r i t u a l h e r o e s o f t h e t i m e . . . [and] w e recall t h e p i q u a n t w o r d s t h a t C o u n t e s s P l a t e n u s e d t o a d d r e s s C h o p i n , a n d w h i c h s o aptly c h a r a c t e r i z e d Hiller's personality a n d s i g n i f i c a n c e : ' M y little C h o p i n ! I f I w e r e y o u n g a n d m e r r y , I w o u l d t a k e y o u a s m y h u s b a n d , H i l l e r a s m y f r i e n d , a n d Liszt a s m y l o v e r . ' " T h e t r i b u t e m a d e special n o t e o f t h e dazzling b e a u t y of Ferdinand's wife, Antolka, as well as h e r years of " p r u d e n t a n d skillful s u p e r v i s i o n " o f S u n d a y c o n c e r t s a t t h e
Rheinberg
beside t h e river, w h e r e , t o g e t h e r w i t h h e r husband,
t h e y "assembled e v e r y o n e i n t h e city w h o played, t h o u g h t , a n d strove t o w a r d s music." T h e article n o t e d F e r d i n a n d Hiller's close relationships w i t h M e n d e l s s o h n , S c h u m a n n , a n d B r a h m s ; i t a c k n o w l e d g e d his distaste f o r t h e " N e w S c h o o l " c o m p o s e r s w h o s e w o r k followed theirs, and it admitted as well that he h a d c o n t i n u e d t o c o m p o s e l o n g after " t h e rest o f t h e w o r l d h a d c e a s e d t o e n c o u r a g e h i m t h e r e i n . . . . I n later y e a r s a f r i e n d o n c e a s k e d h i m , ' W h a t , a r e y o u still c o m p o s i n g ? ' T o w h i c h h e
replied, ' W h a t do y o u want? C o m p o s i n g is such a great pleasure a n d staved p a p e r is so c h e a p ! ' " T h e t r i b u t e also d e c l a r e d t h a t F e r d i n a n d H i l l e r " t o o k w i t h h i m indelible impressions
from
his m a n y visits t o t h e d y i n g
B e e t h o v e n " e i g h t y - f o u r years before, i m p r e s s i o n s that lasted t h r o u g h o u t his l i f e t i m e , a n d i t c o n f e s s e d t h a t t h e f i f t e e n - y e a r o l d t o o k s o m e t h i n g else f r o m t h e g r e a t m a n a s w e l l : " H e w a s allowed to cut a lock of the dead master's hair that today is in t h e possession of Hiller's son, the^music w r i t e r Paul Hiller of C o l o g n e , w h o g u a r d s i t a s a c h e r i s h e d legacy." T o g e t h e r w i t h the explanation he inscribed on the back of the locket, those few w o r d s comprise the only written acknowledgments yet d i s c o v e r e d o f t h e fact t h a t F e r d i n a n d H i l l e r d i d i n d e e d c l i p a l o c k o f B e e t h o v e n ' s h a i r , t h e n t r e a s u r e d i t t h r o u g h o u t his life.
IN T H E
DAYS
F O L L O W I N G T H E publication o f the tribute
to F e r d i n a n d Hiller, it is p r o b a b l e , given t h e great e s t e e m in w h i c h B e e t h o v e n was held, that Hiller's son Paul m u s t h a v e had
a
flood
of requests
from
friends,
acquaintances,
even
s t r a n g e r s w a n t i n g t o see t h e l o c k o f h a i r . T h i s m a y e x p l a i n w h y six w e e k s l a t e r h e c h o s e t o h a v e t h e l o c k e t r e f u r b i s h e d , o r p e r h a p s i t w a s s i m p l y t h e c e n t e n a r y o f his father's b i r t h a n d t h e a c cumulated
emotional weight of the
g r e a t gift
he
had been
g i v e n t h a t t o g e t h e r m a d e t h e t i m e s e e m r i g h t for t h e r e s t o r a tion.
B u t t h e r e c o r d g r o w s d i s t r e s s i n g l y faint a t t h i s p o i n t :
Hermann
Grosshennig's
inscription
paper, d a t e d j u s t t h i r t e e n days before
on
the
locket's
inner
1911 c a m e to a close,
followed—presumably s o o n — b y Paul
Hiller's
own
explana-
t o r y n o t e , p r o v i d e t h e last p h y s i c a l e v i d e n c e o f t h e l o c k o f h a i r o r its w h e r e a b o u t s f o r t h e s u b s e q u e n t t h i r t y - t w o y e a r s . In
only three m o r e years,
Francis
Ferdinand,
heir
to
t h e assassination o f A r c h d u k e the
Austro-Hungarian
throne,
w o u l d c a t a p u l t all o f E u r o p e i n t o a d i s a s t r o u s w a r ; i n j u s t e i g h t m o r e y e a r s , t h e f o r m a t i o n o f t h e N a t i o n a l Socialist G e r m a n W o r k e r s ' P a r t y a n d its r a p i d r i s e t o p r o m i n e n c e w o u l d i g n i t e the kind of organized persecution of J e w s in G e r m a n y that F e r d i n a n d H i l l e r fearfully h a d e n v i s i o n e d f o r t y y e a r s b e f o r e ; A d o l f H i t l e r w o u l d seize n a t i o n a l p o w e r i n t w e n t y - t w o y e a r s , summarily excluding Jews
from
the protections of G e r m a n
l a w ; a n d i n little m o r e t h a n t w e n t y - f i v e y e a r s h e n c e , E u r o p e w o u l d b e a t w a r for a s e c o n d t i m e i n t h e n e w c e n t u r y , a n d t h e Nazis' would
Endldsung, be
the "6nal solution of the Jewish problem,"
horrifyingly
under
way.
Not
only
would
the
parochial i m p o r t a n c e of a cherished lock of hair shrink in the midst of the events that w o u l d m a k e E u r o p e a calamitous k i l l i n g g r o u n d , b u t t h o s e m o m e n t o u s e v e n t s t h e m s e l v e s also would
shape
dramatically
the
lockets
future
and
hold
its
w h e r e a b o u t s in dusky shadow. I n t h e e i g h t y y e a r s s i n c e H i l l e r , B e r l i o z , Liszt a n d t h e i r m u sical c o m r a d e s i n P a r i s first h a d s t r i v e n t o e l e v a t e B e e t h o v e n t o t h e status o f a c o m p o s e r - G o d , l o v e o f his c o m p o s i t i o n s a n d d e votion
to
him
as
a
mythic
ideal
had
continued
to
swell
t h r o u g h o u t m u c h of the world. His orchestral and c h a m b e r music had increased in popularity in each succeeding decade, d e s p i t e d r a m a t i c a l l y e v o l v i n g m u s i c a l tastes; a s e r i e s o f b i o g r a p h i e s — s o m e accurate and highly informative, others elabo-
rately
fictionalized—had
d o z e n s o f plays,
b e e n published in three languages;
p o e m s , and novels,
including one by the
R u s s i a n l u m i n a r y L e o T o l s t o y , h a d e m p l o y e d t h e basic s t o r y o f B e e t h o v e n ' s life a s t h e i r n a r r a t i v e g r i s t , a n d g r e a t s t a t u e s i n h i s h o n o r h a d b e e n e r e c t e d i n B o n n a n d V i e n n a . W h e n his g r a v e had
fallen
into
disrepair in
1863,
Vienna's
Society
of the
F r i e n d s o f M u s i c successfully h a d p e t i t i o n e d for p e r m i s s i o n t o e x h u m e B e e t h o v e n ' s b o d y a n d r e b u r y it. T h e n i n 1 8 8 8 , his b o d y h a d b e e n d i s t u r b e d a second^ t i m e w h e n i t w a s r e m o v e d t o t h e city's C e n t r a l C e m e t e r y a n d i n t e r r e d a l o n g s i d e t h e r e mains of V i e n n a - b o r n Franz Schubert, twin headstones m a r k ing the t w o c o m p o s e r s ' resting places. A y e a r later, r e s i d e n t s o f B o n n h a d r e m i n d e d t h e w o r l d t h a t B e e t h o v e n w a s their n a t i v e s o n w h e n t h e h o u s e w h e r e h e w a s b o r n had been restored and made into a m u s e u m , but it was in V i e n n a a g a i n i n 1 9 0 2 w h e n a g r o u p o f a v a n t - g a r d e artists a n d musicians had ushered Beethoven's m e m o r y and music into the
brave
Exhibition."
new
century
Centered
with
around
a
sensational
"Beethoven
the
ceremonial
unveiling of
Leipzig sculptor M a x Klinger's marble m o n u m e n t , w h i c h had b e e n seventeen years in construction, the exhibition had b e e n t h e b r a i n c h i l d o f a g r o u p o f y o u n g , i c o n o c l a s t i c V i e n n a artists led
by
painter
"Secessionists."
Gustav
Klimt
For them,
who
Beethoven
dubbed
themselves
epitomized
not only
artistic g e n i u s b u t also t h e p e r s o n a l t r i u m p h o f p u r i t y o v e r b a s e sensuality, a s u b j e c t s c a n d a l o u s l y a d d r e s s e d b y K l i m t s
Frieze, year-old
Beethoven
w h i c h c o v e r e d t h r e e walls of t h e i n t e r i o r o f t h e f o u r Secession
Pavilion
when
the
exhibition
opened.
M u c h h u m a n nakedness indeed was depicted in Klimt s frieze,
a n d K l i n g e r ' s l a r g e r - t h a n - l i f e B e e t h o v e n also w a s s t r i p p e d o f c l o t h i n g , his m o d e s t y p r o t e c t e d o n l y b y a s w a t h o f m a r b l e cloth. C o n s t r u c t e d of m a n y types of stone, as well as ivory, gold, b r o n z e , and gems, Klinger's B e e t h o v e n was seated on a t h r o n e a d o r n e d b y f i v e a n g e l s , y e t his f a c e — p a t t e r n e d after a life m a s k m a d e l o n g a g o b y s c u l p t o r F r a n z K l e i n — w a s u n a d o r n e d , h u m a n , a n d strikingly reminiscent o f the m a n w h o o n c e h a d lived only a block away a c e n t u r y before. A l t h o u g h renowned
French sculptor Auguste
R o d i n had pronounced
t h e e x h i b i t i o n " t r a g i c a n d m a g n i f i c e n t " f o l l o w i n g its o p e n i n g on
April
Vienna's
5—for
which
Imperial
Opera,
occasion had
Gustav
Mahler,
rescored parts
head
of the
of
Ninth
S y m p h o n y s o l e l y for w o o d w i n d s , brass, a n d v o i c e s — m o s t c r i t ics h a d b e e n c o n v i n c e d t h a t t h e g r e a t i n s t a l l a t i o n i n s i d e t h e starkly
modern
highbrow
Secession Pavilion was
pornography,
utterly
nothing more
unsuited
to
than
"honorable
w o m e n and y o u n g maidens." But the scandal—such as it w a s — h a d been b r e w e d by the y o u n g S e c e s s i o n i s t s , n o t b y B e e t h o v e n surely, a s u b t l e t y t h a t t h e c r i t i c s t o o k p a i n s t o p o i n t o u t , a n d his g o d l i k e r e p u t a t i o n h a d n o t suffered g r e a t l y o r for l o n g i n V i e n n a o r i n E u r o p e a t large. T h e m y t h o f t h e d i v i n e B e e t h o v e n h a d r e m a i n e d i n t a c t for s o m e t i m e l o n g e r a c r o s s t h e A t l a n t i c a s w e l l , w h e r e n i n e teenth-century
transcendentalists
such
as
Ralph
Waldo
E m e r s o n a n d M a r g a r e t Fuller l o n g since had c o n v i n c e d their l i k e - m i n d e d c o u n t r y m e n i n t h e U n i t e d States t h a t B e e t h o v e n w o n d e r f u l l y e m b o d i e d an ideal spiritual reality capable of t r a n s c e n d i n g t h e base a n d often painful physical w o r l d . B e e t h o v e n h a d b e e n d e a d for e i g h t d e c a d e s w h e n P a u l H i l l e r
r e f u r b i s h e d t h e l o c k e t t h a t h e l d his hair. B u t t h e c o m p o s e r h a d r e m a i n e d v i t a l l y alive i n t h e h e a r t s o f h i s a d h e r e n t s a s t h e t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y o p e n e d , m u c h m o r e a g o d still a m o n g t h e m t h a n a s i m p l e m a n w h o o n c e h a d lived a n d suffered a n d m a d e extraordinary music. It wasn't until W o r l d W a r I had b e g u n to soak the r e m n a n t s o f R o m a n t i c i s m i n b o t h b l o o d a n d misery that the cult of B e e t h o v e n , w h i c h Ferdinand Hiller l o n g ago h a d p l a y e d a p a r t i n c r e a t i n g , a t last c a m e t o a s o b e r e d c l o s e . Particularly in France and the English-speaking w o r l d , p e o p l e s u d d e n l y n o l o n g e r c o u l d i g n o r e t h e fact t h a t B e e t h o v e n — f o r all his m u s i c a l g e n i u s — h a d b e e n a
German,
and an e n e m y na-
tion simply could not p r o d u c e s o m e o n e w o r t h y of a kind of w o r s h i p . T h e Fifth S y m p h o n y , t h e N i n t h , t h e K r e u t z e r S o n a t a , a n d the late string quartets r e m a i n e d splendid music, o f c o u r s e . B u t i n t h e h o r r o r o f t h e f i g h t i n g a n d its h o l l o w a f t e r m a t h , s o m e t h i n g s e e m e d n e w l y clear t o m a n y w h o o n c e had b e lieved starkly o t h e r w i s e : t h e m a n w h o h a d created t h o s e great works had been only a man in the end.
PAUL
HILLER,
JOURNALIST
AND
MUSIC
scholar,
had
b e e n keenly interested over the years to read the infrequently published volumes of the m o n u m e n t a l
Life of Beethoven
that
American Alexander W h e e l o c k Thayer had begun w o r k on m o r e t h a n a h a l f c e n t u r y b e f o r e , a b i o g r a p h y , u n l i k e m o s t o f its predecessors, that had been intended to describe the c o m p o s e r ' s life a s i t a c t u a l l y h a d o c c u r r e d . S o o n after T h a y e r h a d initiated the project in 1849, he had enlisted the l o n g - t e r m
assistance
of writer and historian
Hermann
Deiters,
whose
p r i n c i p a l task i t w o u l d b e t o e d i t T h a y e r ' s w r i t i n g a n d t r a n s l a t e it into G e r m a n , the appropriate language in which the exhaustive biography should be published, T h a y e r believed. T h e t w o m e n had succeeded in completing three v o l u m e s — a d d r e s s i n g t h e c o m p o s e r ' s life t h r o u g h
1 8 1 6 — w h e n , following
y e a r s o f failing h e a l t h a n d a m o u n t i n g w r i t e r ' s b l o c k , T h a y e r h a d d i e d i n 1 8 9 7 a n d t h e task o f c o m p l e t i n g t h e p r o j e c t h a d fallen t o D e i t e r s a l o n e . D e i t e r s h a d b e e n able t o finish t h e b i o g r a p h y ' s f o u r t h v o l u m e i n t h e w e e k s before t o his o w n d e a t h i n 1 9 0 7 , t h e n i t h a d fallen t o his c o l l e a g u e H u g o R i e m a n n t o c o m p l e t e t h e fifth a n d f i n a l v o l u m e , t o r e e d i t its p r e d e c e s s o r s , a n d t o o v e r s e e t h e publication in 1917 of t h e definitive,
five-volume
set, a b i o g -
r a p h y t h a t i n t h e e n d s u c c e e d e d s t u n n i n g l y i n its s c o p e , its scale, a n d its " d e v o t i o n t o B e e t h o v e n t h e
many
as T h a y e r l o n g
ago had h o p e d it w o u l d — a w o r k that p r o v e d to Paul Hiller a n d thousands o f k i n d r e d B e e t h o v e n devotees that the c o m p o s e r h a d b e e n , i n fact, all t h e m o r e r e m a r k a b l e for his f l a w e d h u m a n i t y . H i s w a s human m u s i c , n o t t h e w o r k o f a g o d o f a n y r a n k , a n d t h e r e i n lay b o t h its m y s t e r y a n d its e n o r m o u s , e n d u r i n g appeal. P a u l H i l l e r , a g e e i g h t y - o n e , w h i t e - h a i r e d , still h a n d s o m e , a n d n o t a t all t h e c o r p u l e n t m a n his f a t h e r h a d b e e n , d i e d o n J a n u a r y 2 7 , 1 9 3 4 , s o o n after s u f f e r i n g a s t r o k e a t his h o m e a t 3 1 Eifelstrasse i n C o l o g n e . A t his b e d s i d e w e r e his w i f e S o p h i e , h e r age u n k n o w n , a n d his t w o y o u n g e r s o n s — E d g a r , s o o n t o b e t w e n t y - e i g h t a n d a n o p e r a s i n g e r like his f a t h e r a n d g r a n d m o t h e r before h i m had been, and Erwin, then twenty-six and
a n a c t o r , b o t h s o n s still l i v i n g a t t h e i r p a r e n t s ' h o m e . U n k n o w n to t h e m a n d residing in Berlin at t h e t i m e was their half b r o t h e r Felix, fifty-one, w h o h a d g r o w n u p i n C h e m n i t z , a n d w h o h a d s u p p o r t e d h i m s e l f a s a n artist i n his y o u n g e r days b e fore b e c o m i n g a c o m p o s e r , c o n t i n u i n g in t h e tradition of his paternal grandfather. T h r e e d a y s after P a u l H i l l e r ' s d e a t h , a p a i d o b i t u a r y a p p e a r e d i n a C o l o g n e n e w s p a p e r , t h e small n o t i c e b e a r i n g a t h i c k b l a c k b o r d e r a n d h e a d e d b y a s i m p l e b l a i k c r o s s . " A f t e r a life o f r i c h artistic c r e a t i v i t y , " it r e a d ,
r i g h t e o u s u p t o his d e a t h , o u r u n f o r g e t t a b l e d e a r h u s b a n d a n d father, H e r r Paul Hiller, m u s i c w r i t e r , passed a w a y u n e x p e c t e d l y . . . a t the age o f e i g h t y - o n e . H e died f i r m l y b e l i e v i n g i n his S a v i o r . I n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h his w i s h e s , w e h a v e laid o u r b e l o v e d d e p a r t e d o n e q u i e t l y t o h i s f i n a l r e s t in the Southern C e m e t e r y in Cologne. In deep sorrow: S o p h i e H i l l e r ; E d g a r a n d E r w i n H i l l e r . W e ask f r i e n d s t o a b s t a i n f r o m c o n d o l e n c e visits.
P a u l H i l l e r h a d w o r k e d as a staff w r i t e r for t h e
Zeitung
Rheinische
for a q u a r t e r c e n t u r y , a p o s i t i o n h e h a d h e l d u n t i l e i g h t
years b e f o r e , yet it was n o t that n e w s p a p e r in w h i c h his family chose to have the obituary published. N e i t h e r did it appear in the
Kolnische Zeitung,
t h e p e r i o d i c a l that h a d p u b l i s h e d Paul's
m e m o r i a l a r t i c l e o n t h e c e n t e n a r y o f h i s father's b i r t h . I n s t e a d , the obituary had b e e n purchased in the
Westdeutscher Beobachter,
a n d t h e r e i n lay t h e first o f m a n y s u b s e q u e n t m y s t e r i e s . W h y d i d P a u l H i l l e r ' s f a m i l y c h o o s e t o n o t e his p a s s i n g i n t h e C o l o g n e n e w s p a p e r that was the m o s t zealously p r o - N a z i at that m o m e n t ? H a d P a u l H i l l e r b o r n e ill w i l l t o w a r d t h e n e w s p a p e r w h e r e h e h a d w o r k e d s o l o n g , a n d w a s this c h o i c e t h e r e f o r e e v i d e n c e o f s o m e spite? O r d i d t h e family m e m b e r s c h o o s e t o publish t h e o b i t u a r y in t h e
Westdeutscher Beobachter
specifically
in o r d e r to help mask their J e w i s h identity, to p r o t e c t t h e m selves f r o m h a r a s s m e n t a n d t h e g r o w i n g t h r e a t o f v i o l e n c e ? C o u l d that a t t e m p t at c o n c e a l m e n t a c c o u n t as well for t h e use o f t h e cross a n d t h e s h o r t notice's t w o separate references to
Paul
Hiller's—and
by
inference
his
family's—devout
C h r i s t i a n i t y ? F e r d i n a n d H i l l e r a n d his w i f e , A n t o l k a , h a d b e c o m e converted Lutherans almost a century before, and their s o n t h e r e f o r e w a s a t least a n o m i n a l C h r i s t i a n , y e t b y all a c c o u n t s his p a r e n t s ' c o n v e r s i o n h a d b e e n o n e o n l y o f c o n v e n i e n c e . F o r four g e n e r a t i o n s b y n o w , t h e H i l d e s h e i m family h a d c a l l e d itself H i l l e r i n o r d e r t o h e l p i t a s s i m i l a t e i n t o m i d d l e class G e r m a n s o c i e t y a s w e l l a s c i r c u m v e n t t h e v e r y r e a l p o s s i bility of p e r s e c u t i o n . W e r e t h e p o s t i n g of Paul's o b i t u a r y in a pro-Nazi
newspaper
and
the
repeated
references
to
his
C h r i s t i a n faith m e r e l y t h e c o n t i n u a t i o n o f a l a m e n t a b l e b u t necessary family tradition c a r r i e d o u t this t i m e in frighteningly d a n g e r o u s times?
THE TREATY
OF V E R S A I L L E S ,
S I G N E D i n 1 9 1 9 i n t h e af-
termath of W o r l d W a r I, had stripped G e r m a n y of military
c o n t r o l o f w h a t h a d b e e n B e e t h o v e n ' s h o m e l a n d a s w e l l a s its t e r r i t o r i a l h o l d o n his a d o p t e d c o u n t r y . E x c l u d e d b y t h e v i c torious Allied nations
from
participation in the Paris Peace
C o n f e r e n c e a t w h i c h E u r o p e ' s n e w political b o u n d a r i e s h a d been delineated, G e r m a n y had been forced to accept the d e m i l i t a r i z a t i o n o f t h e R h i n e l a n d a l o n g its w e s t e r n b o r d e r w i t h France. It had b e e n Germany's humiliations in the aftermath of W o r l d W a r I that had helped make the c o u n t r y ripe d u r i n g the 1 9 2 0 s for t h e e m e r g e n c e o f t h e ^ N a t i o n a l Socialist
German
W o r k e r s ' Party. L e d b y a n obsessive A u s t r i a n i m m i g r a n t n a m e d A d o l f H i t l e r , its m e m b e r s h a d b e e n m a n i a c a l l y c o m m i t t e d t o rebuilding Germany's military power, as well as ridding their country
o f its
insidious
Communists,
t h e vast
majority
of
w h o m w e r e Jews, or so the Nazis believed. Following the onset of a disastrous international depression in
1929,
the
Nazis had argued that the
depression was a
C o m m u n i s t plot engineered by Jewish financiers; they had promised voters a strong G e r m a n y free of Jewish good jobs,
a n d national glory,
and
Nazi
control,
representation in
the G e r m a n parliament had risen sharply following elections in
1930.
In
January
1933,
German
president
Paul
von
H i n d e n b u r g had acquiesced to m o u n t i n g pressure within the parliament and had appointed Hitler as the nation's n e w c h a n cellor. A m o n t h later, t h e
Reichstag,
the national parliament
b u i l d i n g in Berlin, h a d b e e n b u r n e d by arsonists, a n d in t h e fear a n d f u r o r t h a t f o l l o w e d t h a t a t t a c k , w h i c h H i t l e r h i m s e l f m a y h a v e i n s t i g a t e d , h e h a d b e e n able t o o u t l a w all p o l i t i c a l parties
but
his
own
and
to
win
passage
of the
so-called
Enabling Act, w h i c h had dissolved the republican g o v e r n m e n t
and had granted to Hitler b r o a d dictatorial powers. S o o n business, l a b o r , a g r i c u l t u r e , e d u c a t i o n , a n d c u l t u r e all h a d b e c o m e s u b j e c t t o N a z i c o n t r o l , a n d a s e c r e t state p o l i c e , t h e G e s t a p o , had b e e n established in o r d e r to crush potential dissent a n d i n s u r r e c t i o n , its b r u t a l i t y o p e n l y a i m e d a t J e w s , w h o t h e n c e f o r t h had been
removed
from leading positions
in
all
facets
of
G e r m a n life. I n t h e m o n t h s following Paul Hiller's d e a t h i n J a n u a r y 1 9 3 4 , i t r e m a i n e d u n c l e a r p r e c i s e l y h o w difficult life w o u l d b e c o m e for G e r m a n y ' s J e w s , b u t b y t h e a u t u m n o f 1 9 3 5 , w i t h t h e p a s sage o f t h e s o - c a l l e d N u r e m b e r g L a w s , t h e f u t u r e h a d b e g u n t o g r o w s h o c k i n g l y clear: J e w s n o w n o l o n g e r c o u l d v o t e , t h e y c o u l d n o t h o l d an array of j o b s a n d professions, a n d p r o p e r t y o w n e d b y J e w s c o u l d legally b e s e i z e d . T h r o u g h o u t Germany, hundreds of thousands of J e w s — i n cluding those w h o w e r e converted Protestants as well as those whose parentage meant they were what the Nazis deemed "half-Jews"—now began to debate whether it would be wisest t o f l e e t h e c o u n t r y r a t h e r t h a n r i s k f u r t h e r p e r s e c u t i o n , a l t h o u g h e m i g r a t i n g a p p e a r e d a s a t r u l y feasible o p t i o n o n l y t o t h o s e w h o h a d t h e f i n a n c i a l m e a n s t o d o so, a p r i v i l e g e d g r o u p that w o u l d h a v e i n c l u d e d Paul Hiller's w i d o w , S o p h i e , a n d h e r s o n s a m o n g its n u m b e r s . J e w i s h w r i t e r s , artists, a n d m u s i c i a n s w e r e a m o n g t h e f i r s t t o b e g i n t o f l e e t h e i r h o m e l a n d , i n fact, a n d a s m a n y a s f i f t e e n h u n d r e d o f t h e m f l e d specifically t o neighboring Denmark beginning in 1933. T h e 1 9 3 4 Adressbuch, C o l o g n e ' s c i t y d i r e c t o r y , listed o n l y Sophie Hiller and her son Edgar as living in the house at
Eifelstrasse 3 1 . I t i s possible, h o w e v e r , t h a t E r w i n , t h e y o u n g e s t son, then t w e n t y - s e v e n , r e m a i n e d in residence there as well and s i m p l y w a s n o t listed, b u t b y 1 9 3 5 , n e i t h e r son's n a m e a p p e a r e d i n t h e Adressbuch, a l t h o u g h t h e i r m o t h e r d i d still live at h e r l o n g t e r m h o m e . B y 1 9 3 6 , t h e city's streets n o w j a m m e d w i t h s t e r n visaged soldiers in the w a k e of the Nazis' massive remilitarization of the Rhineland, the
Adressbuch
n o longer showed evidence of
any m e m b e r o f t h e H i l l e r family l i v i n g i n C o l o g n e , n o t i n t h e leafy Eifelstrasse n o r a n y w h e r e else ifc t h e g r e a t city t h a t h a d b e e n t h e family's h o m e for m o r e t h a n e i g h t y y e a r s . H a d S o p h i e H i l l e r fled G e r m a n y for a n o t h e r c o u n t r y w h e r e she w o u l d have believed herself m o r e secure? H a d h e r sons e s c a p e d a s w e l l ? H a d t h e y t r a v e l e d t o g e t h e r , separately, o r d i d they remain in G e r m a n y s o m e h o w sheltered from view? A n d what
had
become
of the
storied
lock
of Ludwig
van
B e e t h o v e n ' s hair? Paul Hiller had c o n t e n d e d twenty-five years before that he g u a r d e d t h e h a i r a s a c h e r i s h e d l e g a c y o f his father, a n d , t a k i n g h i m a t his w o r d , i t i s difficult t o i m a g i n e t h a t h e m i g h t h a v e s o l d t h e h a i r o r s i m p l y lost t r a c k o f i t s o m e t i m e d u r i n g t h e t w e n t y - t h r e e years that followed. W h a t seems probable is that P a u l H i l l e r p l a n n e d t o pass i t t o o n e o f his s o n s . F e l i x , his e l d e s t , m i g h t h a v e r e c e i v e d t h e gift, y e t h e l i v e d i n f a r a w a y B e r l i n , a n d i t b e a r s n o t i n g a s w e l l t h a t his i l l e g i t i m a c y p r o b a bly k e p t h i m at a significant physical a n d e m o t i o n a l r e m o v e f r o m his f a t h e r i f h e w a s i n c o n t a c t w i t h h i m a t all. T h e n e x t son, the singer Edgar, elder of the t w o sons w h o m Paul a n d Sophie shared, might have b e e n b e q u e a t h e d the locket that
h e l d t h e h a i r , b u t i t also i s v e r y p o s s i b l e t h a t i t r e m a i n e d i n Sophie's possession s o m e t i m e into t h e future. Despite h e r h u s band's advanced age, he nevertheless died unexpectedly, and it is possible that he did so before he m a d e k n o w n w h o m he w i s h e d t o o w n B e e t h o v e n ' s hair. W h a t is wonderfully certain, h o w e v e r , is that the lock of hair did s u r v i v e . R e s e a l e d i n s i d e its l o c k e t t h i r t y - t w o y e a r s b e f o r e , B e e t h o v e n ' s h a i r r e a p p e a r e d , m o s t i m p r o b a b l y , i n t h e small fishing
port
of Gilleleje—pronounced
Gill-uh-LIE-uh—on
t h e n o r t h c o a s t o f t h e D a n i s h island o f S j a d l a n d i n O c t o b e r 1943. B u t h o w did it reach that sea-battered outpost only a few k i l o m e t e r s a c r o s s t h e icy O r e s u n d
from
the shores of war-
n e u t r a l S w e d e n ? A n d w h e r e h a d i t a n d its o w n e r r e s i d e d d u r i n g t h e y e a r s b e f o r e ? H a d t h e l o c k o f h a i r still r e m a i n e d i n Germany on
Kristallnacht,
t h e N i g h t o f B r o k e n Glass, w h e n , in
N o v e m b e r 1938, brownshirted mobs broke the w i n d o w s of J e w i s h shops, b u r n e d synagogues, a n d attacked J e w i s h citizens i n t h e s t r e e t s o f C o l o g n e a n d t h r o u g h o u t all o f G e r m a n y ? W h e r e w e r e t h e l o c k o f h a i r a n d its s u r e l y f e a r - r a c k e d o w n e r w h e n , t e n m o n t h s later, G e r m a n t r o o p s i n v a d e d P o l a n d a n d the S e c o n d W o r l d W a r dramatically was u n d e r way, G e r m a n y ' s b o r d e r s c l o s e d a n d t h e c o u n t r y all b u t i m p o s s i b l e t o e s c a p e ? H o w d i d i t c o m e t o pass t h a t a l o c k o f h a i r c l i p p e d f r o m t h e h e a d of a l o n g - d e a d c o m p o s e r was o n e of t h e few possessions c a r r i e d b y a r e f u g e e f l e e i n g for his life o r for h e r s ? A n d i f t h e lock of hair was carried on the escape simply because it was p r e c i o u s , w h y t h e n d i d its o w n e r s u b s e q u e n t l y g i v e i t a w a y i n Gilleleje on a cold O c t o b e r night?
WITHIN
NINE
MONTHS
OF
GERMANY'S
invasion
of
P o l a n d a n d t h e o n s e t o f W o r l d W a r II, v i r t u a l l y all o f c o n t i n e n t a l w e s t e r n E u r o p e lay u n d e r t h e c o n t r o l o f t h e N a z i s a n d t h e i r fascist c o n f e d e r a t e s i n Italy. D e n m a r k a n d N o r w a y fell to
the
G e r m a n s in April
1940;
in
early
May,
so
did the
Netherlands, Belgium, and L u x e m b o u r g , and most of France s u c c u m b e d i n t h e f i r s t t h r e e days o f J u n e . Hitler's armies h a d b e e n t h o r o u g h l y p r e p a r e d for t h e s e r i e s o f " l i g h t n i n g s t r i k e " i n v a s i o n s , a n d c o u n t r i e s l i k e D e n n \ a r k h a d b e e n a b l e t o offer only the most token kind of opposition. I n D e n m a r k ' s p a r t i c u l a r c i r c u m s t a n c e , i n fact, t h e N a z i s r e warded the
D a n e s for t h e i r p a s s i v i t y b y p r o m i s i n g t h e m a
m e a s u r e o f a u t o n o m y . T h e r e h a d b e e n n o G e r m a n casualties during
the
few
moments
of
fighting—Denmark's
King
C h r i s t i a n X h a d s u r r e n d e r e d his c o u n t r y ' s n i n e h u n d r e d years o f i n d e p e n d e n c e less t h a n t h r e e h o u r s after G e r m a n t r o o p s h a d w a d e d a s h o r e — a n d therefore the G e r m a n s pledged their willingness to allow the D a n i s h g o v e r n m e n t to r e m a i n in place. C o u r t s , p o l i c e , e v e n t h e small a r m y c o n t i n u e d u n d e r D a n i s h jurisdiction.
Hitler w o u l d allow the Danes to maintain r e -
m a r k a b l e levels of self-rule, b u t o n l y so l o n g as agricultural a n d industrial p r o d u c t s steadily s t r e a m e d s o u t h t o
Germany,
so
l o n g as a disruptive resistance m o v e m e n t did n o t b e g i n to b u r geon, and, equally i m p o r t a n t , so l o n g as D e n m a r k ' s "Jewish p r o b l e m " d i d n o t fester. But "there is no Jewish problem in D e n m a r k , " national p o lice c h i e f T h u n e J a c o b s e n i n f o r m e d H e i n r i c h H i m m l e r , h e a d o f N a z i p o l i c e f o r c e s d u r i n g H i m m l e r ' s visit t o D e n m a r k s o o n after t h e o c c u p a t i o n . J a c o b s e n ' s b l u n t r e s p o n s e r e f l e c t e d t h e
fact t h a t t h e c o u n t r y ' s J e w i s h p o p u l a t i o n w a s v e r y small. I t comprised only about eight thousand people,
roughly two
t h o u s a n d o f w h o m w e r e noncitizen refugees w h o had escaped persecution, in Russia and G e r m a n y in particular, in t h e years leading up to t h e war. B u t it was reflective t o o of t h e t r u t h that the D a n e s simply did n o t share the Nazis' maniacal conviction that the J e w s w h o m they lived a m o n g w e r e d e m o n s . T h e y w e r e Danes f o r e m o s t , a n d t h a t t o o w a s t h e w a y i n w h i c h m o s t Danish Jews perceived themselves. Nazi
officials
in
Berlin
naively
presumed
that
patriotic
D a n i s h c i t i z e n s w o u l d feel n o small m e a s u r e o f c o m f o r t a n d satisfaction u n d e r t h e p r o t e c t i o n o f t h e f o r c e s t h a t s o o b v i o u s l y s o o n w o u l d w i n t h e w a r , a n d for a t i m e , life d i d g o o n i n D e n m a r k r e m a r k a b l y a s i t h a d b e f o r e t h e i n v a s i o n for b o t h J e w s a n d n o n - J e w s alike. S y n a g o g u e s a n d r e l i g i o u s s c h o o l s r e m a i n e d o p e n , t h e activities o f J e w i s h organizations c o n t i n u e d without
disturbance,
and
most
Danish
Jews—like
their
Christian n e i g h b o r s — f o u n d it virtually impossible to believe the r u m o r s filtering n o r t h a b o u t t h e N a z i p e r s e c u t i o n , d e p o r tation, and execution of J e w s elsewhere in occupied E u r o p e . Y e t t h e D a n e s n e v e r d i d g r o w c o m f o r t a b l e w i t h t h e affront p o s e d b y G e r m a n soldiers a n d G e r m a n w e a p o n r y c l o g g i n g their h i t h e r t o tranquil streets. N e w s a b o u t t h e t r u e h o r r o r o f t h e N a z i r e g i m e a t last b e g a n t o h a v e a s i c k e n i n g r i n g o f t r u t h a b o u t it; a n d , i n e v i t a b l y , a v i g o r o u s D a n i s h r e s i s t a n c e m o v e m e n t did develop in time, relations b e t w e e n the g o v e r n m e n t s in Berlin and C o p e n h a g e n dramatically deteriorating as well o n c e t h e w a r a t l a r g e b e g a n t o g o b a d l y for H i t l e r ' s f o r c e s . T h e
Soviet R e d A r m y ultimately had repelled the Nazis' drive d e e p i n t o R u s s i a . T h e G e r m a n s p l a i n l y h a d failed i n t h e i r efforts t o b o m b t h e British i n t o submission; t h e i r offensive i n N o r t h Africa h a d c o l l a p s e d , a n d e v e n i n o n c e - c o m p l i a n t D e n m a r k , sabotage against G e r m a n t r o o p s carried o u t b y D a n i s h f r e e d o m fighters became a true irritant by the s u m m e r of 1943. W h e n t h e D a n i s h g o v e r n m e n t r e f u s e d t o i n s t i t u t e its o w n f o r m o f martial German
law in an forces
effort t o
took
quell the
command
^f the
m o u n t i n g resistance, king's
residence
in
C o p e n h a g e n on August 29, arrested m e m b e r s of parliament as w e l l a s l e a d i n g D a n i s h c i t i z e n s , a n d d e c l a r e d a state o f e m e r g e n c y . I n a r e s p o n s e t h a t w a s little m o r e t h a n s y m b o l i c , t h e Danish g o v e r n m e n t p r o m p t l y resigned and a general strike e n s u e d , y e t t h e G e r m a n s a t last h e l d c o m p l e t e c o n t r o l o v e r t h e country. W i t h o u t a g o v e r n m e n t to appease, a n d n o w utterly u n i n t e r ested in p r e s e n t i n g a c o o p e r a t i v e image to t h e D a n i s h p e o p l e themselves, the Nazis no longer w e r e forced to sanction w h a t they d e e m e d the preferential treatment of Denmark's Jews. I m m e d i a t e l y f o l l o w i n g t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f t h e state o f e m e r g e n c y , t h e y c o n f i s c a t e d lists c o n t a i n i n g t h e n a m e s a n d a d d r e s s e s of m e m b e r s of the nation's Jewish c o m m u n i t y , and soon it was t e r r i f y i n g l y a p p a r e n t t h a t D e n m a r k n o l o n g e r w a s t h e small b u t safe h a v e n i t h a d b e e n s i n c e w e l l b e f o r e t h e o n s e t o f t h e w a r . R u m o r s n o w swirled t h r o u g h o u t C o p e n h a g e n that a G e r m a n s h i p r e c e n t l y d o c k e d i n t h e city's h a r b o r w a s w a i t i n g , i m p a tiently, for a c a r g o o f c a p t i v e J e w s .
THE
CAVERNOUS
DANISH
NATIONAL
ARCHIVES
con-
tain no e v i d e n c e indicating that a G e r m a n e m i g r a n t n a m e d Sophie Hiller or either of her t w o sons, Edgar or E r w i n , w e r e admitted to D e n m a r k b e t w e e n 1934 and 1943. N e i t h e r do the archives c o n t a i n a r e c o r d establishing that Sophie's stepson Felix Hiller was o n e o f the thousands o f G e r m a n refugees w h o had passed t h r o u g h D a n i s h i m m i g r a t i o n p r i o r t o t h e o u t b r e a k o f the war. It is possible, of course, that o n e — o r e v e n a l l — o f t h e m were
a d m i t t e d u n d e r false
identities.
Hundreds
of refugees
present in D e n m a r k in 1943 entered the c o u n t r y by clandestine m e a n s a n d w i t h o u t official s a n c t i o n , a n d t h e r e f o r e n o r e c o r d o f their p r e s e n c e has ever existed. W h a t i s i r r e f u t a b l e , h o w e v e r , i s t h a t t h e lives o f t h i s s i n g l e family s t e e p e d i n m u s i c h a d b e e n r u p t u r e d i n a w a y that w o u l d have b e e n utterly unimaginable as recently as 1934, the year in w h i c h Paul Hiller passed away. T h e available e v i d e n c e m a k e s it appear certain that n o n e of the Hillers r e m a i n e d in C o l o g n e in 1943, and the reappearance of the locket likewise makes it p o s s i b l e t h a t a t least o n e o f t h e m e s c a p e d t o D e n m a r k b e f o r e t h e late s u m m e r o f t h a t y e a r , w h e n t h e N a z i s s e i z e d m a r t i a l c o n t r o l o f t h e i r o c c u p i e d c o u n t r y a n d set a b o u t t h e s c u r r i l o u s business o f d e p o r t i n g J e w s . B u t w o u l d Sophie, Edgar, o r E r w i n Hiller h a v e b e e n readily identifiable as J e w i s h in a c o u n t r y w h e r e that designation was d e e m e d insignificant i n c o m p a r i son w i t h the grave importance it had b o r n e in n e i g h b o r i n g G e r m a n y ? O n c e i n D e n m a r k , w o u l d the Hillers have s h u n n e d their Jewish ethnicity as a further m e a n s of self-protection? Or conversely, m i g h t t h e y h a v e s o u g h t o u t that c o u n t r y ' s small c o m m u n i t y of J e w s as a w a y to d r a w vital assistance a n d s u p -
p o r t from o t h e r s w h o similarly w e r e h u n t e d ? M i g h t a m e m b e r o f t h e H i l l e r family h a v e b e e n a m o n g t h e l a r g e c r o w d t h a t h a d gathered
at
morning
of September
the
venerable 30,
Copenhagen 1943,
to
Synagogue hear
Rabbi
on
the
Marcus
Melchior's stunning announcement:
Last n i g h t I r e c e i v e d w o r d t h a t t o m o r r o w t h e G e r m a n s plan t o raid J e w i s h h o m e s t h r o u g h o u t C o p e n h a g e n t o arrest all t h e D a n i s h J e w s for s h i p m e n t t o c o n c e n t r a t i o n camps. T h e y k n o w that t o m o r r o w is R o s h Hashanah and o u r families w i l l b e h o m e . T h e s i t u a t i o n i s v e r y s e r i o u s . We m u s t take action immediately. You m u s t leave t h e synagogue
now
and
contact
all
relatives,
friends,
and
n e i g h b o r s y o u k n o w a r e J e w i s h a n d tell t h e m w h a t I h a v e t o l d y o u . Y o u m u s t tell t h e m pass t h e w o r d o n t o e v e r y o n e t h e y k n o w i s J e w i s h . Y o u m u s t also s p e a k t o all y o u r C h r i s t i a n f r i e n d s a n d tell t h e m t o w a r n t h e J e w s . Y o u m u s t d o this immediately, w i t h i n t h e n e x t few m i n u t e s , s o that t w o o r t h r e e h o u r s from n o w e v e r y o n e will k n o w w h a t i s h a p p e n i n g . B y n i g h t f a l l t o n i g h t , w e m u s t all b e i n hiding.
This extraordinary information had c o m e to the rabbi from C.
B.
Henriques,
a supreme court barrister and longtime
leader of the Jewish c o m m u n i t y , w h o had received it from s o cial d e m o c r a t i c p a r t y c h i e f H a n s H e d t o f t , w h o , i n t u r n , h a d been personally w a r n e d by G e r m a n shipping attache G e o r g
D u c k w i t z that a Nazi
aktion
w a s i m m i n e n t . D u c k w i t z first h a d
r i s k e d a r r e s t for t r e a s o n o n S e p t e m b e r 8 w h e n h e h a d a t t e m p t e d t o i n t e r c e p t a t e l e g r a m c a b l e d t o B e r l i n b y his c l o s e friend W e r n e r Best, t h e Nazis' plenipotentiary in D e n m a r k , in w h i c h Best had r e c o m m e n d e d t o Hitler that n o w was the right time to deal decisively w i t h t h e nation's J e w s . D u c k w i t z had failed i n t h a t e n d e a v o r , b u t w h e n , t e n d a y s later, H i t l e r h a d o r dered
the
abductions
and
deportations
to
commence
on
O c t o b e r 1 , D u c k w i t z h a d b e e n u n a b l e t o stay silent. I t h a d b e e n solely his d e c i s i o n o f c o n s c i e n c e t h a t h a d g i v e n m e m b e r s o f t h e J e w i s h c o m m u n i t y t h e s i n g l e day's n o t i c e , d u r i n g w h i c h t i m e t h e y h a d b e e n a b l e t o h i d e o r t o f l e e , his d e c i s i o n a l o n e that h a d m o b i l i z e d the resistance m o v e m e n t a n d thousands of h i t h e r t o passive D a n e s . B e f o r e nightfall o n S e p t e m b e r 3 0 , a d e t e r m i n e d , i f i m p r o m p t u , n a t i o n w i d e effort t o r e s c u e D e n mark's J e w s was u n d e r way. Messengers
immediately
were
mobilized
in
Copenhagen
a n d s m a l l e r cities a n d t o w n s t o s p r e a d t h e c r i t i c a l w o r d , v o l unteers knocking on every door they came to because theretofore t h e r e h a d b e e n n o general awareness i n D e n m a r k o f w h o was Jewish and w h o was not. Lutheran ministers m a d e urgent t e l e p h o n e pleas t o t h e i r p a r i s h i o n e r s t o s h e l t e r J e w s h o w e v e r t h e y c o u l d ; resistance leaders b e g a n t o marshal t h e aid o f m e r chant safety;
fishermen Boy
w h o s e boats could begin to ferry J e w s to
Scouts a n d m e m b e r s of h u n t i n g clubs c o m b e d
w o o d l a n d s in search of refugees w h o h a d sought the limited cover of trees,
attempting to direct t h e m to
harbor towns
w h e r e boats m i g h t await t h e m ; e v e r y w h e r e hospitals suddenly w e r e filled to overflowing with patients w h o s e names w e r e
listed a s H a n s e n , P e t e r s e n , o r J e n s e n , a n d a s w o r d r e a c h e d t h e h o s p i t a l s a b o u t families w h o w e r e p r e c a r i o u s l y h i d d e n — o r n o t h i d d e n at a l l — a m b u l a n c e s quickly w e r e dispatched to fetch them. Taxis that o t h e r w i s e w o u l d h a v e b e e n plying C o p e n h a g e n ' s cobbled
streets
on
an
early
autumn
afternoon
now
sped
t h r o u g h t h e q u i e t c o u n t r y s i d e e n r o u t e t o t h e f i s h i n g villages t h a t r i n g e d t h e 0 r e s u n d coast; a n d seaside trains, t o o , w e r e p a c k e d as t h o u g h t h e s u m m e r holiday season suddenly had recommenced,
their hushed,
grim-visaged passengers w e a r -
i n g as m a n y clothes as they c o u l d fit b e n e a t h their h e a v y coats. F i s h i n g p o r t s like R u n g s t e d , H u m e l b a e k , H e l s i n g o r , H o r n b a e k , a n d Gilleleje b e g a n t o s w e l l w i t h t h e i r n e w a r r i v a l s , t o w n s p e o p l e o p e n i n g t h e i r s h o p s , t h e i r b a r n s , attics, a n d l i v i n g r o o m s t o guests w h o had b e e n utterly u n e x p e c t e d t h e day before. P e r h a p s b e c a u s e it was farthest from C o p e n h a g e n a n d t h e p e r c e i v e d t h r e a t o f t h e G e s t a p o , b u t also c e r t a i n l y b e c a u s e t h e t r a i n d e a d - e n d e d t h e r e , t h e village o f G i l l e l e j e o n t h e n o r t h e r n t i p o f Sjaelland s o o n felt a p a r t i c u l a r s u r g e o f t e m p o r a r y i n h a b i t a n t s . O n T u e s d a y , O c t o b e r 5 — f i v e d a y s after t h e r e s c u e effort h a d h a s t e n e d to l i f e — t h e e v e n i n g train i n t o Gilleleje carried 3 1 4 people instead of the three d o z e n it n o r m a l l y did, the Gilleleje stationmaster p e n c i l i n g t h e w o r d " J e w s " beside t h e n u m b e r h e s c r i b b l e d i n a n effort t o e x p l a i n t h e f l o o d o f p a s sengers. B u t these w e r e not the first refugees to reach the t o w n of seventeen h u n d r e d inhabitants; m a n y had arrived in the p r e c e d i n g days a n d already had b o a r d e d fishing boats d o c k e d i n Gilleleje's small h a r b o r a n d safely c r o s s e d t o t h e p o r t o f H o g a n a s in n e u t r a l S w e d e n , a d o z e n nautical miles across t h e
w i n d - c h o p p e d expanse w h e r e the n a r r o w O r e s u n d met the o p e n w a t e r s o f t h e K a t t e g a t Sea. T h e first eight refugees—two
families
from
Copenhagen
w h o h a d n o t n e e d e d t o wait for R a b b i M e l c h i o r ' s u r g e n t a n n o u n c e m e n t to sense that flight from the Nazis was a b o u t to b e c o m e t h e i r o n l y o p t i o n — h a d escaped across t h e s o u n d i n t h e early m o r n i n g h o u r s o f W e d n e s d a y , S e p t e m b e r 2 9 . H i d d e n b y s h o p k e e p e r T a g e J a c o b s e n a n d his wife, t h e n ferried t o S w e d e n b y r e t i r e d f i s h e r m a n N i e l s C l a u s e n , w h o h a d lost a l e g a n d h a d n o t b e e n t o sea for s e v e r a l y e a r s , b u t w h o h a d a g r e e d to transport t h e m nonetheless, the four adults a n d four child r e n had b e e n interrogated by police in H o g a n a s on their arrival, t h e n q u a r t e r e d in a b o a r d i n g h o u s e . By Friday, O c t o b e r 1, d o z e n s m o r e refugees h a d a r r i v e d in t h e village.
The
Gilleleje
Inn
had been filled, as had the
B a d e h o t e l , d e s p i t e t h e fact t h a t its o w n e r s , t o w n s p e o p l e said, w e r e open about their p r o - N a z i sentiments. So many people w h o p l a i n l y h a i l e d f r o m s o m e w h e r e else h a d b e g u n t o w a l k t h e streets that n e r v o u s residents b e g a n to invite t h e strangers i n t o their h o m e s , a n d g r o c e r G i l b e r t Lassen o p e n e d t h e s u m m e r h o u s e s for w h i c h h e a c t e d a s c a r e t a k e r t o r e f u g e e s a s w e l l , c e r t a i n t h a t t h e i r o w n e r s w o u l d a p p r o v e o f his largesse. B e f o r e long, f r i g h t e n e d J e w s anxious t o f l e e D e n m a r k , their n a m e s alm o s t n e v e r m e n t i o n e d to their hosts, h a d b e e n sheltered virtually e v e r y w h e r e i n and a r o u n d t h e v i l l a g e — i n garages a n d lofts, i n s h e d s a n d w a r e h o u s e s , a t t h e h o s p i t a l , t h e b o a t b u i l d e r ' s yard, the waterworks, and the brewery. Fishing cutters and oceangoing schooners
from
t h e large
G i l l e l e j e f l e e t h a d sailed u n p r e d i c t a b l y b u t o f t e n d u r i n g t h e
f i r s t days o f t h e r e s c u e . T h e p a s s e n g e r s t h e y t o o k o n b o a r d p a i d w h a t t h e y c o u l d for t h e s h o r t v o y a g e t o safety, t h e f i s h e r m a n a c c e p t i n g p a y m e n t simply b e c a u s e it h a d b e e n irresistible n o t t o d e m a n d it, b u t also b e c a u s e t h e y h a d r i s k e d t h e i r b o a t s , t h e i r livelihoods, even prison if they had been apprehended by the feared Gestapo. K n o t s of h u d d l e d refugees had w a i t e d at the d o c k s for h o u r s i n o p e n d a y l i g h t i n t h e b e g i n n i n g , t h e n s i m ply had walked on b o a r d a readied boat. B u t before long their swelling n u m b e r s , as well as the sheer n u m b e r s of e m b a r k a t i o n s , h a d n e c e s s i t a t e d t h a t r u n s l a r g e l y b e a t t e m p t e d late a t night.
T h e ships m a d e t h e crossing w i t h o u t t h e benefit o f
lights, a n d s o o n thereafter d e p a r t u r e s f r o m t h e h a r b o r gave w a y t o safer a n d m o r e s u r r e p t i t i o u s l a u n c h e s f r o m t h e b e a c h e s t h a t lay east a n d w e s t o f t o w n , a h a l f d o z e n r e f u g e e s a t a t i m e l o a d e d i n t o d i n g h i e s i n t h e s e c o n d s b e t w e e n t h e crash o f e a c h successive w a v e , t h e n ferried o u t t o t h e the
Haabet,
the
Fri,
or the
Wasa
Maagen,
the
Tyboren,
w a i t i n g in d e e p water.
I n s t e a d o f s e t t i n g a c o u r s e d u e east t o H o g a n a s , c a p t a i n s o f t h e e r s t w h i l e f i s h i n g vessels h a d t e n d e d t o sail n o r t h i n t o t h e Kattegat as they departed the
D a n i s h coast,
and only had
steered eastward across t h e s o u n d o n c e they r e a c h e d o p e n water, w h e r e the likelihood of encountering G e r m a n patrol boats had b e e n even slimmer than it otherwise was. A n d o n c e t h e trickle of refugees had r e a c h e d a steady flow, the neutral S w e d e s — o p e n l y favoring t h e Allied p o w e r s n o w that N a z i military fortunes had b e g u n to ebb dramatically—had d o n e what they could to make the fishermen's round-trip journeys simpler.
Swedish
naval
vessels
made
rendezvous
with
the
D a n i s h ships a m i l e or t w o o u t from t h e w e l c o m i n g coast,
their h u m a n cargo transferred on n a r r o w gangplanks from o n e w a v e - p i t c h e d ship to a n o t h e r before b e i n g delivered to the Swedish harbor. But then on the m o r n i n g of Wednesday, October 6, Gestapo chief H a n s Juhl, based in the nearby port of Helsingor and sniffing t r o u b l e , d e c l a r e d all t h e h a r b o r s o f n o r t h Sjaslland off l i m i t s t o a n y o n e w h o d i d n o t possess a v a l i d f i s h e r m a n ' s c a r d ; h e i n s t r u c t e d m e m b e r s o f t h e D a n i s h civilian coast g u a r d t o m o n i t o r c a r e f u l l y all a c t i v i t y a l o n g t h e s h o r e — a l t h o u g h t h e g u a r d ' s a l l e g i a n c e t o h i m w a s t e n u o u s a t b e s t — a n d J u h l a n d his m e n b e g a n t o m a k e p e r i o d i c raids o n h a r b o r s a n d s u s p e c t e d h i d i n g places in h o p e s of catching the D a n e s in w h a t they p e r c e i v e d a s b l a t a n t acts o f s a b o t a g e — t h e s e c r e t i n g o f h u n t e d J e w s o u t o f G e r m a n y ' s grasp.
WEDNESDAY
MORNING
DAWNED
DREARY
AND
over-
cast, a l i g h t r a i n c o n t i n u i n g f r o m t h e s t o r m t h a t h a d r a g e d i n t h e n i g h t , a n d a h a r d s o u t h e a s t w i n d still s w e p t a c r o s s t h e v i l lage's t h a t c h e d a n d t i l e d r o o f s , t h e n o u t i n t o a t r o u b l e d sea. T h e m o r e t h a n t h r e e h u n d r e d refugees w h o had arrived b y train the night b e f o r e — t o g e t h e r w i t h those already in t o w n but w h o had not yet found their w a y to S w e d e n — w e r e dry a n d m o m e n t a r i l y safe, a t least, i f n o t e n t i r e l y c o m f o r t a b l e i n m a k e s h i f t l o d g i n g s t h r o u g h o u t G i l l e l e j e a n d its s u r r o u n d i n g s . B y t h e e s t i m a t e o f a g r o u p o f t o w n s p e o p l e m e e t i n g a t first l i g h t a t O l u f O l s e n ' s b u t c h e r s h o p , a s m a n y a s five h u n d r e d J e w s w h o s e lives w e r e i n r e a l p e r i l w e r e h i d d e n a t t h e m o m e n t . S o
m a n y refugees h a d d e s c e n d e d o n Gilleleje that n e w locations i n w h i c h t h e y c o u l d h i d e w e r e b e c o m i n g distressingly scarce, and t h e local leaders spoke urgently a b o u t h o w best to deal w i t h an increasingly grave situation. S h o u l d the refugees be m o v e d far i n l a n d s o m e h o w ? S h o u l d s o m e o n e t r y t o g e t w o r d to resistance organizers in C o p e n h a g e n that Gilleleje already w a s p a c k e d t o o v e r f l o w i n g w i t h p e o p l e w h o c o u l d n o t sail t o S w e d e n b e c a u s e t h e G e s t a p o h a d g r o w n d e t e r m i n e d a t last t o stop them? Should the townspeople attempt to organize a sing l e , large, b u t i n h e r e n t l y v e r y r i s k y t r a n s p o r t , b o a r d i n g m o s t — o r e v e n a l l — o f t h e r e f u g e e s o n t o o n e o f t h e l a r g e ships t h a t had sought shelter in the harbor d u r i n g the long storm? W o u l d t h e c a p t a i n o f o n e o f t h o s e ships a g r e e t o t h e d r a m a t i c p l a n ? G r o c e r G i l b e r t Lassen a t t e n d e d the m e e t i n g a t Olsen's s h o p ; so did fishmonger J u h l Jensen, high school teachers Assenchenfeldt
Frederiksen
and
Mogens
Schmidt,
Pastor
Kjeld-
gaard Jensen, and Christian Petersen, chairman of the parish c o u n c i l . A t least six o u t - o f - t o w n e r s also w e r e p r e s e n t : a m a n n a m e d N i e l s e n w h o sold insurance i n nearby Hillerod; Niels T h o r s e n a n d J e a n Fischer, r e s i s t a n c e activists a n d s t u d e n t s a t C o p e n h a g e n ' s T e c h n i c a l U n i v e r s i t y ; A r n e K l e v e n , a star f o o t ball p l a y e r a f e w y e a r s b e f o r e , n o w a u n i o n a d m i n i s t r a t o r , a n d
Nordisk Front;
as w e l l as
forty-four-year-old
baritone
w r i t e r for t h e u n d e r g r o u n d n e w s p a p e r Henry from the
Skjaer, Royal
the
renowned,
Danish
Opera.
Neither
the
well-known
K l e v e n n o r Skjaer w e r e J e w i s h , a n d t h e r e f o r e t h e i r lives w e r e n o t i n d a n g e r , b u t t h e y , like t h e s t u d e n t s , h a d b e c o m e v e r y a c tive in o r g a n i z i n g the escape d u r i n g t h e p r e c e d i n g w e e k , a n d b o t h h a d a r r i v e d i n Gilleleje o n t h e p a c k e d T u e s d a y e v e n i n g
t r a i n , t o g e t h e r w i t h h u n d r e d s o f p e o p l e i n f l i g h t for w h o m t h e y n o w h a d a s s u m e d m o r e t h a n tacit r e s p o n s i b i l i t y . A t t h e c l o s e o f t h e early m o r n i n g m e e t i n g , t h e a d h o c r e s c u e c o m m i t t e e a g r e e d t h a t a l t h o u g h t h e effort w o u l d e n t a i l s e r i o u s risk, t h e o p t i o n that m a d e m o s t sense w a s to a r r a n g e a large-scale transport a n d to do so as s o o n as possible. T h e students w e r e charged w i t h collecting m o n e y f r o m the refugees t o p a y for t h e i r passage, a n d t h e t e a c h e r S c h m i d t v o l u n t e e r e d t o g o t o t h e h a r b o r t o c o n v i n c e t h e c a p t a i n o f a t least o n e o f t h e s t o r m - s h e l t e r e d ships t h a t t h e b o u n t y h e w o u l d r e c e i v e for a t w o - h o u r detour to S w e d e n w o u l d be well w o r t h the shortt e r m r i s k t o his s h i p a n d c r e w . A l t h o u g h t w e n t y vessels h a d a n c h o r e d i n t h e small h a r b o r d u r i n g t h e n i g h t s t o r m , t h e o n l y skipper w h o m
S c h m i d t c o u l d find i n
t h e h a r b o r area was
G u n n a r F l y v b j e r g , c a p t a i n o f a large, f a m i l y - o w n e d s c h o o n e r named the
Flyvbjerg.
B u t for t h e s e d u c t i v e fee o f 5 0 , 0 0 0 D a n i s h
k r o n e r , t h e captain a n d his mates readily a g r e e d that t h e y w o u l d m a k e a single r u n to H o g a n a s , d e p a r t i n g at o n e o ' c l o c k t h a t a f t e r n o o n . T h e h o l d o f t h e Flyvbjerg w a s e m p t y , a n d a l t h o u g h its p a s s e n g e r s c o u l d n o t b e c o m f o r t a b l y a c c o m m o d a t e d en route, many hundreds of refugees—perhaps even everyone in t o w n w h o was desperate to g o — c o u l d c o m e aboard. News
of
the
impending
transport
spread
immediately
t h r o u g h o u t t h e village, a n d i n o n l y a n h o u r a w o r r i s o m e n u m b e r of refugees had b e g u n to gather o p e n l y along the docks at the harbor,
anxious about h o w many people
the schooner
c o u l d c a r r y , a n d e a g e r t o a s s u r e t h e m s e l v e s o f passage. T h e o r ganizers h a d p l a n n e d to escort p e o p l e to t h e w a i t i n g ship only
i n small g r o u p s , b u t t h e r u s h o f r e f u g e e s t o t h e h a r b o r b y l a t e m o r n i n g m e a n t that s c h e m e had to be a b a n d o n e d before it e v e n began. Instead, h u n d r e d s of p e o p l e simply s w a r m e d the h a r b o r a r e a b y m i d d a y — m e n , w o m e n , a n d c h i l d r e n o f all a g e s b u n d l e d i n h e a v y c l o t h i n g , t h e i r faces e t c h e d w i t h fear a n d u n c e r t a i n t y , m a n y a t t e m p t i n g t o m a n a g e suitcases, t r u n k s , a n d b a b y c a r r i a g e s . T o w n s p e o p l e g a t h e r e d t o o , i f for n o o t h e r r e a son than that
nothing
like t h i s e v e r h a d o c c u r r e d i n G i l l e l e j e ,
a n d e v e r y o n e — w h e t h e r b o u n d fqr S w e d e n o r simply t h e r e t o see t h e r e f u g e e s o n t h e i r w a y — k n e w t h a t G e s t a p o c h i e f J u h l a n d his m e n m i g h t a r r i v e f r o m H e l s i n g o r a t a n y m o m e n t , t r a p ping the J e w s at the water's edge before they could board and be gone. A t last p e o p l e w e r e a l l o w e d t o b e g i n m a k i n g t h e i r w a y a l o n g a n a r r o w b r e a k w a t e r t o t h e p l a c e w h e r e t h e Flyvbjerg w a s m o o r e d , then to begin boarding. T h e c r o w d surged toward t h e stone j e t t y that w o u l d lead t h e m o u t t o t h e ship; p e o p l e struggled to maintain their places in line; a n d a l t h o u g h s o m e w e r e safely o n b o a r d after a t i m e , t h e p r o c e s s w a s t e r r i b l y slow. To the dismay of many, a fisherman began to try to direct the crowd, and w h e n someone shouted, " T h r o w him in the harbor!
He's
an
agent!,"
others
misunderstood
and
began
to
scream, " T h e Gestapo! T h e Gestapo are coming." In the seconds of panic that ensued the r u m o r soon seemed true, and e v e n t h e Flyvbjerg's c a p t a i n q u i c k l y w a s c o n v i n c e d t h a t t h e N a z i s w e r e b e a r i n g d o w n o n his s h i p . H e s t a r t e d his s c h o o n e r ' s m o t o r s , p u s h e d a w a y t h e d e s p e r a t e p e o p l e w h o still s t r u g g l e d t o b o a r d , t h e n cast off, p a s s i n g b e y o n d t h e e n c i r c l i n g b r e a k -
w a t e r s i n o n l y a m o m e n t a n d h e a d i n g o u t t o sea, s t r a n d i n g h u n d r e d s o n t h e j e t t y , h u n d r e d s m o r e still o n s h o r e . Although the
182 refugees ultimately r e a c h e d S w e d e n a b o a r d
Flyvbjerg
t h a t day, p e r h a p s 3 0 0 m o r e d i d n o t . D e s p i t e t h e
fact t h a t t h e G e s t a p o h a d c a p t u r e d n o o n e , t h e t r a n s p o r t p l a n h a d failed. F o r t h e m o m e n t , a t least, t h e h u n d r e d s o f t e r r i f i e d , perplexed,
and angry p e o p l e — a few separated
from
family
members w h o n o w were en route to Hoganas—were ushered inside the big repair shed that stood at t h e foot of the jetty, a n d a frenzied meeting soon was under way to try to determine what to
do next.
No o n e had been captured, but it n o w
s e e m e d clear that future e m b a r k a t i o n s as large as t h e o n e j u s t attempted, w h e t h e r disrupted by Nazis or not, surely w o u l d p o s e s i m i l a r l o g i s t i c a l p r o b l e m s . A c a r e f u l l y c r a f t e d s t r a t e g y for g e t t i n g s m a l l g r o u p s efficiently o n t o ships h a d t o b e d e v i s e d , but in the m e a n t i m e , the J e w s simply had to be shrouded from sight. A small g r o u p o f r e f u g e e s b r i e f l y h a d b e e n h e l d a t t h e v i l l a g e church during the m o r n i n g while they had waited to board the
Flyvbjerg,
a n d it s e e m e d t o m a k e s e n s e t o h i d e a l a r g e r
g r o u p t h e r e o n c e a g a i n . I n a n e m p t y loft a b o v e t h e n a v e , p e r haps a h u n d r e d p e o p l e could be c o n c e a l e d — f o r a l o n g time, if necessity d e m a n d e d — a n d before the m e e t i n g b r o k e up, A r n e Kleven, the u n i o n administrator and writer, agreed to escort a g r o u p of refugees to the c h u r c h and lock himself inside w i t h t h e m i n o r d e r t o assure t h e m that t h e y w o u l d n o t b e forgott e n . I t w a s a p r o m i s e t h a t w a s t o b e c o m e all t o o easy for h i m to keep.
DURING
THE
SUNDAY
MORNING
SERVICE
t h r e e days
b e f o r e , P a s t o r K j e l d g a a r d J e n s e n h a d r e a d t o his p a r i s h i o n e r s t h e letter that h a d b e e n issued b y t h e bishops o f t h e D a n i s h L u t h e r a n c h u r c h i n r e s p o n s e t o t h e crisis. I t w a s t h e d u t y o f c h u r c h m e m b e r s , t h e letter i n s t r u c t e d , t o p r o t e s t against t h e persecution of D e n m a r k ' s J e w s because Jesus had b e e n a Jew, b e c a u s e p e r s e c u t i o n w a s c o n t r a r y t o his c o m m a n d t o love o n e ' s n e i g h b o r s , a n d also s i m p l y b e c a u s e p e r s e c u t i o n "is c o n trary to t h e c o n c e p t i o n of justice that prevails in the Danish people." Pastor J e n s e n himself h a d taken the letter very m u c h t o h e a r t : h e h a d j o i n e d t h e efforts o f t h e a d h o c o r g a n i z i n g c o m m i t t e e ; h e h a d m a d e t h e c h u r c h a n d t h e p a r i s h hall r e a d ily a v a i l a b l e for t h e h i d i n g o f r e f u g e e s ; a n d t h e n , late i n t h e afternoon on Wednesday, O c t o b e r 6, he w e n t to the church door, loudly spoke the w o r d
hdbet,
" h o p e , " the password that
p r o v e d h e w a s a f r i e n d , t h e n w a s let i n s i d e b y A r n e K l e v e n . H e c l i m b e d t h e s t e e p a n d n a r r o w stairs t o t h e loft, t h e n a n n o u n c e d to the m a n y people gathered there that as vicar of the sacred place w h e r e they n o w waited, h e w o u l d protect each o n e o f t h e m w i t h his life i f c a l l e d u p o n t o d o s o . T h e s p i r i t s o f t h e p e o p l e n o w s h e l t e r e d i n t h e loft h a d b e e n crushed w h e n the chaotic scene in the harbor stranded t h e m o n shore, the members,
Flyvbjerg,
embarking
for
s o m e o f t h e i r friends, e v e n family Sweden
without
them.
Many
of
t h e m h a d s p e n t all t h e m o n e y t h e y p o s s e s s e d t o s e c u r e p a s s a g e o n the
Flyvbjerg,
a n d d e s p i t e a s s u r a n c e s from t o w n s p e o p l e t h a t
t h e y w o u l d n o t b e asked t o pay again, t h e y c o u l d n o t b e e n t i r e l y c e r t a i n t h a t t h a t w o u l d b e t h e case. T h e y h a d b e e n t o l d a s w e l l t h a t t h e y w o u l d r e m a i n i n t h e c o l d , d a r k , a n d airless loft
o n l y u n t i l t o w n s p e o p l e c o u l d p l a n a w a y for t h e m safely t o b o a r d t h e Jan, a n o t h e r o f t h e s e v e r a l s c h o o n e r s t h a t h a d s o u g h t safety i n t h e G i l l e l e j e h a r b o r t h e p r e v i o u s n i g h t , a n d w h o s e c a p t a i n also h a d a g r e e d t o t r a n s p o r t r e f u g e e s . T h i s t i m e , t h e p l a n w a s f o r t h e Jan t o l e a v e t h e h a r b o r , t h e n w e i g h a n c h o r w e l l o f f s h o r e ; small g r o u p s o f r e f u g e e s w o u l d b e f e r r i e d o u t t o t h e ship in
dinghies in the dead of night from Smidstrup
S t r a n d , a s e c l u d e d b e a c h east o f t o w n . K l e v e n t o l d t h e r e f u g e e s that t h e y w o u l d b e t r a n s p o r t e d that n i g h t , i f possible. T h e o r g a n i z e r s a p o l o g i z e d for t h e i r d i s c o m f o r t , b u t t h e y a s s u r e d t h e huddled and desperate Jews—as Pastor Jensen had d o n e — t h a t t h e y d i l i g e n t l y w o u l d p r o t e c t t h e m u n t i l t h e y w e r e safely o n S w e d i s h soil. I n a d d i t i o n t o t h e sixty o r s o a n o n y m o u s p e o p l e w h o h a d made
their way
to
the
loft
from
the
harbor under Arne
Kleven's escort, a n o t h e r g r o u p o f nameless refugees w h o h a d j u s t a r r i v e d i n t h e village n o w s o u g h t t h e s h e l t e r o f t h e c h u r c h as
the
dreary
day
gave
way
to
night.
Before
leaving
C o p e n h a g e n e a r l i e r i n t h e a f t e r n o o n a n d t r a v e l i n g i n taxis a n d p r i v a t e c a r s t o G i l l e l e j e , H e n r y Skjaer, t h e o p e r a s i n g e r , s o m e h o w h a d g o t t e n w o r d t o a g r o u p o f fleeing J e w s a b o u t t h e p l a n n e d t r a n s p o r t a b o a r d t h e Jan, a n d h a d t o l d t h e m t h a t t h e y should seek shelter at the c h u r c h until t h e secret o p e r a t i o n was u n d e r way. Earlier, M a r t a F r e m m i n g , a n u r s e a n d wife of D r . Kay F r e m m i n g , o n e of the town's t w o physicians, h a d c o m e to the parish hall—a block away
from
the c h u r c h — t o inform
G r e t e Frederiksen, w h o lived in an a p a r t m e n t on t h e premises, t h a t this n e w g r o u p — n u m b e r i n g a s m a n y a s sixty p e o p l e
t h e m s e l v e s — w o u l d arrive a b o u t dark, and so they did, in sing l e c a r l o a d s , b e g i n n i n g at 6 P.M. A l t h o u g h no record survives directly linking M a r t a F r e m m i n g t o H e n r y Skjaer, i t s e e m s v i r t u a l l y c e r t a i n t h a t t h e y m u s t have w o r k e d jointly t o b r i n g the n e w g r o u p o f refugees t o the t o w n and to the c h u r c h . W h a t is sure is that the u n m a r r i e d Miss F r e d e r i k s e n w e l c o m e d t h e n e w a r r i v a l s t o t h e p a r i s h hall w h e n thev knocked on her kitchen d o o r and spoke the password "hope." She m a d e the first t w o dozen people as comfortable as t h e y c o u l d b e i n t h e p a r i s h hall itself, w h e r e t h e y s p e n t t h e e v e n i n g i n its d a r k a n d u n h e a t e d c e n t r a l r o o m ; t h e o t h e r s s h e e s c o r t e d t o t h e c h u r c h loft, w h e r e t h e y b r o u g h t t h e t o t a l n u m ber of people n o w hidden there to perhaps ten dozen. Virtually e v e r y o n e in t o w n , of course, k n e w that the c h u r c h was f i l l e d w i t h J e w i s h refugees. T h r o u g h o u t the afternoon and evening, people b r o u g h t blankets and coats, tureens of soup, e v e n a roast. B u t as s o o n as n i g h t d e s c e n d e d , it b e c a m e i m p o s s i b l e for t h o s e w h o w e r e h i d d e n t o eat b e c a u s e i t w a s s i m ply t o o d a n g e r o u s to t u r n on e v e n a single light. B u c k e t s w e r e p l a c e d i n a c o r n e r t o s e r v e a s m a k e s h i f t t o i l e t facilities, b u t n e i t h e r c o u l d t h e y b e l o c a t e d o n c e n i g h t fell a n d t h e i n t e r i o r o f t h e loft g r e w d a r k a s a c a v e . T h e t e m p e r a t u r e h o v e r e d b a r e l y a b o v e f r e e z i n g ; p e o p l e ' s h a n d s a n d feet w e n t n u m b ; a n d t h e place was eerily s i l e n t — m o r e than a h u n d r e d p e o p l e packed i n t o t h e s m a l l attic s p a c e , s a y i n g n o t h i n g for h o u r s o n e n d , n o t e v e n d a r i n g to whisper, the only s o u n d t h e incessant ticking of t h e c l o c k i n t h e t o w e r , its m a d d e n i n g r e p e t i t i o n s s e e m i n g t o m o c k t h e r e f u g e e s ' p r e c a r i o u s fate.
It is n o t clear w h e n it h a p p e n e d , b u t at s o m e p o i n t p r i o r to m i d n i g h t , D r . F r e m m i n g w a s called t o t h e c h u r c h t o a t t e n d t o s o m e o n e w h o w a s ill. H e m a y h a v e a r r i v e d w i t h R e d C r o s s w o r k e r s , a n d p e r h a p s h e w a s c a l l e d i n s t e a d t o t h e p a r i s h hall. N e i t h e r i s i t k n o w n h o w l o n g h e s t a y e d o r w h e t h e r h e still r e m a i n e d w h e n a series o f k n o c k s w e r e m a d e o n t h e h e a v y d o o r . " G e t out! T h e G e r m a n s are coming," those w h o w e r e k n o c k i n g w h i s p e r e d loudly, b u t w h o e v e r these p e o p l e w e r e , they did n o t utter the password, and A r n e Kleven therefore did not o p e n the door, and neither could he take credence in their warning. At about midnight, however, the Gestapo did descend. T h e y b e a t o n t h e p a r i s h - h a l l d o o r w i t h pistols d r a w n ;
they
spoke the
p a s s w o r d , a n d w h e n G r e t e F r e d e r i k s e n c r a c k e d t h e d o o r t o see w h o i t w a s , a G e s t a p o officer s h o v e d his b o o t i n t h e o p e n i n g to prevent her from slamming it shut, t h e n a host of troopers b u r s t i n t o t h e p l a c e , r e a d i l y c a p t u r i n g all t h e J e w s w h o w e r e h i d d e n i n s i d e , o n l y a f e w officers n e e d e d t o d e t a i n t h e r e f u g e e s t h e r e w h i l e t h e rest left for t h e c h u r c h . P o s i t i o n e d b e s i d e t h e b a r r e d c h u r c h d o o r , K l e v e n c o u l d h e a r for a s e c o n d t i m e l o u d knocks and a s h o u t e d w a r n i n g that the G e r m a n s w e r e on their w a y — t h e a d m o n i t i o n c o m i n g this t i m e f r o m G r e t e F r e d e r i k sen's b r o t h e r a n d f i a n c e , w h o m s h e h a d b e e n able t o a l e r t b y e s c a p i n g o u t t h e p a r i s h hall's k i t c h e n d o o r . B u t for t h e s e c o n d time too, these m e n , speaking Danish, had n o t k n o w n the password, and so Kleven d e t e r m i n e d that he should do n o t h ing m o r e
than
search
for a l t e r n a t i v e
h i d i n g places
in
the
c h u r c h , o r for a n o t h e r e x i t , n e i t h e r o f w h i c h h e c o u l d find.
Y e t t h e r e was a t i n y d o o r c o n c e a l e d b e h i n d t h e altar, a n d Pastor Jensen was attempting to o p e n it from the outside in o r d e r t o a l e r t K l e v e n a n d t h o s e i n t h e loft o f t h e i m m e d i a t e danger w h e n a Gestapo agent positioned nearby spotted him. In hopes of gaining a bit of time, J e n s e n told the Gestapo that c h u r c h s e x t o n Aage J o r g e n s e n possessed t h e o n l y key t o t h e b u i l d i n g , a n d , a c c e p t i n g his story, h e a n d G e s t a p o c h i e f J u h l m a d e their way to Jorgensen's house, w h e r e Jorgensen t o o h e l p e d stall for p r e c i o u s m i n u t e s b y i n s i s t i n g t h a t t h e k e y w a s a tricky o n e , and that perhaps he should c o m e o p e n the d o o r himself, b u t t h e officers w o u l d h a v e t o w a i t w h i l e h e d r e s s e d , h e t o l d t h e m , a n d his d r e s s i n g w o u l d b e s l o w b e c a u s e his b a c k was very bad. P r e v i o u s l y , t h e G e s t a p o h a d c a r r i e d o u t its raids w i t h o u t t h e assistance o f t h e
thousands of G e r m a n soldiers stationed in
n o r t h Sjaelland, b u t t h e b a r r i c a d e d c h u r c h a p p e a r e d t o b e a b i g e n o u g h prize that the Gestapo chief n o w o r d e r e d troops from a n e a r b y g a r r i s o n t o p r o v i d e assistance, a n d b y a b o u t 4 A . M . , t h e exterior of the c h u r c h was flooded by light from a u t o m o b i l e s and troop trucks, and was s u r r o u n d e d as well by battle-ready s o l d i e r s . T h e l o n g n i g h t o f d e s p a i r suffered b y t h e p e o p l e i n t h e loft n o w a p p e a r e d t o b e e n d i n g i n u t t e r h o r r o r , b u t f r o m d o w n stairs K l e v e n d i d his b e s t t o assure t h e r e f u g e e s t h a t t h e i r f o r t r e s s w o u l d hold. Because Kleven's key was pressed into the lock from t h e inside,
the
sexton—with the
small
and impatient
G e s t a p o c h i e f a t his s i d e — w a s u n a b l e t o o p e n t h e d o o r , a n d still m o r e terrifying m o m e n t s passed before J u h l a n n o u n c e d a t t h e d o o r that he n o w had no choice but to firebomb the building:
the refugees either w o u l d be forced o u t by the ensuing smoke, or they w o u l d b u r n to death, or they could spare themselves and o p e n the door. It was their decision, he shouted. At 5 A.M., A r n e K l e v e n t o o k a d e e p breath, steeled himself for w h a t e v e r w a s a b o u t t o follow, t h e n o p e n e d t h e h e a v y d o o r . P e o p l e i n t h e loft a b o v e h i m h a d b e g u n t o p l e a d for h i m t o d o so, a n d h e t o o k n e w t h a t h o p e n o w w a s lost.
" W h e r e are
t h e y ? " J u h l c r i e d a s h e b u r s t i n t o t h e small c h u r c h . " Y o u can d a m n well find t h e m yourselves," Kleven replied, and it was only
seconds
later
when
men
armed
with
machine
guns
b o u n d e d i n t o t h e loft, a i m e d b l i n d i n g l i g h t s o n t h e h u d d l e d , frozen figures they e n c o u n t e r e d there, then forced t h e m o u t of t h e loft, i n t o t h e n i g h t , a n d d o w n t h e s l o p i n g s t r e e t t o t h e parish hall, w h e r e , t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e refugees w h o h a d b e e n c a p t u r e d earlier, t h e y w a i t e d e i g h t m o r e h o u r s b e f o r e t h e y w e r e l o a d e d i n t o c a n v a s - t o p p e d t r o o p t r u c k s b o u n d for t h e Horserod prison camp near Helsingor. A h u n d r e d and twenty Jews
had
Sweden,
failed
in
their
a n d v i r t u a l l y all
desperate
effort t o
reach
exile
in
t h e t o w n s p e o p l e o f Gilleleje n o w
a c h e d w i t h t h e b e l i e f t h a t t h e y h o r r i b l y h a d let t h e m d o w n .
WE WILL LIKELY
N E V E R K N O W precisely w h e n , o r w h e r e ,
s o m e o n e f l e e i n g for his life o r for h e r s g a v e K a y F r e m m i n g a c o i l e d k n o t o f L u d w i g v a n B e e t h o v e n ' s h a i r , h e l d safe i n a w o o d - f r a m e locket. T h e identity—and the unexplained m o rive—of that person long m a y r e m a i n a mystery as well. A l t h o u g h r u m o r s s w i r l e d a r o u n d t h e s m a l l h a r b o r t o w n for
m o n t h s , even years afterward that Dr.
F r e m m i n g had been
g i v e n s o m e t h i n g precious b y o n e o f t h e h u n t e d refugees, h e was a quiet a n d always insular m a n w h o appears n e v e r to have s p o k e n o p e n l y a b o u t a m o s t u n u s u a l gift h e r e c e i v e d o n o r a b o u t O c t o b e r 6 , 1 9 4 3 . N o r d i d h e e v e r affirm, o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , t h a t h e h a d a g r e e d t o h o l d a n d g u a r d t h e l o c k e t u n t i l its o w n e r r e t u r n e d for i t s o m e t i m e h e n c e . Y e t w h e t h e r t h e l o c k of hair was a p r o f o u n d offering of gratitude or simply s o m e o n e else's k e e p s a k e , w h i c h h e a g r e e d t o h o l d i n t r u s t u n t i l t h e day w h e n it could be reclaimed, it is sure b e y o n d any d o u b t t h a t this fragile b i t o f t h e c o r p o r e a l B e e t h o v e n fell i n t o K a y F r e m m i n g ' s p o s s e s s i o n s o m e t i m e d u r i n g t h o s e f e w days o f d e t e r m i n e d h e r o i s m o n D e n m a r k ' s sea-buffeted shore. D e s p i t e t h e a b s e n c e o f c e r t a i n t y , t h e r e a r e c l u e s , a t least, w i t h w h i c h it is possible to p i e c e t o g e t h e r a s c e n a r i o — o r several of t h e m — t h a t b r i n g t h e g i v i n g of t h e lock of hair into plausible focus. M a r t a F r e m m i n g did c o n f i r m l o n g a g o that t h e lock o f hair was given to her h u s b a n d in the midst of those m o s t m o m e n t o u s d a y s i n Gilleleje's h i s t o r y . I t i s c e r t a i n a s w e l l t h a t s h e a n d h e r h u s b a n d w e r e a c t i v e i n t h e c o l l e c t i v e effort t o p r o t e c t the Jews w h o rushed to their t o w n in hopes that they could f i n d a w a y t o f r e e d o m i n S w e d e n . A n d t h e fact s e e m s i n escapable,
m o r e specifically, t h a t K a y a n d M a r t a F r e m m i n g
w e r e i n c o n t a c t , i f n o t careful c o l l a b o r a t i o n , w i t h o p e r a b a r i t o n e H e n r y Skjaer, w h o h a d u r g e d r e f u g e e s t o t r a v e l f r o m C o p e n h a g e n t o Gilleleje o n t h e a f t e r n o o n o f O c t o b e r 6 , i n s t r u c t i n g t h e m t o g o t o t h e c h u r c h t o a w a i t passage t o H o g a n a s on the
Jan.
W h a t is n o t k n o w n positively is w h e t h e r Dr. F r e m m i n g and
his w i f e also h i d r e f u g e e s i n t h e i r h o m e o r a t t h e i r c l i n i c s o m e t i m e d u r i n g the days of t h e rescue, a l t h o u g h that probability seems quite high as w e l l — t h e lock of hair conceivably given to the doctor by s o m e o n e he had b e g u n to get to k n o w and w h o s e d e b t to h i m seemed great. O t h e r questions, too, r e main: W h y w a s C o p e n h a g e n r e s i d e n t H e n r y Skjaer, a l r e a d y a l u m i n a r y i n t h e small a n d r a r e f i e d c o m m u n i t y o f D a n i s h m u s i c , so
intimately
involved
in
the
rescue
cause
in
Gilleleje,
a
provincial t o w n that i n those days w a s a b o u t t h r e e h o u r s a w a y f r o m t h e city b y t r a i n ? U n l i k e A r n e K l e v e n , w h o s e u n i o n a n d journalism
background made
him
a
ready sort
o f activist,
Skjasr's p r o f e s s i o n a n d his n o t o r i e t y , o n t h e i r face, d o n o t m a k e it appear obvious that he w o u l d have b e e n eager to be i n v o l v e d . D i d h e , like K l e v e n , t r a v e l t o G i l l e l e j e a n d a t t e m p t t o help people he did n o t k n o w simply o u t of a heightened pers o n a l s e n s e o f m o r a l a n d p a t r i o t i c d u t y ? O r w a s Skjaer e n d e a v o r i n g t o assist o n e o r a f e w p e r s o n s i n p a r t i c u l a r — c o l l e a g u e s , f r i e n d s , family m e m b e r s ? A l t h o u g h p e o p l e clearly r e m e m b e r t h a t Skjser w a s p r e s e n t a t a hastily c a l l e d m e e t i n g i n t h e early afternoon
of O c t o b e r 6,
departure
from
s o o n after t h e
Flyvbjerg's a b r u p t
t h e h a r b o r , his w h e r e a b o u t s d u r i n g t h e r e -
m a i n d e r of the day a n d the e n s u i n g awful night are u n k n o w n . What
is
certain
is
t h a t H e n r y Skjasr
informed
people
in
C o p e n h a g e n — e i t h e r i n p e r s o n or, m o r e likely, b y t e l e p h o n e — t h a t t h e Jan w o u l d sail f r o m S m i d s t r u p B e a c h , a n d t h a t its p a s sengers w o u l d w a i t a t t h e Gilleleje C h u r c h t o b e taken t o t h e s h i p . B u t d i d h e , i n fact, g i v e t h a t i n f o r m a t i o n t o t h e p e r s o n
w h o t h e n c h o s e t o flee t o G i l l e l e j e c a r r y i n g w i t h h i m o r h e r t h e l o c k of hair? Indeed,
might that person
have been
thirty-five-year-old
E d g a r H i l l e r , also a p r o f e s s i o n a l s i n g e r , w h o h a d b e e n e m p l o y e d b y t h e C o l o g n e o p e r a w h e n t h e r e c o r d o f his w h e r e a b o u t s w a s i n t e r r u p t e d b a c k i n 1 9 3 5 ? W e r e H e n r y Skjasr a n d E d g a r H i l l e r — r e s i d e n t i n D e n m a r k u n d e r a false n a m e
for
s o m e y e a r s p e r h a p s — m u s i c a l c o l l e a g u e s , e v e n c l o s e friends? W i t h Skjaer's h e l p , w a s E d g a r H i l l e r h i d d e n a t t h e F r e m m i n g ' s h o u s e ? O r d i d t h e d o c t o r a t t e n d t o h i m , o r a family m e m b e r , w h e n h e w a s called t o t h e c h u r c h ? D i d t h e d o n o r s o m e h o w b e c o m e aware that the doctor himself was m u c h e n a m o r e d of m u s i c a n d t h a t h e w a s a n a c c o m p l i s h e d flutist a s w e l l ? T h e s e q u e s t i o n s b e g still o t h e r s like t h e m , y e t t h e y c a n b e distilled i n t o t h r e e e l e m e n t a l a n d e n d u r i n g q u e r i e s : W h y d i d t h e l o c k e t ' s o w n e r c h o o s e t o g i v e i t u p i n Gilleleje? W h y d i d Kay
F r e m m i n g forever r e m a i n s o silent a b o u t t h e c i r c u m -
s t a n c e s o f t h e g i v i n g ? A n d w a s i t E d g a r H i l l e r , i n fact, w h o g a v e a w a y t h e l o c k o f h a i r his g r a n d f a t h e r h a d c u t f r o m a g r e a t man's corpse?
W H E N T H E N A Z I S ' P R I S O N E R S B E G A N t o arrive a truckload at a t i m e at the H o r s e r o d c a m p at midday on O c t o b e r 7, they were ushered into a windowless r o o m w h e r e they were f o r c e d t o c o n t i n u e t h e l o n g w a i t u n t i l all 1 2 0 o f t h e m h a d b e e n delivered
from
G i l l e l e j e . A t last a m e t h o d i c a l i n t e r r o g a t i o n
103
L
b e g a n , e a c h p r i s o n e r q u i z z e d a b o u t his r e s i d e n c e , j o b , n a t i o n ality, a n d w h e t h e r , i n fact, h e w a s a J e w . T h o s e w h o w e r e n o t Jewish, w h o w e r e "half-Jews," and even those J e w s w h o w e r e m a r r i e d to non-Jews, w e r e shuttled to a barracks to await transit t o C o p e n h a g e n , w h e r e t h e y w o u l d b e r e l e a s e d . E v e r y o n e e l s e — a b o u t sixty
people
in
total—was
moved
to
wooden
sheds, w h e r e the waiting c o n t i n u e d until the g r o u p was transp o r t e d again to
Helsingor.
There,
together with
hundreds
m o r e w h o h a d b e e n c a p t u r e d i n o t h e r places, t h e refugees f r o m t h e G i l l e l e j e C h u r c h w e r e p a c k e d t i g h t l y i n t o c a t t l e cars l o a d e d a b o a r d a G e r m a n s h i p for t h e o v e r n i g h t j o u r n e y t o t h e German port of
S w i n e m i i n d e , w h e r e t h e cars c o n t i n u e d b y
rail f o r f o u r m o r e t o r t u o u s d a y s t o C z e c h o s l o v a k i a a n d t h e c o n c e n t r a t i o n c a m p t h e N a z i s called T h e r e s i e n s t a d t . A r n e K l e v e n , o n e o f f o u r D a n e s a r r e s t e d for a t t e m p t i n g t o help J e w s escape t o S w e d e n , w a s jailed briefly i n C o p e n h a g e n before a Danish j u d g e sentenced h i m to thirty days' i m p r i s o n m e n t for h i s c r i m e — t h e n p o i n t e d l y e x p l a i n e d t h a t his p a p e r s w o u l d b e p l a c e d a t t h e b o t t o m o f a v e r y fat s t a c k . T h e s e n t e n c e n e v e r w a s c a r r i e d o u t . H e n r y Skjaer, t o o , r e t u r n e d t o his h o m e i n t h e c a p i t a l city, b u t i n G i l l e l e j e t h e r e s c u e effort w a s far
from
over.
The
misadventure
with
the
Flyvbjerg
on
Wednesday afternoon and the tragedy at the church in the early h o u r s o f T h u r s d a y simply s p u r r e d the t o w n s p e o p l e t o f i n d far b e t t e r w a y s t o h i d e t h e r e f u g e e s , t h e n t o g e t t h e m safely a b o a r d t h e f i s h e r m e n ' s ships. W h e n t h e effort's l e a d e r s m e t a g a i n o n T h u r s d a y m o r n i n g a t auto mechanic Peter Petersen's house, they created a formal committee
of ten
townspeople—the
"Jewish
Committee,"
s o m e a m o n g t h e m called i t — t h a t h e n c e f o r t h carefully w o u l d c o n t r o l all r e s c u e o p e r a t i o n s . T h e c o m m i t t e e w o u l d s e c u r e t h e s h i p s a n d r e g u l a t e t h e fees t h a t w e r e c h a r g e d for passage, assign h i d i n g p l a c e s a n d t h e specific tasks o f t h e v o l u n t e e r s , a n d w o u l d ensure as well that the disorganization and p o o r c o m m u n i c a t i o n that h a d p l a g u e d t h e p r e v i o u s days w o u l d n o t b e r e p e a t e d . Gilleleje's g o o d n a m e w a s a t s t a k e , a s w e r e h u m a n lives, said school inspector L. C. Jensen, w h o agreed to b e c o m e the c o m mittee's chairman. Peter Petersen was charged w i t h securing deals w i t h c o o p e r a t i n g f i s h e r m e n ; G i l b e r t Lassen w o u l d o v e r see t h e t e m p o r a r y q u a r t e r i n g of refugees; E. K. R a s m u s s e n , w h o m a d e f i s h i n g nets, w o u l d organize embarkations f r o m the nearby beaches; and Dr.
Hjalmar Vilstrup,
Kay Fremming's
medical partner, was n a m e d treasurer, in charge of ensuring t h a t all r e f u g e e s c o u l d sail, r e g a r d l e s s o f w h a t e a c h o n e c o u l d pay. S u r e l y P a s t o r K j e l d g a a r d J e n s e n w o u l d h a v e j o i n e d t h e g r o u p as well, b u t t h e arrest of t h e J e w s at t h e c h u r c h — c o u p l e d w i t h his f a i l u r e t o p r e v e n t i t — h a d d e a l t h i m a t e r r i b l e b l o w ; h e fell ill a n d d i d n o t r e j o i n t h e r e s c u e effort a g a i n . N o o n e b l a m e d t h e p a s t o r for w h a t h a d o c c u r r e d a t t h e c h u r c h , y e t clearly
someone
had told the Gestapo w h e r e they
w o u l d f i n d a large n u m b e r o f h i d d e n J e w s , a n d s o m e o n e e v e n h a d g o n e s o far a s t o d i v u l g e t h e p a s s w o r d . S o m e b l a m e d t h e flirtatious d a u g h t e r o f t h e p r o - N a z i o w n e r s o f t h e B a d e h o t e l ; others c o n t e n d e d that a Danish secretary to the Nazi c o m m a n d a n t o f t h e H o r s e r o d prison c a m p h a d visited t h e c h u r c h on W e d n e s d a y afternoon, t h e n had s e e m e d curiously pleased with herself w h e n the prisoners w e r e b r o u g h t to the c a m p on Thursday.
T h e c h u r c h n e v e r again was used as a h i d i n g place, a n d n e i t h e r w e r e refugees sheltered again in a single place in s u c h n u m b e r s . B u t t h e c o m m i t t e e ' s d i l i g e n t efforts, c o u p l e d w i t h t h e e x t r a o r d i n a r y s u p p o r t o f v i r t u a l l y all o f t h e t o w n ' s s e v e n t e e n h u n d r e d p e o p l e , u l t i m a t e l y r e s u l t e d i n n o t h i n g less t h a n s t u n n i n g s u c c e s s . T h r e e h o u r s after d a r k o n F r i d a y e v e n i n g — and forty-eight
h o u r s after i t first
h a d p l a n n e d t o sail for
S w e d e n — t h e Jan p u l l e d its a n c h o r i n t h e w a t e r s off S m i d s t r u p B e a c h a n d f e r r i e d 1 2 3 J e w i s h r e f u g e e s a c r o s s t h e s o u n d . Its j o y f u l l y u n e v e n t f u l passage a n d W e d n e s d a y ' s p a n i c k e d r u n b y the
Flyvbjerg
w e r e t h e t w o largest s i n g l e t r a n s p o r t s o f r e f u g e e s
d u r i n g t h e m o n t h l o n g series o f u n d e t e c t e d a n d u n i m p e d e d d e p a r t u r e s t h a t e n s u e d . O n t h e vast m a j o r i t y o f c r o s s i n g s , p e o p l e t r a v e l e d i n small n u m b e r s , y e t b y t h e t i m e t h e o p e r a t i o n d r e w t o a c l o s e a t t h e e n d o f O c t o b e r , w i t h v i r t u a l l y all o f D e n m a r k ' s J e w s a l r e a d y safely i n e x i l e , t h e p e o p l e o f G i l l e l e j e w e r e q u i etly p r o u d i n d e e d o f w h a t t h e y h a d a c c o m p l i s h e d . D u r i n g t h a t short span o f time, thirteen h u n d r e d J e w s w h o s e n a m e s they n e v e r k n e w — D a n e s a s w e l l a s stateless i m m i g r a n t s — s u c c e s s fully f o u n d t h e i r w a y t o f r e e d o m v i a t h e h o m e s a n d s h e d s a n d ships o f t h e o u t p o s t h a r b o r t o w n , far m o r e t h a n f r o m a n y o t h e r village o n Sjaelland's c o a s t . N a t i o n w i d e , a t o t a l o f 7 , 9 0 6 p e o p l e safely w e r e e s c o r t e d t o S w e d e n ' s w e l c o m i n g s h o r e s i n t h e a u t u m n o f 1 9 4 3 ; o n l y 5 8 0 failed t o e s c a p e , 4 6 4 o f t h o s e s h i p p e d like s t o c k t o T h e r e s i e n s t a d t , a m o n g t h e m s o m e sixty p e o p l e w h o briefly h a d s o u g h t refuge i n t h e Gilleleje C h u r c h . I t w a s a n a s t o u n d i n g c o l l e c t i v e effort. I t w a s m a d e p o s s i b l e b y t h e fact t h a t o n l y t h e r e l a t i v e l y small n u m b e r s o f G e s t a p o agents assigned t o D e n m a r k w e r e enlisted b y G e r m a n a u t h o r -
ities t o t r y t o s t o p it. N e i t h e r w o u l d t h e r e s c u e h a v e s u c c e e d e d without
Georg
Duckwitz's
valiant
early
warning,
nor,
he
w o u l d c o n t e n d after t h e w a r e n d e d , w i t h o u t t h e tacit c o m plicity o f R e i c h c o m m a n d e r W e r n e r Best, w h o always h a d f o u n d a r e a d y a r g u m e n t against e m p l o y i n g a r m y t r o o p s i n t h e h u n t despite loud d e m a n d s to do so from Berlin. Yet most of all, J e w s e s c a p e d i n D e n m a r k i n s u c h o v e r w h e l m i n g n u m b e r s because D e n m a r k ' s citizens a g r e e d s u d d e n l y a n d en masse that t h e y would e s c a p e , t h a t t h e y w a r r a n t e d p e r s e c u t i o n n o m o r e t h a n a n y o n e else, t h a t t h e N a z i h o r r o r s i m p l y c o u l d n o t b e countenanced in their beloved homeland.
I T WAS
BEETHOVEN'S THIRD
SYMPHONY,
drafted a n d
c o m p l e t e d i n o n l y four m o n t h s d u r i n g t h e s u m m e r a n d early fall o f 1 8 0 3 , t h a t a t last c l e a r l y s e p a r a t e d his style f r o m t h o s e o f H a y d n a n d M o z a r t . He had i n t e n d e d to create a w o r k that w o u l d address the transcendent subject of h e r o i s m — t h e t r i u m p h o v e r pain, t u r m o i l , and the reality o f d e a t h — a n d a s h e w r o t e it he had b e c o m e increasingly c o n v i n c e d that the w o r k should be tided "Bonaparte" to h o n o r Napoleon's heroic, o n g o i n g effort
to
shape
a
liberated and
utterly
n e w kind
of
Europe. But w h e n , in 1804, Beethoven heard the news from his f r i e n d a n d p i a n o p u p i l F e r d i n a n d R i e s t h a t t h e g e n e r a l h a d
18 0 3 - 1 6 1 2
declared himself e m p e r o r of France, he flew into a rage a n d t o r e t h e title p a g e o f h i s a u t o g r a p h s c o r e i n half. " S o h e t o o i s nothing m o r e than an ordinary man," Beethoven responded to R i e s i n disgust. T h e n h e a d d e d w i t h impressive p r e s c i e n c e : " N o w h e w i l l t r a m p l e o n all h u m a n r i g h t s a n d i n d u l g e o n l y h i s o w n a m b i t i o n . H e will place himself above e v e r y o n e and b e c o m e a tyrant." Retitled
Sinfonia Eroica,
t h e g r a n d s y m p h o n y at last w a s p e r -
f o r m e d in public in F e b r u a r y 180^, yet it was t o o lengthy, t o o i n n o v a t i v e , e v e n s i m p l y t o o big t o r e c e i v e initially t h e k i n d o f p u b l i c a c c l a i m B e e t h o v e n h a d h o p e d for. " T h i s l o n g c o m p o s i t i o n , e x t r e m e l y difficult o f p e r f o r m a n c e , i s i n r e a l i t y a t r e m e n dously
expanded,
daring,
and
Allgemeine Musikalische Zeitung.
wild
fantasia,"
declared
the
W h e n B e e t h o v e n himself c o n -
ducted the s y m p h o n y at Vienna's T h e a t e r - a n - d e r - W i e n t w o m o n t h s later, a c o r r e s p o n d e n t for B e r l i n ' s arts a n d l e t t e r s j o u r n a l Freymuthige d i v i d e d t h e a u d i e n c e ' s r e a c t i o n s i n t o t h r e e d i s tinct camps: those w h o w e r e sure it was a masterpiece perhaps a t h o u s a n d y e a r s a h e a d o f its t i m e ; a s e c o n d f a c t i o n w h o " d e n i e d t h a t t h e w o r k has a n y artistic v a l u e a n d p r o f e s s e d t o see i n i t a n u n t a m e d s t r i v i n g for s i n g u l a r i t y " ; a n d a t h i r d , v e r y small g r o u p , w h o s e o p i n i o n lay i n t h e large m i d d l e g r o u n d b e t w e e n the other two. F o r his p a r t , B e e t h o v e n w a s able t o s h e d r a t h e r q u i c k l y h i s d i s a p p o i n t m e n t s , a n d o c c a s i o n a l l y his r e v u l s i o n , o v e r t h e d e cidedly m i x e d reactions to the T h i r d S y m p h o n y — a s well as to t h e rest o f h i s g r o u n d b r e a k i n g w o r k . H e u n d e r s t o o d t h e m e r its o f his m u s i c , e v e n i f f e w o t h e r s c o u l d j o i n h i m i n its a p p r e c i a t i o n , a n d i t s u i t e d his t e m p e r a m e n t far b e t t e r s i m p l y t o rail
a g a i n s t his c r i t i c s a n d m o v e o n t h a n t o f l o o d h i m s e l f w i t h selfd o u b t s . T o o , h e h a d b e c o m e financially successful e n o u g h b y n o w t h a t e v e n his lifestyle r e g u l a r l y r e m i n d e d h i m o f h i s t a l e n t s ; h e c o u l d afford g o o d w i n e , s e r v a n t s , h a n d s o m e l o d g i n g s in Vienna, and s u m m e r sojourns in the country. People recognized h i m a n d g r e e t e d h i m w a r m l y w h e n t h e y passed h i m i n t h e streets, a n d e v e n those w h o s e o w n circumstances m a d e i t unlikely
that
they
ever w o u l d
hear the
performance
of a
B e e t h o v e n s y m p h o n y o r o n e o f his signature p i a n o sonatas n o n e t h e l e s s t r e a t e d h i m w i t h a d e f e r e n c e r e s e r v e d for s o m e o n e substantial, s o m e o n e w h o m a d e miraculous music, a m a n w h o , in s h o r t , w a s a g e n i u s . But if things w e r e going well at the
m o m e n t for H e r r
B e e t h o v e n , d e s p i t e his o n g o i n g p h y s i c a l c o n c e r n s , this d e c i d e d l y w a s n o t a n e q u a l l y g o o d t i m e for his a d o p t e d c o u n t r y . T h e French had declared w a r on the Hapsburg dynasty back in 1792, a n d their constant aggression a n d p e r i o d i c attacks by n o w h a d b r o u g h t t h e far-flung a n d disintegrating H o l y R o m a n E m p i r e c l o s e t o t h e e n d o f its m i l l e n n i a l h i s t o r y . T h e r u l e o f E m p e r o r F r a n z II, w h o w a s n e r v o u s i n d e e d a b o u t w h e t h e r a F r e n c h - i n s p i r e d r e v o l t o f t h e m a s s e s s o o n w a s i n s t o r e for Austria and H u n g a r y as well, had b e c o m e increasingly repressive o f t h e c o m m o n p e o p l e i n r e c e n t y e a r s , a n d e v e n V i e n n a ' s aristocrats—otherwise occupied with
lavish
parties,
theater,
o p e r a , a n d i n s t r u m e n t a l m u s i c — h a d t o suffer distress a n d a b i t o f d i s r u p t i o n w h e n N a p o l e o n ' s f o r c e s b r i e f l y o c c u p i e d t h e city in 1805, t h e n r e t u r n e d to b o m b it into submission four years hence. N a p o l e o n o c c u p i e d t h e emperor's S c h o n b r u n n Palace and
18 0 3 - 1 8 1 2
his military c o m m a n d e r s filled a few of t h e T h e a t e r - a n - d e r W i e n ' s o t h e r w i s e e m p t y seats w h e n B e e t h o v e n ' s o p e r a
Fidelio
h a d its u n t i m e l y p r e m i e r e o n N o v e m b e r 2 0 , 1 8 0 5 . I n g e s t a t i o n for t w o y e a r s , t h e n a s c e n t o p e r a h a d b e e n b e s e t b y d e l a y s o f s e v e r a l s o r t s , t h e n , j u s t p r i o r t o its l o n g - s c h e d u l e d o p e n i n g , t h e state t h e a t e r c e n s o r h a d d e c l a r e d its s u b j e c t u n f i t for p u b l i c c o n s u m p t i o n . Its l i b r e t t o w a s t h e s t o r y o f a s i x t e e n t h - c e n t u r y p o l i t i c a l p r i s o n e r i n S p a i n w h o i s r e s c u e d b y his w i f e , d i s g u i s e d as a m a n , f r o m death at the hands of a tyrannical p r i s o n g o v e r nor, the k i n d of story that had understandably intrinsic appeal for a m a n i n B e e t h o v e n ' s c i r c u m s t a n c e s . I t w a s n ' t u n t i l t h e last m o m e n t — a n d the arrival of a w r i t t e n assurance to the censor from Court
Secretary Josef Sonnleithner that the
emperor's
w i f e , i n p o i n t o f fact, w a s e n c h a n t e d b y t h e t a l e — t h a t t h e p r o duction had been allowed to proceed. B u t on opening night, N a p o l e o n ' s military m e n labeled the p r o d u c t i o n n o t h i n g m o r e than a crashing b o r e and the few others in attendance found it simply m u c h too long and c u m b e r s o m e . M a n y of Beethoven's g r e a t e s t a d m i r e r s , like his early p a t r o n P r i n c e K a r l L i c h n o w s k y , w h o had c h a m p i o n e d the production along the way and w h o likely w o u l d h a v e e n j o y e d i t e n o r m o u s l y , r e c e n t l y h a d fled t h e c i t y o u t o f u n c e r t a i n t y a b o u t w h e t h e r t h e y w o u l d b e specific targets o f N a p o l e o n ' s w r a t h .
Fidelio
c l o s e d after o n l y t h r e e p e r f o r m a n c e s . It w a s r e v i v e d ,
h o w e v e r — o n c e B e e t h o v e n v e r y r e l u c t a n t l y a g r e e d t o c u t its l e n g t h t o t w o acts f r o m t h r e e a n d r e s h a p e i t — f o r t w o p e r f o r m a n c e s i n t h e s p r i n g o f 1 8 0 6 , a t a t i m e w h e n his b e n e f a c t o r s a n d a r d e n t a d m i r e r s h a d r e t u r n e d t o t h e city. T h i s t i m e they w e r e enthusiastic, but n o w the c o m p o s e r was not, a n d
following an angry confrontation with the director of the theater, B e e t h o v e n refused to sanction future p e r f o r m a n c e s .
It
w a s n ' t u n t i l 1 8 1 4 , a n d f o l l o w i n g still m o r e s u b s t a n t i a l r e v i s i o n , t h a t w h a t p r o v e d t o b e his o n l y c o m p l e t e d o p e r a — o n e w h o s e trials, h e c o n t e n d e d , o u g h t t o h a v e e a r n e d h i m a m a r t y r ' s crown—was
again
presented
to
the
public,
this
rime
at
V i e n n a ' s K a r n t n e r t o r T h e a t e r , a n d a t last t o g r e a t a c c l a i m . F r o m t h e m o m e n t o f his r e s o l u t e r e t u r n f r o m i s o l a t i o n i n t h e village o f H e i l i g e n s t a d t i n t h e a u t u m n o f 1 8 0 2 — d e t e r m i n e d , a s h e h a d a f f i r m e d t o his f r i e n d W e g e l e r , t o refuse t o let his a d v a n c i n g deafness " b e n d o r c r u s h m e c o m p l e t e l y " — u n t i l t h e a u s p i c i o u s o c c a s i o n o f his l o n g - a n t i c i p a t e d m e e t i n g with
the
towering
German
poet
and
playwright Johann
W o l f g a n g v o n G o e t h e a d e c a d e later, B e e t h o v e n h a d c o m posed a s t u n n i n g array of music,
m u c h of w h i c h ,
in
fact,
s e e m e d w e l l o n its w a y t o s u r v i v i n g t h e t h o u s a n d y e a r s p r o p h esied b y those w h o b e l i e v e d t h e y h e a r d s o m e t h i n g i m m o r t a l i n that original performance of the
Eroica.
D e s p i t e t h e fact t h a t
c o n v e r s a t i o n h a d b e c o m e m u c h m o r e difficult a s t h e y e a r s p r o g r e s s e d , a n d a l t h o u g h h a r s h n o i s e s still a t t a c k e d h i m a s t h o u g h t h e y w e r e k n i v e s p l u n g e d i n t o his e a r s , h e c o n t i n u e d t o b e a b l e t o h e a r , a t least m i n i m a l l y a n d w i t h effort,
the
breadth of the w o r k he c o m p o s e d in that period: five symp h o n i e s , i n c l u d i n g t h e spirited, sunlit F o u r t h ; t h e dramatic, m a g n e t i c , a n d fateful Fifth; a s w e l l a s t h e S i x t h , B e e t h o v e n ' s P a s t o r a l S y m p h o n y , a g l o r i o u s s u m m a t i o n o f his l i f e l o n g l o v e of nature, as well as seven p i a n o sonatas, t w o violin sonatas, five p i a n o trios, five string quartets, five concertos, an o r a t o rio, a mass, and m u c h m o r e , including t h e overture and inci-
d e n t a l o r c h e s t r a l m u s i c t h a t w e r e w r i t t e n for a n 1 8 1 0 p r o d u c tion of Goethe's tragedy
Egmont.
B e e t h o v e n h a d b e e n a g r e a t a d m i r e r o f t h e plays a n d p o e m s o f G o e t h e s i n c e his a d o l e s c e n t d a y s i n B o n n , a n d like m o s t o f his c o n t e m p o r a r i e s , h e c o n s i d e r e d G o e t h e a n d G o e t h e ' s f r i e n d a n d colleague J o h a n n C h r i s t o p h v o n Schiller t o b e t h e foremost
men
o f letters
in
the
German-speaking world.
And
G o e t h e , in turn, suspected that B e e t h o v e n was led by " t h e l i g h t o f g e n i u s t h a t i l l u m i n e s his i^iind like a s t r o k e o f l i g h t n i n g " i n w a y s t h a t o t h e r m e n s i m p l y w e r e n o t , d e s p i t e t h e fact that the composer's w o r k often was simply t o o Goethe's
classical
tastes.
At
his
suggestion—one
"new" to
for
which
B e e t h o v e n eagerly a g r e e d — t h e t w o m e n f i n a l l y m e t i n t h e B o h e m i a n spa o f T e p l i t z w h i l e o n h o l i d a y i n t h e s u m m e r o f 1812, seeing each other repeatedly d u r i n g the course of a week.
But
Beethoven
it was
strangely
that
took
he
characteristic
offense
when
his
of the
mercurial
new
friend r e -
s p o n d e d t o a p i a n o p i e c e h e p l a y e d for h i m s i m p l y b y w i p i n g a w a y tears r a t h e r t h a n a p p l a u d i n g .
"From you,
Goethe,
I
w o n ' t stand for this," B e e t h o v e n loudly r e p r i m a n d e d the p o e t , explaining that in Berlin in 1 7 9 6 an a u d i e n c e similarly " h a d b e e n so educated and refined that they n o w staggered towards m e w i t h t h e i r h a n d k e r c h i e f s w e t w i t h e m o t i o n [ w h i c h ] w a s all q u i t e i r r e l e v a n t to a c r u d e
e n t h u s i a s t like myself. . . . Y o u
yourself m u s t k n o w h o w pleasant it is to be applauded by hands that o n e respects. I f y o u d o n ' t r e c o g n i z e m e and consider m e a s y o u r e q u a l , w h o will? T o w h a t s o r t o f a p a c k o f r a g a m u f f i n s shall I t u r n for u n d e r s t a n d i n g ? " Goethe had been
i n t r i g u e d y e t substantially confused b y
B e e t h o v e n ' s m u s i c for s o m e t i m e , a n d n o w t h a t h e h a d m a d e t h e c o m p o s e r ' s a c q u a i n t a n c e , h e w a s e q u a l l y f a s c i n a t e d b y his p e r s o n a l artistry.
"A m o r e self-contained,
energetic, sincere
artist I n e v e r saw," h e w r o t e t o his w i f e f r o m T e p l i t z . B u t t h e n t h e r e w a s t h e other s i d e o f h i m , G o e t h e e x p l a i n e d i n a s u b s e q u e n t l e t t e r , t h i s o n e s e n t t o his f r i e n d C a r l F r i e d r i c h Z e l t e r i n B e r l i n . N o t o n l y h a d t h e c o m p o s e r b e r a t e d h i m b i z a r r e l y for failing t o a p p l a u d i n t h e w a y h e c o n s i d e r e d p r o p e r , b u t h e w a s coarse, r o u g h , u n c o u t h . H e s e e m e d t o care n o t h i n g a b o u t tact o r d i s c r e t i o n a n d e v e n less a b o u t his p e r s o n a l a p p e a r a n c e , l e t t i n g his h a i r s t a n d o u t i n e v e r y d i r e c t i o n a n d w e a r i n g i l l - f i t t i n g and soiled clothes. " H i s talent a m a z e d m e , " G o e t h e explained. "Unfortunately he is an utterly u n t a m e d personality w h o is not altogether in t h e w r o n g in h o l d i n g the w o r l d to be detestable, b u t s u r e l y d o e s n o t m a k e i t a n y t h e m o r e e n j o y a b l e e i t h e r for h i m s e l f o r o t h e r s b y his a t t i t u d e . H e i s easily e x c u s e d , o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , a n d m u c h t o b e p i t i e d , a s his h e a r i n g i s l e a v i n g h i m , w h i c h p e r h a p s m a r s t h e m u s i c a l p a r t o f his n a t u r e less t h a n t h e social."
BEETHOVEN
OFTEN
HAD
BEEN
QUIET,
even brooding
a n d m e l a n c h o l y , i n t h e y e a r s b e f o r e his e a r s b e g a n t o b e t r a y h i m . B u t his i n c r e a s i n g l y s e v e r e i n a b i l i t y t o h e a r t h e w o r d s t h a t were
spoken
to
him
and
his
ever m o r e laconic
responses
n o n e t h e l e s s d i d n o t m a k e i t i m p o s s i b l e for h i m t o f o r g e r o m a n t i c — i f often
curiously imbalanced—relationships with
a
series o f w o m e n , a s w e l l a s t o h a r b o r t h e c o n t i n u a l h o p e t h a t o n e day he w o u l d marry. Countess Giulietta Guicciardi had b e e n the second w o m a n in V i e n n a w h o , for a t i m e a t least, h e d e s p e r a t e l y h a d w i s h e d w o u l d b e c o m e his m a t e . T w o y e a r s l a t e r a n d k e e n a g a i n t o find love, he b e c a m e close to J o s e p h i n e B r u n s v i k D e y m , a d a u g h t e r o f H u n g a r i a n a r i s t o c r a t C o u n t A n a t o l B r u n s v i k a n d his w i f e , A n n a , t o w h o m h e had b e c o m e acquainted s o m e years before. J o s e p h i n e a n d h e r sister T h e r e s e h^d b e e n B e e t h o v e n ' s p i a n o pupils in the years before J o s e p h i n e m a r r i e d — s h e subsequently gave birth to four children, t h e n was suddenly w i d o w e d in 1 8 0 4 . A l t h o u g h a t first h e m a y h a v e i n t e n d e d t o offer h e r o n l y the c o n d o l e n c e a n d s u p p o r t of a friend, B e e t h o v e n soon was d e e p l y i n l o v e w i t h J o s e p h i n e , o p e n l y d e c l a r i n g his feelings for h e r in a series of letters that s p a n n e d t h r e e years, assuring h e r t h a t s h e w a s h i s " o n l y b e l o v e d , " a n d c o m p o s i n g for h e r t h e s o n g
An die Hqffnung,
" T o H o p e " — t h e w i s h t h a t at last s h e w o u l d
a c q u i e s c e a n d r e t u r n his affections i n k i n d . B u t a l t h o u g h F r a u D e y m c a r e d for B e e t h o v e n a n d w a s t e m p t e d a s w e l l b y his e n treaties, it appears unlikely that she e v e r a g r e e d to an i n t i m a c y that was closer t h a n a w a r m and d e v o t e d friendship. She, like C o u n t e s s G u i c c i a r d i , w o u l d h a v e h a d t o i g n o r e his m o d e s t s o cial s t a n d i n g i n o r d e r t o a l l o w t h e i r r e l a t i o n s h i p t o d e e p e n , a n d marriage to B e e t h o v e n w o u l d have stripped her of her nobility a n d h e r e s t a t e . I t s e e m s s u r e a s w e l l t h a t his t o t a l c o m m i t m e n t t o his m u s i c , h i s a l l - t o o - p r e d i c t a b l e m o o d s w i n g s , h i s e c c e n t r i c p e r s o n a l h a b i t s a n d w a n t o f social g r a c e s , t o say n o t h i n g o f his s u s p e c t h e a l t h a n d h e a r i n g loss, c o m b i n e d t o c o n v i n c e h e r i n
1807 that a u n i o n w i t h h i m w o u l d n o t be best for her, h e r child r e n , o r i n d e e d p e r h a p s for h i m . Y e t h e c o n t i n u e d t o h o p e t h a t o n e d a y h e w o u l d find t h e kind
o f idyllic
domestic
contentment
that
he
openly
had
y e a r n e d for o v e r t h e y e a r s , a n d a g a i n g l i m p s e d t h a t p o s s i b i l i t y i n his r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h T h e r e s e M a l f a t t i , a n i e c e o f t h e Italian physician
G i o v a n n i Malfatti,
who
had become Beethoven's
d o c t o r following the death of J o h a n n Schmidt the year before. Although
the
surviving
letters
between
the
forty-year-old
c o m p o s e r a n d t h e y o u n g w o m a n w h o w a s h a l f his a g e d o n o t demonstrate
the
kind
of passionate
love
he
expressed
to
J o s e p h i n e D e y m a f e w y e a r s b e f o r e , B e e t h o v e n d i d discuss w i t h f r i e n d s his h o p e s t o b e m a r r i e d s o o n . H e w e n t s o far a s to w r i t e to Franz W e g e l e r in B o n n , asking h i m to search the a r c h i v e s for his b a p t i s m a l c e r t i f i c a t e , w h i c h h e w o u l d n e e d i n o r d e r to o b t a i n a m a r r i a g e license, b u t t h e relationship c o o l e d , t h e n e n d e d , before t h e certificate was n e e d e d . He
probably
Beethoven
did
never
proposed
continue
to
be
marriage drawn
to
again,
although
sensitive,
artistic
w o m e n , and if they s o m e h o w w e r e unobtainable, so m u c h the better, it seemed. W h i l e vacationing at Teplitz in the s u m m e r s o f 1 8 1 1 a n d 1 8 1 2 , h e d e v e l o p e d a lively a n d f l i r t a t i o u s r e l a tionship w i t h a y o u n g opera singer n a m e d Amalie Sebald, b u t she lived in distant Berlin and t h e y spent only those t w o s u m m e r s in relative proximity to each other. A n d at r o u g h l y the same t i m e at h o m e in V i e n n a he h a d b e c o m e close to a m a r ried w o m a n , A n t o n i e B r e n t a n o , t h e wife of a Frankfurt businessman n a m e d Franz Brentano, Beethoven's friend Bettina B r e n t a n o s half b r o t h e r .
In 1809, while her husband r e m a i n e d in Frankfurt, A n t o n i e had returned with her children to Vienna, her h o m e t o w n , to a t t e n d t o h e r a g i n g father. S h e h a d b e e n s e r i o u s l y ill for a p e r i o d in 1811 and B e e t h o v e n had e m p a t h i z e d w i t h h e r physical distress, v i s i t i n g h e r r e g u l a r l y a n d s p e n d i n g l o n g h o u r s a t h e r p i a n o c o m f o r t i n g h e r w i t h his m u s i c . I t s e e m s c e r t a i n t h a t A n t o n i e e n c o u n t e r e d m u c h in B e e t h o v e n that was missing i n h e r d o m e s t i c life i n F r a n k f u r t a n d t h a t h e r e l i s h e d h e r c o m pany i n t u r n . I t m a y , i n fact, h a v e b e e n A n t o n i e t o w h o m B e e t h o v e n w r o t e f r o m T e p l i t z inVarly J u l y 1 8 1 2 , a d d r e s s i n g h e r — o r s o m e o n e — a s his " i m m o r t a l b e l o v e d " i n a p a s s i o n a t e t h r e e - p a r t l e t t e r t h a t o p e n e d w i t h his a r d e n t d e t e r m i n a t i o n t o find a w a y t o live w i t h h e r , y e t w h i c h c l o s e d i n s u b s t a n t i a l d o u b t : " Y o u r love makes me at o n c e that happiest and u n h a p piest o f m e n — a t m y a g e I n e e d a steady, q u i e t l i f e — c a n t h a t be so in o u r c o n n e c t i o n ? . . . O h , c o n t i n u e to love m e — n e v e r m i s j u d g e t h e m o s t faithful h e a r t o f y o u r b e l o v e d . " L i k e t h e l e t t e r B e e t h o v e n h a d w r i t t e n t o his b r o t h e r s f r o m H e i l i g e n s t a d t a d e c a d e b e f o r e i n w h i c h h e c o n f e s s e d his g r o w i n g deafness, i t a p p e a r s t h a t t h i s m i s s i v e also w a s n e v e r m a i l e d . "I m u s t close at o n c e so that y o u m a y receive this letter at o n c e , " h e w r o t e , y e t it, like t h e 1 8 0 2 l e t t e r t h a t h e w r o t e i n H e i l i g e n s t a d t , w a s f o u n d a m o n g his b e l o n g i n g s i n t h e d a y s after his d e a t h .
HAIR FOR 5ALE AT 5 0 T H E B V 5
O N T H E M O R N I N G O F M A Y 5 , 1 9 4 5 , listeners i n D e n m a r k w h o s e radios w e r e t u n e d t o the B B C heard the stupendous n e w s that
G e r m a n forces h a d s u r r e n d e r e d .
By midday,
the
news was being proclaimed on Danish R a d i o as well, and British troops w e r e
entering C o p e n h a g e n and quelling the
scattered s h o o t i n g b y G e r m a n soldiers w h o had yet t o receive the news themselves. Within twenty-four hours, everyone in D e n m a r k , it s e e m e d , had r u s h e d to t h e capital city to o b s e r v e m e m b e r s of the Danish Brigade, Denmark's o w n army, paradi n g d o w n t h e pedestrian Stroget i n t h e city c e n t e r — D a n e s once m o r e in control of their sea-encircled country.
Unlike Germany, occupied D e n m a r k had b e e n spared the destruction b y Allied b o m b i n g that had b r o u g h t a b o u t the e n d o f t h e w a r ; t h e lives o f a l m o s t all its c i t i z e n s — J e w s a n d n o n J e w s a l i k e — m i r a c u l o u s l y h a d b e e n s p a r e d ; a n d its p e o p l e n o w w e r e giddy w i t h delight that the l o n g siege was over. A m o n g t h e i r last o r g a n i z e d acts, y o u n g D a n i s h r e s i s t a n c e f i g h t e r s i n sisted, t h e n e n s u r e d w i t h o p e n l y b r a n d i s h e d w e a p o n s , t h a t d e feated G e r m a n soldiers m a d e their w a y t o t h e b o r d e r w i t h o u t delay, a n d s o o n t h e D a n i s h J e w s w h o h a d b e e n i n e x i l e s i n c e October 1943 began to return to Their homeland. This time t h e y simply crossed t h e O r e s u n d o n regularly s c h e d u l e d ferries i n t h e b r i g h t a n d o p e n l i g h t o f day, a n d for a l m o s t all o f t h e m , the w e l c o m e they received from their c o u n t r y m e n was nearly a s e x t r a o r d i n a r y a s t h e assistance t h e y h a d b e e n o f f e r e d b a c k w h e n t h e y m a d e their secret escapes.
In
Copenhagen and
t h r o u g h o u t t h e n a t i o n , t h e r e f u g e e s c a m e h o m e t o find t h e i r h o u s e s a n d a p a r t m e n t s s e c u r e a n d c l e a n — e v e n freshly p a i n t e d i n s o m e c a s e s — t h e i r p e t s a n d g a r d e n s w e l l c a r e d for, t h e i r k i t c h e n s filled w i t h f o o d , t h e i r j o b s a n d t h e i r b u s i n e s s e s e a g e r l y awaiting their return. Although,
i n t i m e , m a n y o f t h e p e o p l e w h o h a d fled t o
S w e d e n d i d g o b a c k t o G i l l e l e j e a n d t h e o t h e r f i s h i n g villages, for
the
time
being,
memories
of the
terror of that flight
r e m a i n e d t o o r a w for m o s t t o b e e a g e r t o r e t u r n . Y e t t h r e e f a m i l i e s — t h e i r n a m e s still u n r e c o r d e d , e v e n i n n a s c e n t p e a c e t i m e — d i d r e v i s i t G i l l e l e j e i n t h e d a y s s o o n after t h e l i b e r a t i o n t o claim t h e t h r e e c h i l d r e n w h o m , i n desperate m o m e n t s , t h e y had b e e n forced to leave b e h i n d a year a n d a half before: " M o n a , " w h o had b e e n only t h r e e m o n t h s old w h e n she was
taken in by Margrethe Hansen; " H e n n i n g , " w h o had been s e v e n m o n t h s o l d w h e n E d i t h Back C a r l s e n b e g a n t o c a r e for him; and one-year-old "Tove," adopted by Svend Andreasen's family. E a c h w a s n o w w a l k i n g , e v e n t a l k i n g w h e n p a r e n t s t h e y didn't recognize c a m e t o t o w n t o take t h e m h o m e , their tearful d e p a r t u r e s t h a t M a y u n a m b i g u o u s p r o o f t o t h e p e o p l e o f little G i l l e l e j e t h a t t h e w a r h a d c o m e t o a c l o s e . B u t i t w a s n ' t l o n g b e f o r e o t h e r c h i l d r e n , still m o r e v i c t i m s o f t h e ravages of the w a r that h a d devastated m o s t of E u r o p e , arr i v e d i n t h e village, r e m i n d e r s t h a t its l e g a c y w o u l d last a v e r y long time. Early in 1946, a g r o u p of thirty F r e n c h w a r o r p h a n s arrived i n D e n m a r k u n d e r t h e auspices o f t h e D a n i s h R e d C r o s s , a n d w e r e m a t c h e d w i t h a d o p t i v e families i n s e v e r a l N o r t h Sjaslland t o w n s , a n d a m o n g t h e g r o u p o f five w h o w e r e s e n t t o G i l l e l e j e w a s a s i x - y e a r - o l d girl
from
t h e village o f
Sannois, n e a r Paris. Tiny, m a l n o u r i s h e d , b u t b r i g h t - e y e d a n d fiercely i n d e p e n d e n t , M i c h e l e de R y b e l had b e e n sorely in n e e d o f assistance, b u t s h e w a s n o t , i n fact, a n o r p h a n . H e r B e l g i a n - b o r n father, T h e o p h i l e , w a s a b i c y c l e - s h o p c l e r k a n d a deteriorating alcoholic; her m o t h e r M a r i a n n e struggled to feed a n d c a r e for s e v e n m o r e c h i l d r e n i n a d d i t i o n t o M i c h e l e , y e t i t w a s o n l y s h e w h o w a s failing d a n g e r o u s l y , o n l y s h e w h o m h e r parents v e r y reluctantly h a d a g r e e d t o send away. Michele had b e e n both confused and frightened about w h a t w a s i n s t o r e for h e r d u r i n g t h e e i g h t d a y s i n t h e s p r i n g o f t h a t year that she spent in quarantine near Sannois w i t h as m a n y as sixty o t h e r c h i l d r e n , a n d s h e still h a d n o t b e e n s u r e w h e r e s h e w a s g o i n g w h e n s h e w a s p u t a b o a r d a t r a i n i n P a r i s b o u n d for C o p e n h a g e n , c a r r y i n g o n l y a s i n g l e small s u i t c a s e c o n t a i n i n g
r e m n a n t s o f t h e life s h e w a s l e a v i n g b e h i n d . S h e w a s d e l i g h t e d t o d i s c o v e r t h a t t h e t o w n t h a t w a s h e r d e s t i n a t i o n lay b e s i d e a b e a u t i f u l sea, b u t t h e p e o p l e i n G i l l e l e j e s p o k e a l a n g u a g e t h a t s o u n d e d like n o t h i n g s h e e v e r h a d h e a r d , a n d t h e w o r s t p a r t o f this n e w h o m e , s h e s o o n w a s c e r t a i n , w a s t h e family t o w h i c h she h a d b e e n assigned. B y n o w i t h a d b e c o m e clear t o y o u n g M i c h e l e t h a t h e r n a t u r a l p a r e n t s i n t e n d e d for h e r t o b e a w a y f r o m F r a n c e for a v e r y l o n g t i m e ; h e r m o t h e r h a d t o l d h e r h o w m u c h s h e l o v e d h e r , b u t s h e also w a n t e d h e r t o live a n d t h r i v e i n d i s t a n t D e n m a r k . T h e c o u n t y a d m i n i s t r a t o r a n d his w i f e w h o explained t o her that they n o w w e r e her parents, h o w e v e r , s e e m e d s t r a n g e a n d aloof, e v e n c r u e l . T h e y k e p t w h o l e r o o m s of their house locked so she could n o t enter t h e m ; she n e v e r w a s a l l o w e d t o p l a y w i t h t h e dolls t h a t b e l o n g e d t o h e r n e w sister o r t o t o u c h a n y t h i n g else t h a t c a p t u r e d h e r c u r i o s ity;
a n d often, w h e n t h e rest o f the family w o u l d g o o u t ,
M i c h e l e w a s m a d e t o stay b e h i n d , l o c k e d i n s i d e t h e h o u s e a s t h o u g h it w e r e a prison. After t h r e e m o n t h s i n h e r n e w h o m e , M i c h e l e h a d g r o w n and was physically healthier, yet she was bitterly h o m e s i c k a n d h a t e d t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s o f h e r n e w life. S h e k n e w t h a t s h e c o u l d n o t m a n a g e t o f i n d h e r w a y b a c k t o F r a n c e b y herself, b u t p e r h a p s s h e could f i n d o t h e r p e o p l e i n G i l l e l e j e w h o w o u l d treat h e r as if she truly w e r e theirs. N o t e v e r y o n e in t o w n was m e a n , she h a d c o m e t o u n d e r s t a n d . T h e d o c t o r a n d his wife t h e n u r s e , for e x a m p l e , h a d b e e n v e r y k i n d t o h e r w h e n s h e h a d v i s i t e d t h e i r c l i n i c for e x a m i n a t i o n s ; a n d w h e n M i c h e l e d i s c o v e r e d , t h r e e m o n t h s after h e r a r r i v a l , t h a t t h e y h a d n o c h i l d r e n o f t h e i r o w n , s h e s i m p l y sat d o w n o n e d a y i n f r o n t o f
t h e large, y e l l o w - b r i c k h o u s e that o v e r l o o k e d Vesterbrogade a n d w a i t e d for t h e i r r e t u r n , a n n o u n c i n g t o K a y a n d M a r t a F r e m m i n g w h e n at last t h e y e n c o u n t e r e d h e r t h a t it w a s their d a u g h t e r w h o m she w o u l d like t o b e .
NOT
UNLIKE
MANY DANES
O F his g e n e r a t i o n , K a y A l e x -
a n d e r F r e m m i n g kept m u c h that m a t t e r e d inside h i m — u n s p o ken,
unshared,
undisclosed.
N o o n e a m o n g t h e p e o p l e still
living i n t h e seaside t o w n o f Gilleleje w h o r e m e m b e r s t h e blond, blue-eyed, and
friendly-countenanced
physician claims
t o h a v e b e e n his c o n f i d a n t o r e v e n t o h a v e k n o w n h i m w e l l ; no o n e r e m e m b e r s ever h e a r i n g h i m speak at length on any topic.
A n d although some remain sure of the r u m o r s they
heard in t h e a u t u m n of 1943 that the d o c t o r had b e e n given s o m e t h i n g precious b y o n e o f the a n o n y m o u s refugees w h o passed t h r o u g h their t o w n en r o u t e to freedom, it appears that K a y F r e m m i n g h i m s e l f n e v e r m e n t i o n e d t h e gift h e h a d b e e n g i v e n — o r the
venerated
object he
had
agreed
to
hold in
t r u s t — t o a n y o n e o t h e r t h a n his wife, M a r t a , d u r i n g t h e subseq u e n t d e c a d e d u r i n g w h i c h t h e c o u p l e c o n t i n u e d t o live a n d w o r k in their yellow-brick house at 27 Vesterbrogade, four b l o c k s f r o m t h e s m a l l h a r b o r w h e r e a fleet o f f i s h i n g b o a t s c o n t i n u e d t o p u t t o sea. Born in Copenhagen in June
1905 to parents w h o w e r e
t e a c h e r s , K a y a n d his b r o t h e r K u r t , t h r e e y e a r s his j u n i o r , b o t h h a d h a d early d r e a m s o f b e c o m i n g d o c t o r s . Yet w h i l e K u r t h a d p l a n n e d t o s p e c i a l i z e — a n d i n t i m e d i d , i n fact, b e c o m e a p s y -
chiatrist—it was general medicine to w h i c h
Kay had been
d r a w n w h e n he c o m p l e t e d medical school in 1932. For t h e first four years of his career,
he
h a d s e r v e d o n staff a t t h e
C o m m u n i t y Hospital in t h e city of A r h u s in Jylland, t h e n , s o o n after h i s 1 9 3 6 m a r r i a g e t o M a r t a M a r i a R a s m u s s e n — a nurse w h o m he had m e t at t h e hospital, herself a C o p e n h a g e n n a t i v e — t h e c o u p l e h a d m o v e d b a c k t o Sjaelland a n d t h e h a r b o r t o w n o f Gilleleje, w h e r e u n t i l t h e i r a r r i v a l , D r . H j a l m a r Vilstrup had b e e n s o m e w h a t dramatically o v e r w o r k e d as the c o m m u n i t y ' s sole p h y s i c i a n . T h e F r e m m i n g s ' n e w life i n G i l l e l e j e s o o n h a d p r o v e d t o b e the kind they had h o p e d f o r — o n e shaped by hard but valued w o r k in a c o m m u n i t y w h e r e people k n e w and cared about their n e i g h b o r s . Gilleleje w a s a p r e t t y seaside t o w n swelling w i t h t o u r i s t s a n d c i t y folk i n t h e s p l e n d i d s u m m e r t i m e , a p l a c e w h e r e t h e s u m m e r s u n lit t h e sky till a l m o s t m i d n i g h t . I n w i n ter, t h e t o w n w o u l d s h r i n k t o a t i n y k n o t o f r e s i d e n t s w h o k e p t i n d o o r s a n d o u t o f t h e gales, t h e r a i n , a n d t h e s n o w e x c e p t w h e n i t w a s r i m e t o t a k e t o t h e i r ships. T h e F r e m m i n g s a n d t h e i r n e i g h b o r s h a d passed t h o s e l o n g w i n t e r e v e n i n g s a t h o m e b y r e a d i n g n e w s p a p e r s sent f r o m t h e city a n d b o o k s b o r r o w e d f r o m t h e l o c a l library, l i s t e n i n g t o m u s i c o n D a n i s h R a d i o a s well as on c h e r i s h e d p h o n o g r a p h s , a f e w — l i k e K a y w i t h his flute and Marta her cello—even making music themselves. Early o n , w h i l e t h e big h o u s e o n V e s t e r b r o g a d e was b e i n g built, t h e F r e m m i n g s h a d r e n t e d an a p a r t m e n t a n d fashioned a clinic o u t o f t h e s e c o n d - f l o o r s p a c e a b o v e a c l o t h i n g s h o p . B u t after t h a t f i r s t y e a r i n G i l l e l e j e , b o t h h o m e a n d c l i n i c h a d b e e n q u a r t e r e d t o g e t h e r — t h e c l i n i c d o w n s t a i r s this t i m e , t h e p r i v a t e
r o o m s above it—and it had seemed to Kay and Marta in the a u t u m n o f 1 9 4 3 , six y e a r s after t h e i r a r r i v a l , t h a t this s u r e l y w o u l d b e t h e i r h o m e for a v e r y l o n g t i m e t o c o m e . T h e y h a d n o c h i l d r e n y e t — t o w n s p e o p l e , i n fact, h a d b e g u n t o w h i s p e r that probably they could n o t — b u t their medical practice had c o n s u m e d all o f t h e t i m e t h a t t h e y d i d n ' t o t h e r w i s e r e s e r v e for a f e w f r i e n d s a n d for t h e i r m u s i c . M a r t a , t o o , h a d j o i n e d t h e R e d C r o s s as a c o m m u n i t y v o l u n t e e r in t h e early years of the war, and it m a y have b e e n because of that role that she and her h u s b a n d first b e c a m e active in the i m p r o m p t u b u t impassioned effort t o assist J e w s i n t h e i r f l i g h t f r o m t h e N a z i s . Y e t i t also m a y h a v e b e e n specifically b e c a u s e t h e t w o o f t h e m b e l o n g e d t o t h e small b u t close-knit clan o f t h e nation's m e d i c a l p r a c t i tioners that their help first was sought. W i t h i n h o u r s after G e r m a n n a v a l a t t a c h e G e o r g D u c k w i t z first h a d c o n f i d e d t h a t a N a z i
aktion
against D e n m a r k ' s J e w s
was i m m i n e n t , it had b e e n doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals w h o h a d assumed key roles in the mobilization. I n C o p e n h a g e n — w h e r e m o s t o f the p e o p l e lived w h o n o w w e r e i n i m m e d i a t e d a n g e r — d o c t o r s t h r o u g h o u t t h e city had b e e n able t o c o n t a c t t h e i r J e w i s h p a t i e n t s a n d g e t w o r d t o t h e m that t h e y s h o u l d c o n s i d e r any hospital or private clinic a safe h a v e n o f s o r t s . H o s p i t a l w a r d s t h r o u g h o u t t h e city q u i c k l y had
been
transformed
into
hostels,
ambulances
had
been
pressed i n t o service as makeshift public transport, and in t w o d o z e n fishing c o m m u n i t i e s a l o n g t h e coast, it often h a d b e e n t o clinics a n d h o s p i t a l s t h a t f r i g h t e n e d r e f u g e e s w e r e d e l i v e r e d t o w a i t a g a i n u n t i l t h e i r ships c o u l d sail. A l t h o u g h t h e e v i d e n c e is sketchy, it n o n e t h e l e s s appears c e r -
tain that t h e F r e m m i n g s t o o h a d b e c o m e p a r t o f this a d h o c m e d i c a l n e t w o r k , r e c e i v i n g refugees i n t o their clinic o v e r a s p a n o f d a y s i n e a r l y O c t o b e r , i n t o t h e l i v i n g q u a r t e r s t h a t lay a b o v e it, a n d , for a t i m e a t least, h i d i n g t h e m i n t h e i r t h i r d story attic. M a r t a , t o o , h a d b e e n actively i n v o l v e d i n h e l p i n g people
in
flight
reach
the
Gilleleje
Church
on
the
early
e v e n i n g o f O c t o b e r 6 , a n d h e r h u s b a n d h a d visited t h e c h u r c h t o a t t e n d t o s o m e o n e w h o w a s ill s o m e t i m e b e f o r e t h e e a r l y h o u r s of the following m o r n i n g . B u t apart from those few certainties—and the physical e v i d e n c e of a simple black locket w i t h a c o i l o f h a i r i n s i d e — i t i s likely t h a t little m o r e e v e r w i l l b e d i s c o v e r e d a b o u t h o w t h e d o c t o r c a m e t o possess a c o r p o real b i t o f t h e i n c o m p a r a b l e L u d w i g v a n B e e t h o v e n , t h e r e markable circumstances of that gift-giving s h r o u d e d forever by K a y ' s p e r s o n a l i n s u l a r i t y , his k i n d l y d i f f i d e n c e , a n d his e v i d e n t u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h a t n e i t h e r his n o r a n y o n e else's r o l e i n r e n d e r i n g help to the refugees h a d b e e n u n i q u e d u r i n g those days and certainly should not have b e e n labeled heroic.
T H E SIXTY
P E O P L E W H O H A D b e e n taken f r o m the high
loft o f t h e c h u r c h — o n e o f t h e m t h e l o c k e t ' s b e n e f a c t o r , p e r h a p s , e a c h o f t h e m a "full J e w " for w h o m t h e m a n i a c a l N a z i s held utter c o n t e m p t — h a d been transported in m i d - O c t o b e r , together
with
four
hundred
others
apprehended
elsewhere
throughout the country, to Theresienstadt, the Nazis' w a y station c o n c e n t r a t i o n c a m p i n o c c u p i e d Czechoslovakia, n o t far f r o m t h e G e r m a n b o r d e r . T h e r e t h e y h a d j o i n e d a s m a n y
as 80,000 other prisoners from t h r o u g h o u t western Europe, m o s t o f w h o m s o o n w o u l d b e transferred again t o t h e c o m p l e x of death camps located near the t o w n of Auschwitz in southern Poland, only to be replaced by nearly equal n u m b e r s of n e w arrivals. B u t because o f q u i c k a n d t h e n c o n s t a n t political pressure
directed
at
Gestapo
head
Heinrich
Himmler
by
D a n i s h officials i n C o p e n h a g e n — a s w e l l a s t h e c u r i o u s e n couragement
of
Denmark's
Nazi
plenipotentiary
Werner
B e s t — n o n e of the Danes had ever b e e n forced to m a k e that final t r i p f r o m w h i c h n o o n e w o u l d r e t u r n . D a n i s h p r i s o n e r s , i n fact, h a d b e e n a l l o w e d t o r e c e i v e l e t t e r s and occasional parcels of food and clothing sent from h o m e , a n d o n J u n e 2 3 , 1 9 4 4 , s e v e n m o n t h s after t h e i r a r r i v a l , a d e l egation comprising m e m b e r s of the Danish R e d Cross and the Danish foreign ministry had arrived to inspect the c a m p and s e e k visual p r o o f t h a t t h e p r i s o n e r s ' b a s i c n e e d s w e r e b e i n g m e t . Y e t life i n T h e r e s i e n s t a d t — e v e n for t h e s e " p r i v i l e g e d " D a n e s — h a d r e m a i n e d brutal a t best. T h e defeated, d i g n i t y s t r i p p e d p r i s o n e r s h a d b e e n fed n o t h i n g b u t g r a y g r u e l a n d a n o c c a s i o n a l b i t o f b r e a d for m o n t h s o n e n d ; d a i l y t h e y h a d h a d to
perform
backbreaking
work
despite
their
dramatically
w e a k e n e d c o n d i t i o n s ; a n d p e r h a p s w o r s t o f all, a p r i s o n e r s ' " E l d e r C o u n c i l " h a d b e e n forced t o select w h i c h captives, i n g r o u p s five t o
ten
thousand strong,
would
be shipped to
Auschwitz each week, the prisoners themselves made to m u s cle t h e i r f e l l o w J e w s i n t o t h e c a t t l e c a r s t h a t w o u l d c a r r y t h e m to their deaths. E x p r e s s l y for t h e n i g h d y e n t e r t a i n m e n t o f t h e c a m p ' s g u a r d s
and c o m m a n d e r s , a g r o u p of forty prisoners w h o had b e e n musicians prior to their capture had b e e n formed into an o r chestra of sorts a n d
made
t o p e r f o r m a t six o ' c l o c k e a c h
e v e n i n g a s t h e i r day's p h y s i c a l l a b o r a t last c a m e t o a c l o s e . E a c h of the ten D u t c h m e m b e r s of the e n s e m b l e had held chairs in Amsterdam's w e l l - k n o w n K o n c e r t g e b o u w before they w e r e seized by t h e Nazis; t h r e e D a n e s had b e e n professional m u s i cians as well, a n d a fourth, f o u r t e e n - y e a r - o l d Paul R a b i n o witsch, a precocious y o u n g t r u m o e t player w h o was a c c o m p l i s h e d e n o u g h t o j o i n t h e g r o u p , h a d b e e n c a p t u r e d i n t h e loft o f t h e Gilleleje C h u r c h .
Sometimes, people w h o had been
professional singers and actors j o i n e d t h e orchestra as well and s a n g for t h e p l e a s u r e o f t h e i r c a p t o r s — s a c r e d c h o r a l m u s i c , G e r m a n folk t u n e s , a n d e v e n a f e w s o n g s c o m p o s e d b y t h e i m p r i s o n e d m u s i c i a n s t h e m s e l v e s , t h e i r l y r i c s , like t h o s e o f " T h e S o n g o f M u s i c , " t o o s u b t l e t o enlist t h e N a z i s ' w r a t h :
E v e r y d a y T h e r e s i e n s t a d t has its m u s i c , W e play adagio, a n d a n t e a n d allegro, C y m b a l a n d d r u m say b u m b u m c h i n g b u m c h i n g , Enthusiastic, the audience is applauding. B u t can't y o u hear? T h e r e is a child crying W h i l e t h e m u s i c i s p l a y i n g s o cheerfully.
Music gives us delight and dreams F l o w i n g afar, o u t s i d e t h e b a r b e d w i r e , C y m b a l a n d d r u m say b u m b u m c h i n g b u m c h i n g ,
Enthusiastic, the audience is applauding. B u t can't y o u hear? T h e r e is a child c r y i n g W h i l e t h e m u s i c i s p l a y i n g s o cheerfully.
A n d t h e v o y a g e r s g o off. W h e r e ? Y o u m a y g u e s s , A n d w h e n they arrive at the destined place T h e only thing they can b r i n g w i t h t h e m Is t h e m u s i c , t h e m u s i c , t h e m u s i c . . .
It had b e e n immediately following the musicians' m a n c e o f Verdi's
Requiem
perfor-
i n O c t o b e r 1 9 4 4 , n e a r l y a y e a r after
t h e D a n i s h p r i s o n e r s ' arrival, that virtually e v e r y o n e associated w i t h t h e p e r f o r m a n c e — t h e o r c h e s t r a , soloists, a n d all o f t h e a d h o c c h o i r — w a s o r d e r e d t o p r e p a r e for i m m e d i a t e t r a n s p o r t t o A u s c h w i t z . O n l y the four players f r o m D e n m a r k , the b o y t r u m p e t e r a m o n g t h e m , h a d b e e n a l l o w e d t o stay b e h i n d ; t h e o t h e r s , i t w a s o b v i o u s a t last, h a d b e e n f o r c e d t o p e r f o r m — t o t h e N a z i s ' sadistic d e l i g h t — t h e m a s s for t h e d e a d for t h e m s e l v e s . Six m o n t h s later, o n A p r i l 1 3 , 1 9 4 5 , m o r e t h a n n i n e t e e n m o n t h s after t h e i r a r r i v a l i n T h e r e s i e n s t a d t , t h e 4 1 8 D a n i s h p r i s o n e r s w h o still s u r v i v e d h a d b e e n o r d e r e d t o p r e p a r e for t h e i r d e p a r t u r e s a s w e l l . Y e t t h e y w e r e n o t b o u n d for P o l a n d , they soon had learned, but—miraculously it seemed to t h e m — t o safety i n S w e d e n i n s t e a d . O n c e m o r e , D a n i s h l e a d e r s h a d s u c c e e d e d i n t h e i r efforts t o p e r s u a d e t h e N a z i s t h a t i t m a d e n o sense to k e e p " p e r m a n e n t " p r i s o n e r s at T h e r e s i e n s t a d t , e s p e cially w h e n S w e d e n w o u l d a g r e e t o t a k e t h e s e p a r t i c u l a r p r i s o n e r s off t h e G e r m a n s ' h a n d s .
T w o m o r n i n g s later, a f l e e t o f w h i t e b u s e s , m a r k e d w i t h h u g e r e d crosses o n their roofs a n d t h e w o r d " D E N M A R K " p a i n t e d b o l d l y o n t h e i r sides, h a d a r r i v e d a t t h e c a m p a n d t h e n q u i c k l y h a d b e g u n t o d e p a r t . F o r t h e n e x t t w o days, this c o n v o y o f r e s c u e d J e w s , m a n y b a r e l y c l i n g i n g t o life, h a d h a d t o w e n d its w a y w a r i l y t h r o u g h t h e b o m b - b a t t e r e d cities a n d v i l lages o f G e r m a n y — t h a t c o u n t r y less t h a n a m o n t h a w a y f r o m total s u r r e n d e r to Allied f o r c e s — t h e n briefly cross t h e island of Sjaelland i n D e n m a r k b e f o r e coast of S w e d e n .
As each
boarding
b o a t s b o u n d for t h e
bus had pulled away that April
morning, the non-Danish m e m b e r s of a newly organized orchestra had stood nearby, playing b r i g h t m a r c h e s at first, t h e n t h e familiar songs, f o l l o w e d by a final, t r i u m p h a l y e t n o n e t h e less sad f a r e w e l l — t h e s t i r r i n g m e l o d y o f B e e t h o v e n ' s " O d e t o J o y " f r o m t h e N i n t h S y m p h o n y offered i n salute t o t h e p r i s oners w h o w e r e departing by others w h o had had no choice b u t t o stay b e h i n d . F o r t h e six y e a r s t h a t E u r o p e , a n d t h e n all t h e w o r l d , h a d b e e n a t war, t h e spirit a n d t h e m u s i c o f L u d w i g van B e e t h o v e n h a d b e e n c l a i m e d a s t h e i r o w n b y p a r t i s a n s o n b o t h sides o f t h e terrible conflagration. For m a n y t h o u s a n d s of early a d h e r e n t s t o N a t i o n a l S o c i a l i s m , B e e t h o v e n a n d his m u s i c r e a d i l y h a d seemed to prove Aryan superiority and a particular G e r m a n genius in t h e art of music; a n d A d o l f H i t l e r himself often h a d insisted d u r i n g t h e 1930s that t h e c o m p o s i t i o n s o f B e e t h o v e n , Wagner, and other G e r m a n masters w e r e the noblest expressions o f t h e G e r m a n i c soul. T h e p e r f o r m a n c e o f i n s t r u m e n t a l m u s i c h a d b e e n e n c o u r a g e d a n d h a d t h r i v e d , i n fact, d u r i n g the
years
of the
Third
Reich;
musicians,
conductors,
and
c o m p o s e r s had b e e n assured b e g i n n i n g in 1939 that their artistic e n d e a v o r s w e r e k e y c o m p o n e n t s o f t h e w a r effort; G e r m a n soldiers
had
carried
pocket
editions
of Wagner's
novella
Pilgrimage to Beethoven w i t h t h e m i n t o b a t t l e ; a n d it h a d b e e n Beethoven's Ninth Symphony—his h y m n to b r o t h e r h o o d — that Berlin Philharmonic c o n d u c t o r W i l h e l m Furtwangler had c h o s e n t o p e r f o r m for t h e F i i h r e r a t h i s f i f t y - t h i r d b i r t h d a y c e l ebration in Berlin on April 19, 1942. It was the universally recognized o p e n i n g m o t i v e of the g r e a t c o m p o s e r ' s Fifth S y m p h o n y , o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , t h a t h a d begun Service,
each
clandestine
broadcast
of the
its b r i e f p r o g r a m s o f m u s i c
BBC's
German
and German-language
news first beamed onto the continent in 1938, then continuing t h r o u g h o u t the w a r — a n estimated 15 million G e r m a n s t u n i n g i n e a c h d a y d e s p i t e t h e fact t h a t a n y o n e c a u g h t l i s t e n ing to the e n e m y broadcasts w o u l d have b e e n punished with d e a t h . T h a t " f a t e " m o t i v e — d a , da, da, dum!—by c h a n c e also had corresponded with the notation in Morse code,
three
shorts a n d a l o n g , for the letter V, w h i c h h a d b e c o m e a u b i q u i t o u s A l l i e d s y m b o l for v i c t o r y .
For millions
in
Western
Europe's occupied nations, as well as in Britain and N o r t h America, Beethoven's extraordinary music had been w r e n c h ing e v i d e n c e o f t h e tragedy that had befallen t h e G e r m a n p e o ple. B u t e v e n in a p o c k e t of hell like T h e r e s i e n s t a d t , t h e music that o n c e had b e e n played in h o n o r of the s u p r e m e architect of the madness had been, nonetheless, the same music a few of the N a z i s ' m o s t desperate victims h a d c h o s e n to play o n e day i n o r d e r t o h e r a l d a ray o f h o p e .
I M P R O B A B L E A S I T S E E M S , T H E proffer y o u n g M i c h e l e d e R y b e l made to Kay and Marta F r e m m i n g in the s u m m e r of 1 9 4 6 s o o n w a s a c c e p t e d . T h e d o c t o r a n d his w i f e p r i v a t e l y d e b a t e d h e r b o l d proposal, t h e n discussed it as well w i t h h e r c u r rent adoptive parents, w h o , as it happened, admitted to being only a bit m o r e fond of h e r than she was of t h e m , and w h o cautioned Kay and Marta that the diminutive thing was quite a h a n d f u l , i n fact, b e f o r e e a g e r l y a n n o u n c i n g t h a t , y e s , s h e w a s t h e i r s i f t h e y w a n t e d h e r . S o t h e gi^l f r o m S a n n o i s n o w h a d y e t a n o t h e r n e w h o m e , a n d t h i s r i m e , a l t h o u g h t h e f i t still w a s less than perfect, M i c h e l e began to t h r i v e — e m o t i o n a l l y as well as physically. S h e l e a r n e d D a n i s h r a t h e r effortlessly, b a l k e d o n l y a bit a t t a k i n g m u s i c lessons, a n d l o v e d e x p l o r i n g t h e t o w n o n the bicycle that soon was presented to her. It was true that she b u r i e d keys t o t h e h o u s e o u t i n t h e g a r d e n o n o c c a s i o n — h e r fear t h a t s h e m i g h t b e l o c k e d i n s i d e a g a i n still h a u n t i n g h e r — but it
wasn't long before
Kay
and Marta
and
t h e i r Gallic
d a u g h t e r M i c h e l e a p p e a r e d t o t h e t o w n s p e o p l e o f Gilleleje t o be a b o n a fide family i n d e e d . T h i n g s w o r k e d o u t s o w e l l , i n fact, t h a t M i c h e l e ' s y o u n g e r sister R o l a n d e c a m e t w i c e w i t h i n t e n t i o n s t o j o i n t h e m — s t a y i n g first for t h e t h r e e g l o r i o u s m o n t h s o f s u m m e r , t h e n o n c e a g a i n for a n e n t i r e y e a r . E v e n t u a l l y , h o w e v e r , t h o u g h s h e p r o fessed t h a t i t w a s i n G i l l e l e j e w h e r e s h e w a s h a p p i e s t , R o l a n d e c o u l d n o t b r i n g herself t o a b a n d o n forever t h e family that w a s hers
in
France.
For
her
part,
Michele's
sentiments
always
s e e m e d t h e r e v e r s e ; s h e a d o r e d t h e t h r e e visits t o h e r h o m e l a n d t h a t s h e m a d e w h i l e still a c h i l d , o n e o f t h e m i n t h e c o m pany of Kay and Marta; the t o w n of Sannois and the nearby
splendor o f Paris w e r e wonderfully w o r l d l y i n
comparison
w i t h o u t p o s t Gilleleje, a n d she a n d h e r natural m o t h e r shared something taciturn
ineffable
Marta.
Yet
that
always
somehow,
was
missing
Denmark
had
with
often-
become
her
h o m e , a n d i n Gilleleje M i c h e l e willingly r e m a i n e d — g r o w i n g into adolescence in the big brick house in the heart of the town,
playing violin
now
a n d j o i n i n g h e r p a r e n t s for i m -
p r o m p t u c h a m b e r c o n c e r t s , h e l p i n g t h e m a s w e l l i n t h e small p h a r m a c y at the clinic until suddenly a n d utterly unexpectedly, Kay's d a y s a s a G i l l e l e j e d o c t o r sadly w e r e d o n e . It h a d s e e m e d to be a m i n o r injury in the beginning: o n e day i n 1 9 5 3 h e m e r e l y h a d lifted his h e a v y m e d i c a l b a g a n d h a d p u l l e d a m u s c l e i n his b a c k , o r s o h e t h o u g h t . B u t t h e p a i n h a d g r o w n so severe that he was nearly i m m o b i l i z e d before long, a n d w h e n h e finally, a n d q u i t e r e l u c t a n t l y , h a d s o u g h t m e d i c a l h e l p himself, t h e d i s t r e s s i n g d i a g n o s i s h a d b e e n a r u p t u r e d disc that probably c o u l d be repaired o n l y by surgery. W h e n , in time, Kay m a d e the decision to forgo the surgery because it b o r e a r i s k o f paralysis, a s e c o n d e v e n t u a l i t y a p p e a r e d o r d a i n e d as well: no m o r e could he w o r k as a rural doctor. For sixteen years, he had b e e n a stalwart m e m b e r of the Gilleleje c o m m u n i t y , treating the maladies a n d injuries a n d w o r r i e s o f n e a r l y a t h o u s a n d o f his n e i g h b o r s , a n d i t h a d b e e n w o r k h e loved. N e v e r gregarious, a n d always p r e s u m e d t o b e a b i t a p a r t f r o m t h e c r o w d — i f for n o o t h e r r e a s o n t h a n t h e w a y i n w h i c h d o c t o r s i n t h a t era s i m p l y w e r e p r e s u m e d t o b e l o n g to a separate class—Kay F r e m m i n g nonetheless had b e e n r e n o w n e d i n n o r t h e r n Sjaelland for his m e d i c a l skills, his k i n d -
if I
ness, a s w e l l a s for a c e r t a i n s e n s i t i v i t y t o s u f f e r i n g t h a t w a s u n usual in a m a n , e v e n in o n e w h o was a physician. B u t n o w K a y t o o h a d e n c o u n t e r e d stark, d e b i l i t a t i n g , a n d e n d u r i n g pain, a n d — a w a r e of the myriad ways in w h i c h the distress w o u l d c o m p r o m i s e his w o r k — h e s i m p l y c h o s e t o g i v e i t u p . I n J a n u a r y 1 9 5 4 , Kay, M a r t a , a n d M i c h e l e — n o w f i f t e e n — m a d e t h e s h o r t m o v e east t o N a e r u m , w h e r e K a y w a s able t o w o r k p a r t - t i m e a t t h e O r e s u n d Hospital, t h e n ultim a t e l y o n t o H o l t e , thirty k i l o m e t e r s s o u t h o f Gilleleje, i n M a y 1955, w h e r e the w o r k that was d e m a n d e d o f h i m i n the t u berculosis w i n g of the nearby Central Hospital in Hillerod was b o t h m a n a g e a b l e a n d r e w a r d i n g i n its o w n w a y . H e was o n l y f i f t y years old, b u t t h e injury t o his spine h a d f o r c e d h i m i n t o t h e k i n d o f life n o r m a l l y l e d b y s o m e o n e far o l d e r — h i s w o r k d a y l i m i t e d a n d e t c h e d w i t h p a i n , his a b i l i t y t o t r a v e l a n d e v e n t o w a l k drastically d i m i n i s h e d , his c h a i r a s a f l u t i s t i n t h e r e g i o n a l o r c h e s t r a a n d his c o l l e c t i o n o f m o r e t h a n two
hundred
classical
phonograph
records—featuring
the
m u s i c o f B a c h , H a y d n , a n d B e e t h o v e n — f i l l i n g t h e b u l k o f his leisure time. For f o u r t e e n m o r e years, Kay and M a r t a c o n t i n ued to
live
in
Hillerod,
during which
time
Michele was
a d o p t e d legally a t last, c o m p l e t e d s c h o o l , t h e n m a r r i e d , a n d e v e n t u a l l y b e g a n a family o f h e r o w n . S h e c o n t i n u e d t o l i v e nearby, a n d w a s i n c o n s t a n t t o u c h w i t h t h e D a n i s h p a r e n t s w h o m she always h a d called b y their g i v e n n a m e s , a n d K a y was delighted w h e n Carsten
and
he became a grandfather to
Thomas.
Then,
on
a
blustery
day
her sons in
late
S e p t e m b e r 1969, he collapsed on a train that was h o m e w a r d
bound
from
Copenhagen, where he had gone to buy n e w
l o n g - p l a y i n g r e c o r d s t o a d d t o his c o l l e c t i o n . O t h e r p a s s e n g e r s a n d t h e c o n d u c t o r t r i e d t o assist h i m , a n d a n a m b u l a n c e w a s w a i t i n g at t h e train's n e x t stop, b u t at a n e a r b y hospital he c o u l d not be revived. Kay F r e m m i n g had died of a sudden and massive h e a r t attack at age sixty-four.
IT WASN'T
UNTIL
SOMETIME
DURING
t h e f i r s t f e w sad
a n d s e e m i n g l y e m p t y d a y s after h e r father's woman
whose
name
now
had
become
death
that the
Michele
Wassard
Larsen first h e a r d of the prized lock of B e e t h o v e n ' s hair that had belonged throughout
to
the
her adoptive three
decades
father. since
Utterly she
had
unmentioned joined
the
F r e m m i n g family, t h e h a i r a n d t h e b l a c k l o c k e t t h a t c o n t a i n e d i t s i m p l y h a d lain i n a d r a w e r i n t h e d o c t o r ' s d e s k . M a r t a e x plained that it had b e e n given to h i m by o n e of the Jewish r e f u g e e s h e h a d h e l p e d l o n g a g o . S h e c o u l d n o t tell h e r d a u g h ter t h e n a m e o f t h e p e r s o n w h o h a d insisted that t h e d o c t o r take i t — t h e locket had b e e n given to h i m at a d a n g e r o u s time w h e n thousands o f J e w s w h o necessarily kept their n a m e s t o t h e m s e l v e s briefly h a d passed t h r o u g h G i l l e l e j e — b u t she c o u l d say w i t h o u t q u e s t i o n t h a t h e r h u s b a n d a l w a y s h a d v a l u e d i t g r e a t l y . B u t w h y , t h e n , h a d h e n e v e r d i s p l a y e d it, a n d w h y i n the world had he never s h o w n it to her? Kay F r e m m i n g always had b e e n a m o d e s t m a n , M a r t a r e m i n d e d h e r daughter. D i d she ever r e m e m b e r h i m m a k i n g a s h o w of anything that he o w n e d or had accomplished? D u r i n g
the nineteen m o n t h s b e t w e e n the time w h e n the locket came i n t o his p o s s e s s i o n a n d t h e e n d o f t h e w a r , i t w o u l d h a v e b e e n foolhardy for h i m to
have
m e n t i o n e d it,
Marta explained.
E v e r y o n e i n G i l l e l e j e n e c e s s a r i l y k e p t t h e details o f t h e i r efforts t o r e s c u e J e w s q u i e t for fear o f s o m e s o r t o f r e p r i s a l ; D e n m a r k , after all, still h a d b e e n o c c u p i e d b y t h e N a z i s , a n d m e m b e r s o f the Gestapo always had prided themselves on the length of their m e m o r i e s . After the war, p e o p l e simply h a d m o v e d o n w i t h t h e i r lives, a n d n o o n e w h c y h a d b e e n p a r t o f t h e r e s c u e effort b e l i e v e d h e o r s h e h a d d o n e a n y t h i n g t h a t d e s e r v e d c e l e b r a t i o n o r special r e m e m b r a n c e . E v e n o n c e i t h a d b e c o m e safe t o d o so, i t w o u l d h a v e b e e n v e r y u n l i k e h e r h u s b a n d t o have discussed the lock of hair or to h a v e s h o w n it to a n y o n e . D o i n g s o w o u l d h a v e i m p l i e d — a t least i n his m i n d , i f p e r h a p s i n n o o t h e r s — t h a t s o m e h o w h e h a d e a r n e d t h e gift, t h a t h e had been heroic in a way in w h i c h others had not. T h e l o c k o f h a i r a n d t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s o f its r e c e i p t s e l d o m w e r e mentioned, either by m o t h e r or daughter, following that conversation on the day in 1969 w h e n the t w o of t h e m sorted Kay's t h i n g s , a n d for a n o t h e r d e c a d e , t h e 1 5 0 - y e a r - o l d l o c k e t c o n t i n u e d t o lie u n m o l e s t e d a n d r a r e l y o b s e r v e d i n a d r a w e r i n M a r t a s h o u s e i n H o l t e . I t w a s o n l y i n t h e late 1 9 7 0 s , o n t h e occasion of M a r t a s decision to give the lock of hair to her daughter, that t h e peripatetic relic o n c e m o r e m a d e a m o v e o f its o w n , t h i s r i m e t h e s h o r t d i s t a n c e t o M i c h e l e ' s h o m e i n t h e t o w n o f S o l l e r o d , w h e r e , for t h e first t i m e i n m o r e t h a n t h r e e decades, it saw the light of t h e D a n i s h d a y — h a n g i n g on a wall i n h e r l i v i n g r o o m w h e r e M i c h e l e c o u l d see i t o f t e n .
ON
A
TENNIS
COURT
IN
the
town
of Holte
in
1964,
Michele, then twenty-five, had met and immediately had been drawn
t o a n a v a l officer
from
t h e W e s t Sjaslland t o w n o f
Vanlose w h o was stationed aboard o n e o f D e n m a r k ' s t w o act i v e s u b m a r i n e s . S h e a n d O l e W a s s a r d L a r s e n , also t w e n t y - f i v e , h a d m a r r i e d s o o n thereafter, a n d their son C a r s t e n had b e e n b o r n in 1965. T h e i r second son, T h o m a s , had arrived nine m o n t h s before Kay F r e m m i n g s death in 1969, by w h i c h rime O l e h a d left t h e n a v y a n d h a d a c c e p t e d a p o s i t i o n a s a n e n g i n e e r w i t h the Danish division of I B M . In addition to raising h e r s o n s i n t h e t o w n o f S o l l e r o d , M i c h e l e also h a d w o r k e d a t a n e a r b y p h a r m a c y until T h o m a s w a s b o r n — h e r early a p p r e n t i c e s h i p i n G i l l e l e j e still s e r v i n g h e r w e l l — a n d b y 1 9 7 6 , O l e had b e c o m e IBM's national chief of technicians, imagining that t h e h u g e m u l t i n a t i o n a l c o r p o r a t i o n w o u l d b e his s o l e e m p l o y e r for t h e r e s t o f h i s w o r k i n g life. W h a t n e i t h e r h e n o r his f a m i l y c o u l d h a v e k n o w n w a s t h a t b o t h h i s c a r e e r a n d his life s o o n w o u l d b e c u t s o s h o r t . I n early D e c e m b e r o f t h a t year, O l e h a d remained behind in Sollerod while Marta, Michele, and the t w o b o y s h a d t r a v e l e d t o t h e C a n a r y Islands for a n e a r l y - w i n t e r h o l i d a y . H e h a d p l a n n e d t o j o i n his f a m i l y i n a f e w d a y s , b u t o n l y h o u r s after t h e i r a r r i v a l i n t h e C a n a r i e s , O l e , j u s t t h i r t y e i g h t , h a d b e e n felled b y a s u d d e n h e a r t a t t a c k i n m u c h t h e s a m e w a y t h a t his f a t h e r - i n - l a w ,
Kay Fremming,
had been
seven years before. O l e h a d survived for almost t w e n t y - f o u r h o u r s , b u t h a d d i e d b e f o r e his f a m i l y h a d b e e n a b l e t o r e a c h his b e d s i d e . N o t yet forty a n d already w i d o w e d , M i c h e l e had struggled t o s u p p o r t h e r s o n s b y herself. S h e h a d a c c e p t e d a p o s i t i o n a t
t h e library in nearby H o l t e , a n d she a n d h e r sons h a d m a n a g e d as best t h e y c o u l d . By t h e t i m e M a r t a , almost eighty-six, e n tered a nursing h o m e in
October
1994—her body grown
w e a k a n d f r a i l , h e r m i n d n o w d r a m a t i c a l l y l o s i n g its m o o r i n g s , her
memory
entirely
through school
and
gone—Michele
into
adulthood.
had
seen
the
And it was with
boys her
y o u n g e r son, T h o m a s — w i t h w h o m she long had shared a special b o n d — t h a t M i c h e l e first b e g a n t o discuss t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f selling t h e s t o r i e d l o c k of hair. W h e n h e r m o t h e r h a d m a d e i n q u i r i e s late i n t h e 1 9 7 0 s a t t h e Copenhagen
office
of Christie's,
the
international
auction
h o u s e , she h a d b e e n told that e v e n if h e r d u b i o u s relic w e r e l e g i t i m a t e , its v a l u e w o u l d b e q u i t e s m a l l . B u t M i c h e l e a n d T h o m a s b e g a n to suspect that Marta must have b e e n given p o o r information. T h e inscription in G e r m a n on the back of t h e l o c k e t c e r t a i n l y m a d e its a u t h e n t i c i t y s e e m p r o b a b l e , a n d , presuming that it was indeed w h a t it was p u r p o r t e d to be, then surely s o m e hairs f r o m the head o f the m o n u m e n t a l B e e t h o v e n m i g h t be w o r t h a great deal. F u r t h e r m o r e , w o u l d n ' t it m a k e g o o d s e n s e for t h e l o c k o f h a i r t o b e o w n e d b y s o m e o n e w h o m i g h t r e v e r e it in ways that M i c h e l e did not? Yes, t h e blackframed locket w i t h t h e coil of hair inside was a m e m e n t o of h e r father, a n d a r e m i n d e r a s w e l l o f a t i m e w h e n h e a n d his n e i g h b o r s h a d refused to allow the Nazis to carry o u t their anti-Semitic madness in D e n m a r k , but if Michele s mother, M a r t a , o n c e k n e w i n d e t a i l h o w t h e l o c k o f h a i r specifically had factored in those events, her d e m e n t i a n o w m a d e it i m possible for h e r t o
r e m e m b e r or describe
them.
Recently,
M i c h e l e h a d m a d e a gift o f s o m e t h i n g else t h a t h a d b e l o n g e d
to
her
father—three
fragile
pieces
of illuminated,
twelfth-
century church m u s i c — t o the nearby E s r u m Abbey, an eighthundred-year-old Cistercian monastery and n o w a regional m u s e u m ; m a y b e there was a n o t h e r m u s e u m i n D e n m a r k that s i m i l a r l y m i g h t c o v e t a b i t o f B e e t h o v e n ' s hair. I t w a s s o o n after M i c h e l e h a d m o v e d o n c e m o r e , this t i m e t o H i l l e r o d , w h e r e s h e w o u l d b e n e a r e r h e r s o n s a n d h e r failing m o t h e r , t h a t s h e a n d T h o m a s c o n c l u d e d that if the lock of hair actually did h a v e r e a l m o n e t a r y v a l u e , p e r h a p s i t w o u l d b e b e s t for h e r t o sell it. A t t h e v e r y least, t h e t w o o f t h e m d e t e r m i n e d t o m a k e i n quiries in that regard, and so they did in April 1994. A t t h e C o p e n h a g e n office o f S o t h e b y ' s , i t w a s m a n a g e r A n n e L e h m a n n w h o f i r s t t o o k M i c h e l e L a r s e n ' s t e l e p h o n e call t o schedule an a p p o i n t m e n t ; and it was she as well w h o g r e e t e d t h e d e m u r e a n d p e t i t e w o m a n w i t h s h o r t - c r o p p e d silver h a i r a n d h e r tall a n d s t r i k i n g s o n a s t h e y a r r i v e d a t B r e d g a d e 6 i n t h e h e a r t of t h e city on April 19. It w a s utterly c o m m o n p l a c e for t h e office t o r e c e i v e q u e r i e s a b o u t its p o t e n t i a l i n t e r e s t i n any n u m b e r of reputedly rare and precious objects. Paintings by van G o g h , Renoir, even R e m b r a n d t were presented quite r e g u l a r l y , i n fact, a l t h o u g h i n a l m o s t e v e r y case t h e y q u i c k l y p r o v e d t o b e p o o r f o r g e r i e s . B o t h L e h m a n n a n d office d i r e c t o r H a n n e W e d e l l - W e d e l l s b o r g initially h a d b e e n r a t h e r s k e p tical t h e r e f o r e a b o u t h o w a l i b r a r y e m p l o y e e
from
Hillerod
m i g h t h a v e c o m e t o possess a r e l i c o f t h e m a s t e r c o m p o s e r . A n d h o w m i g h t its a u t h e n t i c i t y b e d e t e r m i n e d i n a n y case? B u t M i c h e l e offered t h e m a simple and quite plausible, if n o n e t h e less n e r v o u s , e x p l a n a t i o n o f h o w t h e l o c k o f h a i r h a d c o m e t o be hers—a Jewish refugee in flight from the Nazis had given
it to h e r father, t h e n a physician in Gilleleje, in O c t o b e r 1 9 4 3 , w h i c h surely w a s t h e m o s t storied single m o n t h i n t h e history of twentieth-century
Denmark.
That
explanation,
together
w i t h Paul Hiller's straightforward inscription o n t h e back o f the locket—as well
a s s o m e t h i n g ineffable
about h o w
the
l o c k e t l o o k e d a n d felt w h e n t h e y h e l d i t i n t h e i r h a n d s — s o o n stripped the practiced skepticism from the t w o Sotheby's e m ployees. T h e lock of hair certainly appeared as t h o u g h it could be w h a t it was purported to be, ^Wedell-Wedellsborg agreed, b u t e x p e r t s a t t h e c o m p a n y ' s offices i n L o n d o n w o u l d n e e d t o e x a m i n e it to be sure. W o u l d the Larsens allow h e r to send the l o c k e t t h e r e for i n s p e c t i o n a n d a p r o m p t r e s p o n s e ? W i t h i n little m o r e t h a n a w e e k , M i c h e l e L a r s e n r e c e i v e d a t e l e p h o n e call f r o m A n n e L e h m a n n r e p o r t i n g t h e p r o p i tious n e w s that S t e p h e n R o e , head of Sotheby's B o o k s and Manuscripts D e p a r t m e n t , was confident that the lock of hair in question indeed had been cut from the head of Ludwig van B e e t h o v e n , a n d t h a t t h e c o m p a n y w o u l d e a g e r l y a g r e e t o sell i t o n h e r b e h a l f a t its n e x t " m u s i c a n d c o n t i n e n t a l b o o k s " a u c t i o n , s c h e d u l e d for D e c e m b e r . R o e h a d b e e n w i l l i n g t o v o u c h for t h e hair's a u t h e n t i c i t y for a v a r i e t y o f r e a s o n s :
the locket's
w o o d e n f r a m e was consistent w i t h those that w e r e c o m m o n i n G e r m a n y e a r l y i n t h e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y ; its p a p e r b a c k i n g a n d inscription
appeared
never
to
have
been
tampered
with;
Ferdinand Hiller indeed had had a son n a m e d Paul w h o w o u l d have b e e n thirty years old on M a y 1, 1883, as the n o t e claimed; and m o s t critically i m p o r t a n t , it was well d o c u m e n t e d in t h e B e e t h o v e n literature that t h e elder Hiller h a d m a d e several visits t o t h e d y i n g c o m p o s e r i n t h e c o m p a n y o f his m e n t o r
J o h a n n H u m m e l , and had remained in Vienna until following B e e t h o v e n ' s funeral. On M a y 26, 1994, Michele signed a simple contract, referencing p r o p e r t y receipt n u m b e r H I 5 1 4 9 2 , agreeing to allow t h e L o n d o n h o u s e t o sell a t a u c t i o n " 1 l o c k o f h a i r (framed) f r o m B e e t h o v e n . G i v e n a s a p r e s e n t t o P a u l H i l l e r , w h o s e father did the cutting of the hair 27 M a r c h 1827." T h e c o m p a n y e s t i m a t e d t h e relic's v a l u e a t b e t w e e n t w o t h o u s a n d a n d t h r e e t h o u s a n d p o u n d s sterling, a n d M i c h e l e in t u r n a g r e e d that the lock of hair w o u l d n o t be sold unless a reserve p r i c e of £ 1 , 8 0 0 w e r e m e t . In addition to a 10 p e r c e n t c o m m i s s i o n , she w o u l d p a y t h e c o s t o f its t r a n s p o r t a t i o n f r o m C o p e n h a g e n t o L o n d o n , its i n s u r a n c e f r o m t h e d a t e o f t h e c o n t r a c t u n t i l t h e d a t e o f t h e sale, a s w e l l a s t h e c o s t o f p h o t o g r a p h i n g i t for i n c l u s i o n i n t h e company's f o r t h c o m i n g b o o k and music catalog. W h e n a copy of the catalog arrived in Hillerod near the end o f the s u m m e r , M i c h e l e and T h o m a s Wassard Larsen w e r e i m pressed by the p r o m i n e n c e w i t h w h i c h the lock of hair had b e e n displayed. At the t o p of page 22 of the impressive v o l u m e was the p h o t o g r a p h she had funded and b e l o w it was the plainspoken description of the lock of hair:
33
BEETHOVEN
BEETHOVEN'S thentication
(LUDWIG
HAIR,
signed
by
with
Paul
VAN)
LOCK
autograph
Hiller,
son
note
OF
of au-
of Ferdinand
Hiller, w h o t o o k the cutting ("Diese H a a r e hat m e i n e Vater Dr. van
Ferdinand v.
Beethovens
Tode,
Hiller am Tage nach d.i.
am
27,
Miirz
Ludwig
1827,
von
Beethovens Leiche abgeschnitten u n d mir . . . iibergeben. C o i n , a m 1. M a i 1 8 8 3 . P a u l H i l l e r " ) ,
framed and glazed,
oval, c. 10.5 x 9.5 cms. T h e f i f t e e n - y e a r - o l d F e r d i n a n d Hiller was taken t o see B e e t h o v e n b y H u m m e l ; h e r e c o r d e d his visits i n " A u s dem
Tonleben
unserer
Zeit"
(1871:
see
Thayer,
pp.
1044$). £2,000-3,000
\ T h e catalog—listing h u n d r e d s o f letters, antiquarian b o o k s , and
music
manuscripts,
but certainly no
other human
re-
m a i n s — h a d been mailed to b o o k and music agents and p r o m i n e n t c o l l e c t o r s a r o u n d t h e w o r l d ; t h e a u c t i o n h a d b e e n set for the
saleroom at
Sotheby's
offices
on
N e w Bond
Street
in
L o n d o n for 1 0 A . M . o n D e c e m b e r 1 , a n d n o w t h e r e w a s n o t h i n g m o r e for t h e a n x i o u s seller o f t h e l o c k o f h a i r t o d o b u t wait. If it w e r e to garner the Danish equivalent of _£1,800 or m o r e , M i c h e l e s share of those funds w o u l d be w e l c o m e a n d e n o r m o u s l y h e l p f u l . If, o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , n o o n e a n y w h e r e i n t h e w o r l d c a r e d t o p a y a t least t h a t m u c h for t h e r e l i c t h a t for s o l o n g h a d b e e n h a r b o r e d i n n o r t h Sjaelland, w e l l , t h e n s h e w o u l d b e v e r y glad t o h a v e i t h o m e again.
IN
LONDON
December
1,
ON 1994,
THE
RAIN-DRIZZLED
agent
and
rare-music
morning
dealer
of
Richard
Macnutt, a virtual fixture at Sotheby's semiannual b o o k and
music auctions, paid particularly acute attention w h e n it was l o t 33's b r i e f t u r n o n t h e d o c k e t . A d a p p e r a u c t i o n e e r w i t h a discreet gavel clasped in his p a l m o p e n e d t h e brisk b i d d i n g at £2,000,
and in only a matter of moments,
Macnutt—with
c o n s i d e r a b l e y e t utterly u n d e m o n s t r a t e d satisfaction—was able to place a s y m b o l i c tick beside lot 33 in his catalog, as well as n o t i n g t h e p r i c e , £ 3 , 6 0 0 , for w h i c h h e h a d b e e n a b l e t o s e c u r e t h e l o c k o f B e e t h o v e n ' s h a i r for c l i e n t s i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , whose names were not mentioned. A l e t t e r n o t i f y i n g M i c h e l e W a s s a r d L a r s e n o f t h e successful sale w a s m a i l e d f r o m N e w B o n d S t r e e t t h e f o l l o w i n g m o r n ing, a n d in t w o days' t i m e a small article o d d l y a p p e a r e d in t h e
Politiken,
Copenhagen's
leading
newspaper,
"BEETHOVEN'S
HAIR," it was headlined, and M i c h e l e only could assume that the paper had b e e n tipped a b o u t the historic sale—it was a m o m e n t o u s o n e for h e r a t a n y r a t e — b y o n e o f t h e t w o w o m e n i n t h e C o p e n h a g e n office. " A little o l d l a d y r e c e n t l y w a l k e d i n t o S o t h e b y ' s D a n i s h offices o n B r e d g a d e , " i t b e g a n , a n d M i c h e l e was so nettled by that description of herself that she wasn't sure she w a n t e d to c o n t i n u e to read. Yet perhaps a mischaracterizat i o n l i k e t h a t w a s t h e p r i c e y o u p a i d for a m o m e n t o f f a m e , s h e recognized bemusedly, a brief r e n o w n that she—perhaps inexo r a b l y — h a d b e g u n to b r i n g on herself on the day forty-eight y e a r s b e f o r e w h e n s h e h a d sat d o w n o n t h e s t e p i n f r o n t o f t h e y e l l o w - b r i c k h o u s e i n Gilleleje i n w h i c h she h o p e d h e r n e w parents w o u l d reside, a h o u s e inside of w h i c h a m u c h - t r a v e l e d l o c k o f L u d w i g v a n B e e t h o v e n ' s h a i r also, a n d e v e r s o c u r i ously, h a d b e e n a t h o m e .
IN A LIFE L A C E D W I T H enormous accomplishment, Ludwig v a n B e e t h o v e n a l w a y s h a d l o n g e d , n o n e t h e l e s s , for a s e c u r e a n d n u r t u r i n g f a m i l y life, t h e k i n d t h a t a s a b o y h e n e v e r h a d had. H e h a d w a n t e d t o b e m a r r i e d , b u t m o r e t h a n that, this gruff and a w k w a r d a n d often inconsiderate m a n had w a n t e d to love and to be loved in r e t u r n . He repeatedly had t r i e d — a n d e a c h t i m e h a d f a i l e d — t o b e c o m e a d e v o t e d h u s b a n d , t h e n , late i n 1 8 1 5 , h e set h i m s e l f o n a s t r a n g e a n d d i s t u r b i n g m i s s i o n t o b e c o m e a de facto father. I n t h e days b e f o r e his b r o t h e r C a s p a r C a r l d i e d o f c o n s u m p t i o n i n N o v e m b e r o f t h a t y e a r , t h e b r o t h e r h a d r e v i s e d his w i l l
to
name
Beethoven
as
his
nine-year-old
son
Karl's
sole
g u a r d i a n . Y e t in a later codicil altering t h e will, Caspar C a r l n a m e d his w i f e J o h a n n a a s " c o g u a r d i a n " a s w e l l . " I b y n o m e a n s d e s i r e t h a t m y s o n b e t a k e n a w a y f r o m his m o t h e r , " r e a d the codicil,
" b u t that he shall. . . always
remain with
his
mother, to w h i c h end the guardianship of h i m is to be exercised by h e r as well as by my b r o t h e r . . . . For t h e welfare of m y child I r e c o m m e n d
compliance
t o m y wife a n d m o r e
moder-
ation t o m y b r o t h e r . G o d p e r m i t t h e m t o b e h a r m o n i o u s f o r t h e sake o f m y child's w e l f a r e . " Caspar Carl
had been
well
aware
t h a t his w i f e
a n d his
b r o t h e r L u d w i g constantly had q u a r r e l e d in the years since he h a d m a r r i e d J o h a n n a and she had b o r n e their only child, a n d his a n x i e t i e s a b o u t h o w t h e y w o u l d s h a r e t h e b o y ' s c a r e s o o n proved
prophetic.
Within
days
of
his
brother's
death,
Beethoven had appealed to the Royal and Imperial C o u r t to d e c l a r e h i m y o u n g Karl's sole c u s t o d i a n , c i t i n g t h e fact t h a t four years earlier J o h a n n a for
embezzlement.
In
had
January
been 1816,
tried the
and
imprisoned
court
ruled
in
B e e t h o v e n ' s f a v o r a n d Karl w a s r e m o v e d f r o m his m o t h e r ' s home. A l t h o u g h B e e t h o v e n soon realized that he was utterly u n p r e p a r e d to a t t e n d to the daily n e e d s of a child, he delighted, nonetheless, in what he had accomplished in court, crowing in a letter to A n t o n i e B r e n t a n o — n o w r e t u r n e d to Frankfurt with her h u s b a n d — t h a t he had "fought a battle to wrest a p o o r u n h a p p y c h i l d f r o m t h e c l u t c h e s o f his u n w o r t h y m o t h e r , a n d I h a v e w o n . H e is t h e s o u r c e o f m a n y c a r e s , b u t
cares that arc
sweet t o me." I n t h e m o n t h s t h a t f o l l o w e d , B e e t h o v e n r e f u s e d
t o r e s p o n d t o J o h a n n a ' s increasingly frantic q u e r i e s a b o u t h e r s o n ' s w h e r e a b o u t s a n d w e l f a r e , successfully c o n v i n c i n g h i m s e l f t h a t h e r t a r n i s h e d a n d u n s a v o r y r e p u t a t i o n p r o v e d , i n fact, t h a t t h i s " Q u e e n o f t h e N i g h t " w a s a s w e l l a s a thief, a p r o s t i t u t e , and that she even had poisoned her husband. For t w o years, J o h a n n a van B e e t h o v e n saw h e r y o u n g son only on those infrequent occasions w h e n her b r o t h e r - i n - l a w sanctioned her brief visits—although he sometimes accused her o f m a k i n g c l a n d e s t i n e t r i p s t o Karl's s c h o o l , a p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t c o n c e r n e d h i m e n o u g h that in J a n u a r y 1818 he b r o u g h t the b o y t o live w i t h h i m again, o r d e r i n g h i m t o k e e p t h e m o v e s e c r e t f r o m his m o t h e r . T w i c e that year, J o h a n n a unsuccessfully p e t i t i o n e d t h e c o u r t t o g r a n t h e r a t least l i m i t e d access t o h e r s o n , b u t w h e n K a r l r a n a w a y f r o m B e e t h o v e n ' s l o d g i n g s t o his m o t h e r i n D e c e m b e r , s h e w a s able t o r e t u r n t o c o u r t a g a i n , c i t i n g his u n h a p p i n e s s , his p o o r p h y s i c a l c o n d i t i o n , a n d his u n c l e ' s d i c t a t o r i a l r u l e a s g r o u n d s for r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n . In
the
December
course 1818,
o f m a k i n g his o w n Beethoven
said
case
of Karl,
to in
the
court
passing,
in "of
c o u r s e , if he w e r e of n o b l e b i r t h . . . ," n e g l e c t i n g to realize as he did so that if Karl was n o t a n o b l e m a n , t h e n it followed that n e i t h e r w a s h e . T o B e e t h o v e n ' s g r e a t m o r t i f i c a t i o n , t h e case immediately was
transferred to
the
V i e n n a Magistracy,
the
c o m m o n e r ' s c o u r t , w h e r e this t i m e J o h a n n a was g r a n t e d t e m p o r a r y c u s t o d y . F o r a n o t h e r y e a r t h e legal s k i r m i s h c o n t i n u e d , w i t h b o t h m o t h e r and B e e t h o v e n refusing to s u r r e n d e r the issue u n t i l t h e y m e t i n t h e C o u r t o f A p p e a l s a f i n a l t i m e i n A p r i l 1 8 2 0 . J o h a n n a h a d m a i n t a i n e d c u s t o d y o f K a r l for a n o t h e r y e a r a n d a half, a n d h e p r o f e s s e d h a p p i n e s s t o b e w i t h h e r
again, b u t this t i m e B e e t h o v e n p r e v a i l e d u p o n several p o w e r ful f r i e n d s — i n c l u d i n g his f o r m e r p i a n o p u p i l , t h e A r c h d u k e R u d o l p h , son of the e m p e r o r — t o do w h a t they could to influence the t h i n k i n g of the councilors of appeal. They, in turn, issued a final ruling that gave B e e t h o v e n shared guardianship o f K a r l , n o w t h i r t e e n , w i t h his t u t o r , K a r l P e t e r s . J o h a n n a lost c u s t o d y of h e r son forever. B e e t h o v e n had paid o n l y i n t e r m i t t e n t a t t e n t i o n t o m u s i c d u r i n g m u c h o f t h e e x t e n d e d b a t t l e ; his h e a l t h h a d d e t e r i o r a t e d d r a m a t i c a l l y — b o u t s o f i n t e s t i n a l illness and respiratory infections confronting h i m nearly constantly n o w — a n d in the n a m e of loving devotion he had wrested Karl
from
his m o t h e r for n o n e e d , a n d h a d d e m a n d e d f r o m
h i m t h e k i n d o f l o v e t h a t h e n e v e r h a d b e e n a b l e t o offer his o w n father.
T H E Y E A R B E F O R E HIS B R O T H E R Caspar Carls death had s e e n t h e a p o g e e o f B e e t h o v e n ' s p o p u l a r a c c l a i m i n his a d o p t e d city. A s
1814 opened, the Seventh S y m p h o n y recently had
b e e n p r e m i e r e d t o critical delight; t h e E i g h t h h a d b e e n p e r f o r m e d for t h e f i r s t t i m e i n F e b r u a r y , a n d w i t h i t b y p o p u l a r demand
had been
Victory—written
to
an
encore
commemorate
performance the
Duke
o f Wellington's of Wellington's
defeat of t h e F r e n c h t h e year before at t h e Battle of V i t t o r i a — t h e splashy orchestral
piece d'occasion
complete with jingoistic
fanfares, c a n n o n a d e s , a n d e v e n a fugal r e n d i t i o n o f " G o d S a v e the King." In May,
Fidelio
h a d been revived, a n d w h e n the
Congress of Vienna had convened in the summer—its purpose
'•J I
the
rather
giddy
Napoleon's
redivision
disastrous
of Europe
on
defeat—Beethoven
the had
heels
of
composed
choruses in celebration of that "glorious m o m e n t , " music that w a s far f r o m his f i n e s t w o r k , b u t w i t h w h i c h , n o n e t h e l e s s , his p o p u l a r i t y h a d c o n t i n u e d t o soar. Yet it was in 1814 as well w h e n B e e t h o v e n had been forced t o m a k e h i s f i n a l p u b l i c a p p e a r a n c e a s a p i a n i s t b e c a u s e his h e a r i n g h a d g r o w n s o faint. A n d t h e n m o r e t r o u b l e h a d d e s c e n d e d : t h e p o s t w a r e u p h o r i a h a d b e e n all t o o q u i c k l y f o l l o w e d by a severe e c o n o m i c depression,
o n e t h a t h a d left
B e e t h o v e n a n d v i r t u a l l y e v e r y o n e else i n V i e n n a i n s e r i o u s l y c o m p r o m i s e d f i n a n c i a l c o n d i t i o n s . T h e p a l a c e o f his l o n g t i m e patron Prince Andreas R a z u m o v s k y — t h e scene of a score of Beethoven's performing triumphs—had burned to the ground in December, and the count, battered by the b o t t o m e d - o u t economy, suddenly and almost incomprehensibly had b e e n t o o p o o r t o r e b u i l d it. H i s d e a r f r i e n d a n d b e n e f a c t o r , P r i n c e K a r l L i c h n o w s k y , h a d d i e d t h a t y e a r ; his b r o t h e r h a d b e e n c l a i m e d b y c o n s u m p t i o n t h e n e x t , a n d his s t a l w a r t p a t r o n P r i n c e F r a n z Joseph Lobkowitz in turn had succumbed in midst
of the
long
and
onerous
battle
for
1816. Karl's
In the custody,
Beethoven's musical o u t p u t had slowed to only a trickle; he had a c k n o w l e d g e d as well that he was " n e v e r in g o o d health" a n y m o r e , a n d d u r i n g t h e r e c e n t w e e k s o f p r o t r a c t e d fever h e even had begun to w o n d e r w h e t h e r he might be the next t o die. The
adulation,
the
virtual
hero-worship
that
had
been
heaped on B e e t h o v e n by Vienna's musical cognoscenti only a few years before h a d w a n e d dramatically by now. T h e operas
o f Italian c o m p o s e r G i o a c c h i n o R o s s i n i h a d b e c o m e t h e e x alted music o f t h e m o m e n t , and B e e t h o v e n i n t u r n spoke w i t h d e e p e n i n g d i s d a i n for t h e p l a c e t h a t h a d b e e n his h o m e for h a l f h i s life. V i e n n a h a d g r o w n " s h a b b y a n d m i s e r l y . . . f r o m t o p to b o t t o m , e v e r y o n e is a scoundrel," a n d few held art in h i g h e s t e e m a n y m o r e , h e o p i n e d i n great disgust. Further, and d e spite t h e use of ear t r u m p e t s , as well as a pencil he w o u l d h o l d i n his t e e t h a n d p r e s s t o his p i a n o t o h e l p h i m s e n s e its v i b r a t i o n s , B e e t h o v e n n o w w a s f o r c e d t o c o m p o s e w i t h o u t t h e vital f e e d b a c k o f s o u n d . H i s deafness h a d b e c o m e s o c o m p l e t e t h a t h e c o u l d h e a r o n l y w h a t his m i n d i m a g i n e d i t h a d h e a r d . T h e genesis o f t w o o f B e e t h o v e n ' s m o s t transcendent w o r k s also h a d b e e n a n c h o r e d i n t h o s e u g l y y e a r s o f familial f i g h t i n g , c o n t i n u o u s treks to court, and e n v e l o p i n g silence.
In J u n e
1817, the P h i l h a r m o n i c Society of L o n d o n had invited h i m , f o r a h a n d s o m e fee, t o c o m p o s e t w o n e w s y m p h o n i e s a n d t o t r a v e l t o E n g l a n d for t h e i r p r e m i e r e s i n t h e w i n t e r c o n c e r t s e a son of 1818. L o n g since repulsed by F r e n c h republicanism, B e e t h o v e n n o w saw m u c h t o b e a d m i r e d i n British p a r l i a m e n t a r y d e m o c r a c y ; he felt a " p a r t i c u l a r r e g a r d a n d affection . . . for t h e E n g l i s h n a t i o n , " a n d a l t h o u g h h e h a d n o c h a n c e o f m e e t i n g t h e L o n d o n deadline a n d had declined t o travel o n a c c o u n t o f his p o o r h e a l t h , h e n o n e t h e l e s s lately h a d b e g u n t o sketch the first of the proposed symphonies. Closer to h o m e , and spurred by an even m o r e pressing c o m p l e t i o n date, B e e t h o v e n h a d b e g u n w o r k on a n e w mass, a n a scent project
in
which
he
placed
the
highest
importance.
E i g h t e e n years his j u n i o r , A r c h d u k e R u d o l p h , son o f t h e e m peror, had been Beethoven's piano and composition pupil and
a r e a l f r i e n d for m a n y y e a r s ; t o h i m h e h a d d e d i c a t e d his Fourth
and
Fifth
Piano
'Archduke" Trio, the
Concertos,
Hammerklavier
a
violin
sonata,
the
S o n a t a as w e l l as t h e
sonata that had b e c o m e k n o w n as "Les Adieux," w h o s e subject w a s t h e a r c h d u k e ' s flight f r o m V i e n n a d u r i n g t h e F r e n c h o c cupation. Early in 1819, B e e t h o v e n had learned that the a r c h d u k e — o n e o f the very few patrons w i t h w h o m h e never had s e r i o u s l y q u a r r e l e d — w a s t o b e g r a n t e d ecclesiastical h o n o r s b y the church; he w o u l d be elevated flp cardinal, then, on M a r c h 9,
1820,
he
would be
installed
formally
as archbishop
of
Olmiitz. Beethoven had been neither commissioned nor encouraged t o c o m p o s e a m a s s for t h e o c c a s i o n , b u t h e n o n e t h e l e s s h a d set to work, neglecting to consider h o w great the undertaking w o u l d b e o r h o w m u c h t i m e h e w o u l d c o n t i n u e t o lose t o l i t igation.
N i n e m o n t h s later, t h e m a s s w a s far f r o m f i n i s h e d
w h e n t h e a r c h d u k e d u l y was installed a s a r c h b i s h o p . I t w o u l d be t w o m o r e years before h e w o u l d c o m p l e t e the
Missa solem-
nis, m o r e t h a n t h r e e y e a r s i n g e s t a t i o n , t h e w o r k t h a t b y t h e n Beethoven boldly was confident was the finest he ever had written.
I T H A D B E E N I N B O N N d u r i n g his a d o l e s c e n c e , i n fact, t h a t B e e t h o v e n f i r s t h a d i m a g i n e d setting t o m u s i c Schiller's p o e m
An die Freude, above
an
a h y m n to the notion of a loving Father dwelling
earthly b r o t h e r h o o d
c o m p r i s i n g all p e o p l e s .
But
nearly four decades passed b e f o r e it struck h i m that he m i g h t
conclude the monumental n e w symphony he had begun to s k e t c h for t h e L o n d o n P h i l h a r m o n i c S o c i e t y w i t h a c h o r u s o f v o i c e s g l o r i o u s l y i n t o n i n g Schiller's w o r d s a n d s e n t i m e n t s . N o c o m p o s e r ever had used voices in a traditional s y m p h o n y in this w a y before, b u t B e e t h o v e n certainly wasn't d e t e r r e d b y
t h e l a c k o f p r e c e d e n t , a n d o n c e t h e Missa solemnis w a s c o m p l e t e d a t l o n g last, h e set t o w o r k o n t h e n e w s y m p h o n y — h i s n i n t h — w i t h a r a p i d i t y a n d f e r v o r t h a t w e r e r e m i n i s c e n t o f his m o s t p r o d u c t i v e days. It h a d b e e n a d e c a d e since m u s i c - m a d V i e n n a h a d h o s t e d the p r e m i e r e of a major orchestral w o r k by B e e t h o v e n , and four y e a r s s i n c e h e h a d m a d e his difficult final a p p e a r a n c e a t a c o n cert
podium—conducting
a
charity
performance
S e v e n t h S y m p h o n y b u t h e a r i n g it h a r d l y a t all.
Fidelio
of
the
had been
r e v i v e d for a v e r y successful p e r f o r m a n c e i n 1 8 2 2 , b u t o t h e r wise the music of the m a n w h o by n o w was considered s o m e thing
of an
Beethoven
old
master
had
fallen
out
of currency,
and
had been reluctant to sanction the first perfor-
m a n c e s o f e i t h e r t h e Missa solemnis o r t h e n e w c h o r a l s y m phony
in
his
home
city.
The
depression
that
had rocked
V i e n n a s o m e y e a r s b e f o r e still h a d n o t e n t i r e l y a b a t e d , a n d Beethoven had had to struggle—and to connive a bit—with h i s p u b l i s h e r s i n o r d e r t o c o n t i n u e t o live i n t h e c o m f o r t a b l e m a n n e r he long had enjoyed. He had c o n c o c t e d the clever but ultimately distracting n o t i o n
t o sell " s u b s c r i p t i o n s " — i n t h e
f o r m o f m a n u s c r i p t c o p i e s — o f t h e mass t o t h e several c r o w n e d h e a d s o f E u r o p e , a n d h e s i m u l t a n e o u s l y h a d o f f e r e d its initial p u b l i c a t i o n t o n o less t h a n s e v e n p u b l i s h e r s , c o n c e a l i n g t h e fact a t f i r s t , t h e n p l a y i n g t h e i r offers a g a i n s t e a c h o t h e r u n t i l h e h a d
b e e n satisfied t h a t h e w o u l d b e fairly p a i d for b o t h t h e m a s s a n d the n e w s y m p h o n y by a publisher w h o m he trusted, the firm Schott & Sons of M a i n z . He had m a d e inquiries in Berlin as well about w h e t h e r p r e miere performances of the t w o n e w works might be popular a n d f i n a n c i a l successes i f h e l d t h e r e , b u t w h e n n e w s o f t h a t i n quiry reached p r o m i n e n t m e m b e r s of Vienna's music c o m m u n i t y early i n 1 8 2 4 , t h e y r e s p o n d e d b y m a i l i n g t o B e e t h o v e n a n extraordinary j o i n t appeal, signed^ by thirty benefactors a n d musicians, acknowledging in the most florid kind of language t h a t a l t h o u g h " B e e t h o v e n ' s n a m e a n d c r e a t i o n s b e l o n g t o all contemporaneous humanity and every country which opens a susceptible b o s o m to art, it is Austria w h i c h is best entitled to claim h i m as her o w n . " The
appeal
moved and
g r e a t l y p l e a s e d its r e c i p i e n t — a l -
t h o u g h h e was o u t r a g e d w h e n r u m o r s briefly spread that h e h i m s e l f h a d p r o m p t e d t h e letter's c o m p o s i t i o n — a n d i n t h e e n d h e a c q u i e s c e d t o t h e s c h e d u l i n g o f a gala c o n c e r t a t V i e n n a ' s Karntnertor Theater, w h i c h w o u l d include the overture that h e h a d c o m p o s e d for t h e d e d i c a t i o n o f t h e J o s e p h s t a d t T h e a t e r t w o years before, t h e Kyrie, C r e d o , a n d A g n u s D e i f r o m t h e
Missa solemnis,
a n d t h a t w o u l d b e c o n c l u d e d by, as t h e a n -
n o u n c e m e n t proclaimed, "A Grand S y m p h o n y with Solo and C h o r u s V o i c e s e n t e r i n g i n t h e f i n a l e o n Schiller's O d e t o J o y . " T h e response in Vienna on the heartening spring evening of M a y 7 , 1 8 2 4 , w a s , t o say t h e least, e n t h u s i a s t i c . T h e i m p e r i a l b o x w a s e m p t y , b u t o t h e r w i s e t h e c o n c e r t hall w a s c r o w d e d . A l t h o u g h A r c h d u k e R u d o l p h — n o w a n a r c h b i s h o p i n distant Olmiitz—could not attend, Beethoven's longtime friends and
benefactors t u r n e d o u t i n force, a m o n g t h e m t h e ailing and otherwise
bedridden
Baron
Nikolaus
c a r r i e d t o his seat i n a s e d a n c h a i r .
Zmeskall,
who
was
T h e r e n o w n e d Ignaz
S c h u p p a n z i g h w a s B e e t h o v e n ' s c h o i c e for first v i o l i n ; M i c h a e l Umlauf, w h o had conducted
Fidelio
in 1814, c o m m a n d e d the
p o d i u m , and Beethoven himself—resplendent in a dark green f r o c k c o a t , w h i t e n e c k e r c h i e f a n d w a i s t c o a t , b l a c k silk b r e e c h e s a n d s t o c k i n g s , a n d s h o e s w i t h brass b u c k l e s , h i s g r a y i n g h a i r c a r e f u l l y c o i f e d a n d p i n n e d for t h e o c c a s i o n — s t o o d n e a r b y , setting t h e t e m p o s o f t h e several m o v e m e n t s . T h e o v e r t u r e and t h e t h r e e " g r a n d h y m n s " f r o m t h e mass w e r e received with great w a r m t h by the unusually attentive g a t h e r i n g , b u t i t w a s t h e n e w s y m p h o n y for w h i c h t h e a u d i e n c e r e s e r v e d its m o s t u n r e s t r a i n e d r e s p o n s e s . W h e n t i m p a n i s t h u n d e r e d i n t h e s e c o n d m o v e m e n t , t h e listeners b r o k e o u t into s p o n t a n e o u s applause, then did so four m o r e times until at last t h e p o l i c e c o m m i s s i o n e r y e l l e d , " S i l e n c e ! " A v i o l e n t , c o n v u l s i v e fanfare c o n c l u d e d t h e f o u r t h m o v e m e n t b e f o r e a s i n g l e bass v o i c e r a n g o u t , " O F r i e n d s , n o m o r e t h e s e s o u n d s ! L e t u s s i n g m o r e c h e e r f u l s o n g s , m o r e full o f j o y ! , " a n d t h e n , a s i f i n specific r e s p o n s e t o his e x h o r t a t i o n , t h e e n t i r e c h o r u s t o o k u p his t h e m e , t h e i r c o l l e c t i v e h y m n s u n g t o j o y f u l n o i s e , t o h o p e , t o b r o t h e r h o o d : " M i l l i o n s , I e m b r a c e y o u . T h i s kiss i s for all the world!" W h e n a t last t h e v o i c e s a n d i n s t r u m e n t s w e r e stilled, a p plause and s h o u t e d cheers e r u p t e d t h r o u g h o u t the c o n c e r t hall, b u t B e e t h o v e n , u n n o t i c i n g , s i m p l y s t o o d a t his m u s i c s t a n d , c l o s i n g t h e p a g e s o f his s c o r e u n t i l t h e c o n t r a l t o soloist took him by the arm and turned him toward the proscenium
s o a t least h e c o u l d see t h e w i l d r e s p o n s e s o f t h e p e o p l e w h o m h i s s y m p h o n y , his s o n g t o j o y , h a d s o e n t h r a l l e d . H i s face r e m a i n e d e x p r e s s i o n l e s s a s h e p e e r e d o u t a t t h e m , b u t a t last h e o f f e r e d a s u b t l e b o w — t h e final t i m e h e e v e r w o u l d s t a n d o n a stage a n d a c k n o w l e d g e t h e public's p r a i s e — a n d w h e n h e did s o t h e applause a n d cries c r e s c e n d o e d again; w h i t e handkerchiefs w a v e d like flags f r o m h u n d r e d s o f h a n d s a n d a h u n d r e d hats r o s e i n t o t h e l a m p - l i t air.
CHE GUEVARA'5 HAIR
BEETHOVEN
ENTHUSIAST
IRA
BRILLIANT
necessar-
ily h a d f o c u s e d his a t t e n t i o n o n h i s f a m i l y a n d h i s n a s c e n t b u s i n e s s d u r i n g his f i r s t d e c a d e i n A r i z o n a , y e t his e a r l y fascination with the figure of Beethoven never had abandoned h i m . T h e d e a t h o f his o n l y d a u g h t e r e l e v e n years before, a n d his l o n g a n d v e r y s l o w r e c o v e r y f r o m that terrible w o u n d , h a d m a d e h i m all t h e m o r e a s t o n i s h e d b y w h a t t h e c o m p o s e r h a d a c c o m p l i s h e d , b y w h a t h e h a d b e e n a b l e t o offer t o t h e w o r l d d e s p i t e h a v i n g t o c o n t e n d w i t h p e r s o n a l t r a g e d i e s o f his o w n . B e e t h o v e n b y n o w h a d b e c o m e for B r i l l i a n t n o t o n l y t h e v i v i d p e r s o n i f i c a t i o n o f t h e m i g h t o f t h e m u s i c itself, b u t also a k i n d
o f m e n t o r , a g r u f f g u i d e t h r o u g h t h e trials o f life, a n d i n c r e a s i n g l y h e l o n g e d t o possess s o m e t h i n g t h a t t h e c o m p o s e r h i m self h a d t o u c h e d — a letter, a s k e t c h leaf, a s c r i b b l e d n o t e . B y early 1 9 7 5 , that desire h a d g r o w n great e n o u g h that n o w h e b e l i e v e d h e s i m p l y had t o a c t , a n d h e f o c u s e d his d e s i r e o n a letter B e e t h o v e n had w r i t t e n in 1824, o n e in w h i c h he had r e quested of P r i n c e Ferdinand v o n T r a u t m a n n s d o r f t h e use of a c o n c e r t hall for t h e p r e m i e r e o f his N i n t h S y m p h o n y . B e n e a t h t h e text was B e e t h o v e n ' s large a n d f l o r i d a n d a l t o g e t h e r b e a u t i f u l s i g n a t u r e . Y e t for a l m o s t a y e a r , t h e letter's $ 7 , 5 0 0 p r i c e kept Brilliant from acting. T h e n on D e c e m b e r 1,
1975, he
t e l e p h o n e d t h e seller a s e c o n d t i m e a n d w a s b o t h r e l i e v e d a n d d e l i g h t e d t o l e a r n t h a t i t still w a s available. H e m a d e a f i n a l — and
rather feeble—attempt to ascertain w h e t h e r the
dealer
w o u l d l o w e r t h e p r i c e a b i t , b u t o n c e h e h a d failed i n t h a t eff o r t , his p a s s i o n t o o k c o n t r o l o f h i m a n d h e h e a r d h i m s e l f a n n o u n c e into t h e p h o n e , "Well, t h e n I am b u y i n g a n d y o u are selling m e this B e e t h o v e n l e t t e r . " A f e w days later, s e a t e d w i t h t h e p a c k a g e c o n t a i n i n g t h e l e t ter on t h e table in front of h i m , Brilliant slowed to savor t h e moment,
a n d as m a n y as thirty m i n u t e s passed before he
m e t i c u l o u s l y h a d o p e n e d t h e p a c k a g e a n d lifted t h e l e t t e r f r o m its p r o t e c t i v e w r a p p i n g s . B u t a t last t h e r e i t lay: t h e a n c i e n t paper was brittle a n d had t u r n e d a pale o c h e r color; t h e w o r d s w r i t t e n i n G e r m a n w e r e difficult t o m a k e i m m e d i a t e s e n s e of, but the broad,
bold,
quill-drawn
signature
of Ludwig van
B e e t h o v e n s e e m e d t o sparkle u p a t h i m . T h e great m a n h a d employed that very paper 152 years before; he had w r i t t e n his
name
upon
it,
and n o w
Ira B r i l l i a n t — w h o
had acted
i m p u l s i v e l y i n t h e letter's p u r c h a s e , h e r e a d i l y w o u l d c o n f e s s — a t last c o u l d h o l d i t i n his h a n d s . It was the music of Brahms, in the beginning, to w h i c h he first h a d b e e n a t t r a c t e d w h i l e still a t e e n a g e r i n B r o o k l y n . B u t i t w a s n ' t l o n g b e f o r e B r i l l i a n t ' s a l l e g i a n c e h a d shifted s o m e h o w , a n d i t w a s B e e t h o v e n w h o s e c o m p o s i t i o n s m o s t successfully had b e g u n to t o u c h a deep and i m p o r t a n t place inside h i m . He h a d loved t h e sonata titled "Les A d i e u x " in p a r t i c u l a r — t h e w a y i n w h i c h i t s o p r o f o u n d l y l i m n e d t h e loss o f s o m e o n e dear—and the Archduke Trio had seemed to h i m to be an utt e r l y p e r f e c t c o m p o s i t i o n . H e h a d b e e n d r a w n t o specific p a s sages, t o p a r t i c u l a r m o v e m e n t s , m o r e t h a n h e w a s t o w o r k s i n their entirety, and he had b e e n attracted as well to the c o m p l e x f i g u r e o f t h e c o m p o s e r himself. H a r r y B r i l l i a n t , his f a t h e r (his A m e r i c a n i z e d s u r n a m e d e r i v e d f r o m t h e R u s s i a n w o r d for " d i a m o n d " ) , h a d i m m i g r a t e d t o t h e U n i t e d States f r o m R u s s i a i n 1 9 0 6 o n l y d a y s b e f o r e h e w o u l d h a v e b e e n drafted i n t o t h e Czar's a r m y B y t h e t i m e h e had married V e r m o n t - b o r n Anna Silverman and they had had t h r e e s o n s , t h e e l d e r B r i l l i a n t also h a d e s t a b l i s h e d a successful b u s i n e s s t h a t m a d e w i p i n g rags o u t o f s u r p l u s fabric. Ira, t h e m i d d l e son, h a d b e e n g r o o m e d t o supervise t h e technical asp e c t s o f t h e family b u s i n e s s d u r i n g t h e t w o y e a r s h e s p e n t a t Brooklyn College, followed by t w o m o r e at the Lowell Textile Institute in Massachusetts, but before he could assume that role f o l l o w i n g his father's early d e a t h , h e h a d s e r v e d i n t h e a r m y for three years, w o r k i n g d u r i n g the S e c o n d W o r l d W a r as a c h e m ical w a r f a r e t e c h n i c i a n i n N o r t h e r n I r e l a n d a n d F r a n c e u n t i l t h e A x i s p o w e r s a t last s u r r e n d e r e d a n d h e a n d t e n m i l l i o n
m o r e A m e r i c a n m e n h a d b e e n able t o c o m e h o m e a n d c o n t i n u e t h e i r lives. A l t h o u g h his d e v o t i o n t o classical m u s i c n e v e r h a d f a l t e r e d , n e i t h e r h a d i t o c c u p i e d c e n t e r stage for h i m i n t h e early p o s t w a r years. T h e family business h a d h a d t o b e a t t e n d e d to, and, while vacationing in Florida in M a r c h 1947, he had m e t and fallen i n l o v e w i t h f e l l o w N e w Y o r k e r I r m a M a i z e l . T h e t w o h a d b e e n m a r r i e d six m o n t h s later, a n d a d a u g h t e r , M a x i n e , had b e e n b o r n i n S e p t e m b e r 1 9 5 2 . y \ l t h o u g h she had c o m m u n i c a t i o n difficulties, s h e h a d l e a r n e d t o p l a y t h e p i a n o b y t h e time she was s e v e n — e x h i b i t i n g w h a t appeared to be an u n canny musical talent—but t h e n she suddenly and utterly u n e x pectedly had died. T h e p a i n h e r p a r e n t s h a d felt i n t h e i r d a u g h t e r ' s a b s e n c e , t h e t e r r i b l e e m p t i n e s s t h a t i t h a d s e e m e d c o u l d n e v e r b e filled, h a d m a d e t h e i r o n c e - c o m f o r t a b l e h o u s e — a n d e v e n all o f w e s t e r n L o n g Island—a place from w h i c h they had b e e n desperate to f l e e , a n d t o h e l p c o n s o l e his w i f e , Ira B r i l l i a n t h a d a s s u r e d h e r that as s o o n as t h e family business c o u l d be sold a n d countless arrangements m a d e , they w o u l d leave N e w York and j o u r n e y far away. B y t h e s u m m e r o f 1 9 6 3 , t h e sale o f t h e b u s i n e s s h a d b e e n c o n v e r t e d i n t o a nest e g g large e n o u g h to assure t h e Brilliants o f t h e i r f i n a n c i a l safety for s o m e m o n t h s . T h e y h a d p a c k e d a n e w P o n t i a c s t a t i o n w a g o n w i t h essential b e l o n g i n g s a n d a f e w treasured
possessions—including
their
seven-year-old
son,
R o b e r t — a n d h a d s t r u c k o u t for a n e w life i n A r i z o n a . Ira h a d f o u n d w o r k s e l l i n g r e a l e s t a t e — o r a t least a t t e m p t i n g t o — a n d i t h a d b e e n v e r y s l o w g o i n g a t first, b u t after a y e a r o f little
success, he a n d a p a r t n e r nonetheless had b e c o m e c o n v i n c e d that t h e t i m e was right to b e g i n a business of their o w n , o n e that w o u l d focus o n d e v e l o p m e n t i n t h e d o w n t o w n c o r e o f t h e s m a l l r e s o r t c i t y o f S c o t t s d a l e , j u s t a f e w m i n u t e s ' d r i v e east o f t h e B r i l l i a n t s ' h o m e . A d e c a d e later, h e h a d t h r i v e d i n w a y s h e n e v e r h a d i m a g i n e d h e m i g h t , a c h i e v i n g e n o u g h success, i n fact, t h a t h e e v e n h a d b e g u n t o c o n s i d e r t h e p r e v i o u s l y u n thinkable
possibility
of acquiring
something
that
the
great
Beethoven had owned.
UNLIKE
I R A B R I L L I A N T , W H O B E L O N G E D t o the gener-
ation that h a d c o m e o f age d u r i n g t h e G r e a t D e p r e s s i o n , t h e n h a d s p e n t its e a r l y a d u l t h o o d e m b a t t l e d i n w a r , t h e y o u n g m a n w h o s e n a m e had b e c o m e C h e Guevara a few years before b e l o n g e d to t h e subsequent generation of A m e r i c a n s , o n e that, beginning in
the
1960s,
had transformed the
image of the
Argentinian physician and freedom fighter of the same n a m e i n t o a c u r i o u s k i n d o f folk h e r o .
This
Che Guevara—the one
n o w ensconced in study at the University of Texas Medical S c h o o l in G a l v e s t o n — n e v e r had b e e n a t r u e partisan of the c o u n t e r c u l t u r e that had e m e r g e d so infectiously d u r i n g the p r e c e d i n g decade, yet he nonetheless t o o k great pleasure in the n o m i n a l link b e t w e e n himself and the storied revolutionary. Alfredo G u e v a r a , Jr., h a d g r o w n u p i n Laredo, Texas, o n the U . S . side o f t h e w i d e a n d shallow r i v e r that f o r m s t h e b o r d e r w i t h M e x i c o . H i s m o t h e r ' s family h a d c o m e f r o m t h e M e x i c a n
CHE
C U E VA ft A " 5
HAIR
s t a t e o f C o a h u i l a , a n d his f a t h e r l o n g h a d h e l d a s e r i e s o f j o b s m a n a g i n g gas s t a t i o n s i n L a r e d o ' s b a r r i o s , w h e r e his y o u n g namesake had had to w o r k as well. T h e boy had g r o w n up s p e a k i n g S p a n i s h i n t h e s m a l l , s i n g l e - r o o m b l o c k h o u s e his fat h e r h a d built b y h a n d — h o m e n o w t o his p a r e n t s a n d t h r e e m o r e siblings—but o n c e in school, he learned English rather effortlessly a n d s o o n p r o v e d t o b e a b r i g h t a n d d i l i g e n t s t u d e n t . By the time he reached high school, c o v e r t o c o v e r e v e r y v o l u m e o f tl^e
"Alfredito" had read
World Book
encyclopedia
s i m p l y b e c a u s e h e e n j o y e d its b r e a d t h o f s u b j e c t s . A s a h i g h school senior, the science project to w h i c h he had d e v o t e d h i m s e l f for t h r e e full y e a r s h a d e a r n e d h i m a w a r d s a t b o t h n a tional and international science-fair c o m p e t i t i o n s as well as t h e attention of Northwestern University near Chicago. It was there in 1970 that a d o r m - m a t e had n i c k n a m e d h i m " C h e " G u e v a r a o n t h e d a y o f his a r r i v a l , a n d w h e r e h e first h a d b e c o m e i n t r i g u e d b y classical m u s i c . H e h a d r e m e m b e r e d t h e t i m e l o n g b e f o r e w h e n a L a r e d o f r i e n d h a d p l a y e d for h i m a 7 8 r p m r e c o r d i n g o f B e e t h o v e n ' s Fifth S y m p h o n y , its s o u n d s l i n g e r i n g i n his m i n d like a c o m p e l l i n g k i n d o f d r e a m , b u t o t h erwise,
the bronze-skinned freshman
had been
entirely an
open b o o k with regard to the world of music. Although he h a d r e m a i n e d a p a s s i o n a t e B e a t l e s fan, b e f o r e l o n g t h e m u s i c he most w a n t e d to hear had b e e n Beethoven's. His c o m p o s i tions, singularly a n d uniquely, h a d s e e m e d to crawl inside t h e y o u n g m a n ' s chest, inside his h e a d ; B e e t h o v e n ' s m u s i c h a d s e e m e d t o b e a n e x p r e s s i o n o f t h e c o m p o s e r ' s c o m p l e x life e x p e r i e n c e s offered in a strictly musical language, a n d by t h e time
he had returned to Texas for medical school in Guevara had become
1974, C h e
convinced that it was a language
he
w a n t e d t o listen t o forever.
IF
IRA
BRILLIANT
WERE
TO
continue
to
purchase
B e e t h o v e n letters, h e w o u l d n e e d m u c h m o r e available c a p i tal t h a n h e c u r r e n t l y c o u l d c l a i m . Beethoveniana—letters,
notes,
O n e - o f - a - k i n d pieces of
sketch
leafs,
handwritten
s c o r e s — c o m m a n d e d substantial prices in t h e m i d - 1 9 7 0 s , a n d o n l y v e r y f e w o f t h e m i n a n y y e a r w e r e o f f e r e d for sale w o r l d wide.
But
the
purchase
of that
first
letter—known
as
" A n d e r s o n 1 2 7 2 " i n t h e small a n d a r c a n e s p h e r e o f B e e t h o v e n s c h o l a r s h i p — h a d i m m e d i a t e l y instilled in h i m a desire to a c quire m o r e original material, to s u r r o u n d himself as best he c o u l d w i t h v e s t i g e s o f B e e t h o v e n ' s life a n d w o r k . A n d , a s i t h a p p e n e d , t h e r e was o t h e r c o l l e c t i b l e y e t a f f o r d a b l e m a t e r i a l t o w h i c h he s o o n was d r a w n : first-edition scores of Beethoven's m y r i a d c o m p o s i t i o n s — p u b l i s h e d d u r i n g his lifetime a n d , in alm o s t all cases, a p p r o v e d b y t h e c o m p o s e r h i m s e l f — w e r e c o m p a r a t i v e l y m u c h less p r i c e y o n t h e a n t i q u a r i a n m u s i c m a r k e t , d e s p i t e t h e fact t h a t t h e y w e r e far f r o m c o m m o n p l a c e a n d t h a t t h e y often possessed significantly m o r e musical v a l u e t h a n t h e l e t t e r s d i d . A n d Ira B r i l l i a n t b e g a n t o i m a g i n e t h a t i f h e w e r e able t o collect e n o u g h f i r s t a n d early e d i t i o n s , p e r h a p s s o m e day they m i g h t e v e n f o r m the f o u n d a t i o n of a scholarly legacy of some kind. H i s n e w p l a n for a c q u i s i t i o n s clear, B r i l l i a n t , w h o r e m a i n e d
a c t i v e i n r e a l e s t a t e — h i s success i n S c o t t s d a l e t h e sole m e a n s w i t h w h i c h h e c o u l d fund this n e w a v o c a t i o n , i n fact—slowly b e g a n t o establish r e l a t i o n s h i p s w i t h t h e h a n d f u l o f E u r o p e a n a n d A m e r i c a n music dealers w h o traded i n antiquarian music: H e r m a n n Baron, England;
Hans
Richard Macnutt, Schneider
in
a n d Albi R o s e n t h a l i n
Germany—as
well
as
Mary
Benjamin in Harper, N e w York, each of w h o m b e c a m e well a c q u a i n t e d i n t h e s u c c e e d i n g y e a r s w i t h t h e small m a n w h o s e p a s s i o n for B e e t h o v e n b u r n e d s o Uprightly R o s e n t h a l " w o u l d c o n d u c t b u s i n e s s , a s d i d all t h e o t h e r s , w i t h h i s s t o c k s u r r o u n d i n g h i m o n s h e l f after s h e l f i n a l a r g e r o o m w i t h a f i r e p l a c e , " B r i l l i a n t w r o t e i n 1 9 9 0 . " W e w o u l d visit, e x c h a n g e all t h e n e w s , w h i l e I w o u l d carefully i g n o r e a small p i l e o f m u s i c stacked on a nearby table. After a p r o p e r interval, he w o u l d c a sually i n v i t e m e t o l o o k o v e r t h e p i l e a n d m a k e m y s e l e c t i o n s . T h e s e h a d b e e n s a v e d for m e . " B y 1 9 8 3 , Ira B r i l l i a n t h a d a s s e m b l e d a c o l l e c t i o n o f m o r e t h a n s e v e n t y first e d i t i o n s o f B e e t h o v e n c o m p o s i t i o n s — e a c h piece possessing significant m a r k e t value, t h e collection as a w h o l e w o r t h far m o r e t h a n t h e s u m o f its p a r t s — a n d h e w a s certain that the time had c o m e to put the collection to w o r k , r a t h e r t h a n s i m p l y let i t f i l l a c l o s e t s h e l f i n his h o u s e . B u t w h e n h e a n d his w i f e I r m a a p p r o a c h e d t h e d e a n o f F i n e A r t s a n d t h e d i r e c t o r o f t h e S c h o o l o f M u s i c a t A r i z o n a State U n i v e r s i t y i n nearby T e m p e ,
they quickly w e r e rebuffed:
that institution
s i m p l y w a s n o t i n t e r e s t e d . A s fate w o u l d d i c t a t e a f e w w e e k s later, h o w e v e r , t h e B r i l l i a n t s t r a v e l e d t o S a n J o s e , C a l i f o r n i a , on the heels of a c o n v e n t i o n of T h e M a n u s c r i p t Society in San
F r a n c i s c o t o visit D a v i d S h a p i r o ,
a friend and f o r m e r
e c o n o m i c s p r o f e s s o r a t A r i z o n a S t a t e , a n d c u r r e n t l y o n faculty a t S a n J o s e S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y . S h a p i r o a s k e d his h o u s e g u e s t s i f h e m i g h t b r o a c h t h e s u b j e c t o f a s i m i l a r gift t o a n a p p r o p r i a t e d e a n a t t h e s c h o o l w h e r e h e n o w w a s e m p l o y e d . Ira B r i l l i a n t a g r e e d , a n d w i t h i n d a y s d r a m a t i c a l l y c h a n g e d h i s life. It was M e m o r i a l Day, M a y 30, 1983, w h e n Shapiro telephoned at
h o m e Arlene
Okerlund,
dean of the School of
H u m a n i t i e s and t h e Arts at SJSU, a n d quickly i n t r i g u e d h e r enough
that
she
proposed
a
meeting
with
him
and
the
Brilliants at n i n e the following m o r n i n g . At the close of that first
meeting,
O k e r l u n d was nearly
giddy with
excitement
a b o u t t h e possibility of b u i l d i n g a b o n a fide B e e t h o v e n r e search center a r o u n d the Brilliant collection, a n d before that w e e k was out, she and university librarian Barbara Jeskalian f l e w t o P h o e n i x t o i n s p e c t t h e c o l l e c t i o n . I n less t h a n a n o t h e r f o r t n i g h t , Ira B r i l l i a n t r e c e i v e d a l e t t e r w h o s e i m p a c t c l o s e l y r i v a l e d his r e c e i p t o f " A n d e r s o n 1 2 7 2 " e i g h t y e a r s b e f o r e , y e t this o n e w a s a c o n t e m p o r a r y m i s s i v e d r a f t e d b y t h e S J S U p r e s ident rather than the long-deceased composer. " O n b e h a l f o f t h e faculty a n d s t u d e n t s a t S a n J o s e S t a t e University," university president Gail Fullerton w r o t e , "I w a n t t o t h a n k y o u for y o u r i n t e r e s t i n t h i s c a m p u s a s a p o t e n t i a l h o m e for y o u r c o l l e c t i o n o f B e e t h o v e n m a t e r i a l s . W e h a v e a n excellent music department, a c o m m i t m e n t to developing o u r s c h o l a r l y r e s o u r c e s , a n d a l o v e for B e e t h o v e n t h a t i s s h a r e d b y the surrounding community.
I do believe that w o r k i n g t o -
g e t h e r w e c a n a c h i e v e o u r s h a r e d i d e a l o f c r e a t i n g the m a j o r c e n t e r for B e e t h o v e n r e s e a r c h i n A m e r i c a . " T h e l e t t e r w e n t o n t o specify t h a t i f t h e B r i l l i a n t s a g r e e d t o p r o c e e d w i t h t h e p r o j -
ect, the university w o u l d guarantee t h e m contractually that t h e i r c o l l e c t i o n n e v e r w o u l d b e sold o r d i v i d e d ,
that they
w o u l d h a v e access t o i t a t all t i m e s , t h a t t h e c e n t e r w o u l d b e p r o v i d e d w i t h adequate, climate-controlled space in a c a m p u s library or in the music d e p a r t m e n t , and that b o t h a curator and a musicologist specializing in B e e t h o v e n w o u l d be hired to a d minister the
center and
help
it
meet
its
goal
of bringing
Beethoven's a c h i e v e m e n t s to an e v e r - w i d e n i n g circle of stud e n t s , s c h o l a r s , a n d c i t i z e n s a t larg^. W h a t F u l l e r t o n p r o p o s e d w a s t h e k i n d o f p u b l i c l y accessible r e s e a r c h i n s t i t u t i o n t h a t Ira B r i l l i a n t h a d b e g u n t o d r e a m a b o u t almost a decade before, and, of course, he responded quickly a n d enthusiastically. N e g o t i a t i o n s b e t w e e n t h e B r i l l i a n t s a n d the
university
were
completed
and
a
contract
signed
on
September 7, 1983, creating and ensuring the existence in perp e t u i t y o f w h a t O k e r l u n d a n d F u l l e r t o n h a d insisted w o u l d b e n a m e d t h e Ira F . B r i l l i a n t C e n t e r for B e e t h o v e n S t u d i e s , t h e o n l y o n e o f its k i n d i n t h e W e s t e r n H e m i s p h e r e .
Thomas
W e n d e l , a SJSU history professor and a keen B e e t h o v e n e n thusiast himself, w a s n a m e d i n t e r i m d i r e c t o r ; t e m p o r a r y s p a c e was carved o u t of t h e sixth floor of the campus's Wahlquist Library; an i n t e r n a t i o n a l search to find a p e r m a n e n t d i r e c t o r got u n d e r w a y ; and, to be sure, t h e still-swelling collection of B e e t h o v e n f i r s t e d i t i o n s — n u m b e r i n g s e v e n t y - s e v e n i n t h e fall o f 1 9 8 3 — f o u n d its w a y t o S a n J o s e . Ira B r i l l i a n t n o w o w n e d a t o t a l o f f o u r i m p o r t a n t a n d h i g h l y coveted
Beethoven
letters
as
well,
the
latest
of which,
" A n d e r s o n 7 5 8 , " a c q u i r e d for h i m b y d e a l e r R i c h a r d M a c n u t t , had been p e n n e d by B e e t h o v e n to Franz Brentano, husband of
the
woman
whom
many
scholars
believed
was
his
secret
" I m m o r t a l Beloved," a n d w h o s e son Karl Josef possibly c o u l d h a v e b e e n sired b y B e e t h o v e n .
If Antonie Brentano indeed
w a s b o t h t h e c o m p o s e r ' s l o v e r a n d t h e m o t h e r o f his c h i l d , t h e letter's g e n e r o u s e x p r e s s i o n o f B e e t h o v e n ' s h o p e t h a t h e r h u s b a n d w o u l d l i v e v e r y l o n g a s t h e h e a d o f his l a r g e a n d v e r y f i n e family m a d e it a r e m a r k a b l e d o c u m e n t i n d e e d . Brilliant h a d a c q u i r e d t h e l e t t e r — n o w t h e c r o w n j e w e l i n his w h o l e c o l l e c t i o n — o n l y a m o n t h before he signed the contract creating the c e n t e r , a n d s o o n h e w o u l d a m e n d his w i l l t o e n s u r e t h a t i t a n d t h e o t h e r B e e t h o v e n l e t t e r s also w o u l d b e c o m e t h e p r o p e r t y o f t h e c e n t e r u p o n his d e a t h . B u t u n t i l t h e n , h e c h o s e t o k e e p t h e m i n a b a n k v a u l t n e a r his h o m e i n P h o e n i x s i m p l y b e c a u s e h e c o n t i n u e d t o t a k e s o m u c h p l e a s u r e i n c a s t i n g his e y e s o n t h e m t w o or t h r e e times a year, as well as e x h i b i t i n g t h e m to awestruck friends on occasion. A l t h o u g h each letter was p r o t e c t e d b y a n a c i d - f r e e m y l a r c o v e r , still i t w a s a u n i q u e k i n d o f gift t h a t h e l o v e d t o g i v e t o a f e w p e o p l e w h o c o u l d p e r c e i v e its
transcendent
significance—the
opportunity
for
them
to
hold in their o w n hands s o m e t h i n g that the great B e e t h o v e n had held as well.
CHE
GUEVARA
HAD
BEEN
BUOYED
b y the
music
of
B e e t h o v e n d u r i n g the four years he spent in medical school in G a l v e s t o n , T e x a s , a s w e l l a s t h e six t a x i n g y e a r s o f s u r g e r y a n d urology residencies that followed at the University of Arizona. Late in 1981 he m e t and s o o n m a r r i e d an e l e m e n t a r y school
t e a c h e r n a m e d R e n e e Baffert, w h o l i v e d s i x t y m i l e s s o u t h o f T u c s o n i n h e r h o m e t o w n o f N o g a l e s , w h e r e a h i g h steel fence c u t a c r o s s t h e s e r e hills o f t h e s m a l l city, s e p a r a t i n g t h e U n i t e d States
from
Mexico.
The
young
doctor
determined
that
N o g a l e s , i n fact, w o u l d b e t h e p e r f e c t p l a c e for h i m t o e s t a b lish a p r a c t i c e ; t h e a r e a n e e d e d a u r o l o g i s t , p a r t i c u l a r l y o n e w h o w a s a s a d e p t a t s p e a k i n g S p a n i s h a s h e w a s a t ease w i t h E n g l i s h , a n d i n 1 9 8 3 A l f r e d o G u e v a r a , J r . , b e g a n t o e a r n his o w n i n c o m e a g a i n for t h e f i r s t r i m ^ s i n c e h e h a d a b a n d o n e d his father's gas s t a t i o n f o u r t e e n y e a r s b e f o r e . It took s o m e time to build the kind of practice he long had h o p e d t o , a n d a l t h o u g h his life w a s e n r i c h e d i n t h e 1 9 8 0 s b y t h e b i r t h o f t h r e e c h i l d r e n , h e still w a s a s u b s t a n t i a l d i s t a n c e f r o m b e c o m i n g t h e affluent p h y s i c i a n h e h a d b e g u n t o d r e a m a b o u t b e i n g back w h e n he was five years old and almost always h u n g r y . B u t slowly, h e d i d b e g i n t o p r o s p e r , a n d b y 1 9 8 9 , h e h a d a f i n e c l i n i c w i t h his n a m e o n t h e d o o r a n d a b i t o f m o n e y i n t h e b a n k a t l o n g last, a n d C h e G u e v a r a d e c i d e d t h a t t h e n e w space was a perfect o n e in w h i c h he c o u l d host a b i r t h d a y party in the great Beethoven's h o n o r . He sent o u t invitations to c o l leagues in Nogales's medical c o m m u n i t y a n d to friends a n d family m e m b e r s far a n d n e a r . H e a r r a n g e d t o s e r v e a n e l a b o r a t e M e x i c a n buffet a n d for m u s i c a l e n t e r t a i n m e n t t o b e p r o vided by beautifully c o s t u m e d mariachis; a b r i g h t b a n n e r that r i n g e d t h e w a i t i n g r o o m r e a d HAPPY BIRTHDAY, LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN, and the party was such a h u g e success—it was the social e v e n t o f t h e y e a r , p e o p l e c o n t e n d e d — t h a t t h e c e l e b r a tion b e c a m e an annual event. Each year the invitation fist g r e w larger—as
did
its
substantial
cost,
of c o u r s e — a n d
in
late
November
1993,
C h e Guevara telephoned an invitation to
that year's c e l e b r a t i o n t o A r i z o n a State U n i v e r s i t y professor Wayne
Senner,
whose
article
on
the
critical
reception
of
B e e t h o v e n ' s c o m p o s i t i o n s d u r i n g his l i f e t i m e G u e v a r a h a d r e a d in an A S U publication.
S e n n e r was b o t h flattered a n d i n -
trigued by the generous gesture, but he informed the Nogales p h y s i c i a n t h a t i f his g o a l w e r e t o i n v i t e A r i z o n a ' s f o r e m o s t Beethoven
enthusiast—one w h o
c o u l d rival o r e v e n b e t t e r
G u e v a r a h i m s e l f - — t h e n s u r e l y t h e n a m e o f Ira B r i l l i a n t s h o u l d b e a d d e d t o his g u e s t list. C h e G u e v a r a ' s i n t e r e s t q u i c k l y w a s p i q u e d , and he assured S e n n e r that he w o u l d be delighted to i n v i t e b o t h m e n a n d t h e i r w i v e s a s w e l l . T h e y all w o u l d b e his guests; he w o u l d h o u s e t h e m at a nearby resort hotel, a n d w o u l d l o o k forward eagerly t o m e e t i n g t h e m o n the e v e n i n g of December
16, w h e n t o g e t h e r t h e y enthusiastically w o u l d
celebrate the birth of the m a n w h o mattered so very m u c h to t h e m all.
I R A B R I L L I A N T W A S M O R E T H A N a little r e l i e v e d t o d i s cover that B e e t h o v e n was n o t part of the mariachis' musical r e p e r t o i r e w h e n h e a n d his w i f e , I r m a , t r a v e l e d t o N o g a l e s i n m i d - D e c e m b e r . Yet the celebration was o n e he greatly e n j o y e d b e i n g p a r t of,
and
he
was
utterly c h a r m e d by
Che
G u e v a r a . T h e t w o m e n discovered a t t h e b i r t h d a y party, a n d t h e n in subsequent e n c o u n t e r s , that although they w e r e very different p e o p l e , t h e y u n d e r s t o o d each o t h e r entirely w h e n i t c a m e t o t h e i r e n d u r i n g d e v o t i o n t o B e e t h o v e n a n d his m u s i c .
CHE
G U E VA R A' 5
HAIR
A s t h e t w o m e n b e c a m e m o r e closely a c q u a i n t e d o v e r the e n suing m o n t h s ,
as
they
began
to
consider themselves
true
friends, C h e Guevara found himself increasingly intrigued by Brilliant's collecting a v o c a t i o n . H e b e c a m e fascinated b y w h a t he learned about the tiny b u t intensely focused sphere of collectors a r o u n d the world; he was attracted, too, by the w a y in w h i c h there seemed to be a kind of sacramental connection b e t w e e n collectible objects and t h e great people t o w h o m they h a d b e l o n g e d ; he was lured as w^ll by t h e financial aspects of the enterprise, w h i c h transformed attempts to b u y at bargain prices and the anxious bidding at auctions into something of a h e a d y b u t a n x i o u s s p o r t . B u t h e w a s c a p t i v a t e d , m o s t o f all, b y the
way
in
which
Brilliant
had been
able
truly
to
bring
B e e t h o v e n t o life a g a i n — a t least i n his o w n h e a r t — b y g a t h e r ing together scattered tokens and m e m e n t o s
from
the time
l o n g ago w h e n t h e m a s t e r h a d m a d e his music. Yet C h e G u e v a r a did n o t b e g i n to aspire to b e c o m e a c o l l e c t o r h i m s e l f — t h e r e w e r e his t h r e e c h i l d r e n a n d t h e i r e d u c a t i o n s t o t h i n k of, i f n o t h i n g e l s e — a n d h e d o u b t e d w h e t h e r t h e d e m a n d s o f his m e d i c a l p r a c t i c e w o u l d a l l o w h i m t h e t i m e h e w o u l d n e e d t o l e a r n successfully t h e v e r y s u b d e t r i c k s o f t h e trade. C o l l e c t i n g was a potential n e w passion he simply w o u l d s u r r e n d e r , b u t n o n e t h e l e s s , h e w o u l d l o v e t o possess
something,
a trifle, a s m a l l m e m e n t o o f B e e t h o v e n o r h i s r i m e s , h e a d m i t t e d f i r s t t o himself, a n d t h e n t o his n e w f r i e n d . Ira B r i l l i a n t recently h a d p u r c h a s e d a p r i n t e d invitation to B e e t h o v e n ' s fun e r a l — a small c a r d a n n o u n c i n g t h e c o m p o s e r ' s d e a t h a n d t h e date, t i m e , a n d location in t h e
Alsergasse
of the private service
at the c h u r c h outside of w h i c h so m a n y thousands of Vienna's
citizens w o u l d wait to pay their final respects. It was s o m e t h i n g precisely like t h e funeral invitation, G u e v a r a explained, that he w o u l d l o v e t o possess o n e day, a n d B r i l l i a n t a s s u r e d h i m t h a t h e w o u l d k e e p his e y e s o p e n o n his f r i e n d ' s behalf. I t m i g h t take a bit of time, and the m e m e n t o m i g h t cost a c o u p l e of thousand
dollars
or
thereabouts,
b u t yes,
he
could
garner
s o m e t h i n g f r o m B e e t h o v e n ' s t i m e for C h e G u e v a r a t o t r e a s u r e forever.
i
I N T H E D E C A D E S I N C E I T h a d b e e n established, t h e C e n t e r for B e e t h o v e n S t u d i e s t h a t b o r e Ira B r i l l i a n t ' s n a m e h a d m a d e massive strides t o w a r d b e c o m i n g the k i n d of institution that h e , his wife, I r m a , a n d t h o s e enthusiastic San J o s e State a d ministrators first had h o p e d it w o u l d be.
In August
1985,
T h o m a s W e n d e l , the history professor w h o had s h e p h e r d e d t h e f l e d g l i n g c e n t e r s i n c e its i n c e p t i o n , h a d b e c o m e p r e s i d e n t o f its b o a r d a n d s u r r e n d e r e d its d a i l y a d m i n i s t r a t i o n t o t h i r t y one-year-old doctoral
William
degree
in
Meredith,
musicology
who earlier
had been that
awarded
month
by
a
the
U n i v e r s i t y o f N o r t h C a r o l i n a a t C h a p e l H i l l . T h e s e a r c h for a p e r m a n e n t d i r e c t o r h a d s p r e a d a s far f r o m S a n J o s e a s W e s t e r n E u r o p e , a n d several already r e n o w n e d B e e t h o v e n scholars had a p p l i e d for t h e p o s i t i o n . B u t M e r e d i t h c l e a r l y h a d p o s s e s s e d not
only
the
requisite
Beethoven
scholarship
but
also
the
y o u t h , e n e r g y , a n d self-effacing g e n i a l i t y t h a t t h e b o a r d h a d b e l i e v e d w o u l d b e essential q u a l i t i e s i n a successful d i r e c t o r . T h e d a t e for t h e d e d i c a t i o n o f t h e c e n t e r l o n g h a d b e e n
planned
for
September
15,
and
in
preparation
for it,
Ira
B r i l l i a n t h a d m a d e a c a s h p l e d g e o f $ 5 0 , 0 0 0 t o k i c k off a c a m paign a i m e d at raising an eventual $1.5 million e n d o w m e n t . H e a n d his w i f e also h a d c o m m i s s i o n e d t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f a f o r t e p i a n o that w o u l d resemble v e r y closely t h e k i n d o f i n strument that B e e t h o v e n himself had played and c o m p o s e d on as a y o u n g m a n . Built by instrument makers Paul and Janine P o l e t t i o f O a k d a l e , C a l i f o r n i a , i t w o u l d b e smaller, q u i e t e r , a n d m o r e fragile t h a n a c o n t e m p o r a r y p i a n o , a n d w o u l d h a v e less r a n g e a s w e l l , y e t its s o l i d w o o d c o n s t r u c t i o n a n d s e n s i t i v e a c tion w o u l d allow it to e c h o the kind of tones with w h i c h the c o m p o s e r a n d his a u d i e n c e s w o u l d h a v e b e e n i n t i m a t e l y familiar. An exact replica of a f o r t e p i a n o that was built circa 1 7 9 5 b y J o h a n n D u l c k e n i n M u n i c h , a n d for w h i c h D u l c k e n h a d drafted detailed plans, t h e i n s t r u m e n t w o u l d be h o u s e d at t h e c e n t e r itself, a n d w o u l d b e a gift
from
the Brilliants in
m e m o r y of their daughter. T h e A m e r i c a n B e e t h o v e n Society, a n o n p r o f i t organization o f B e e t h o v e n e n t h u s i a s t s d e d i c a t e d t o s u p p o r t i n g its e n d e a v o r s , h a d b e e n f o r m e d n o t l o n g after t h e c e n t e r g o t d o w n t o daily business, a n d Patricia Stroh, w h o h a d d e g r e e s i n b o t h music history
and
library
science,
soon
had
been
named
curator.
S u p p o r t e d i n t h e e n s u i n g y e a r s b y g r a n t s a n d gifts f r o m t h e N a t i o n a l E n d o w m e n t for t h e H u m a n i t i e s , t h e C a l i f o r n i a S t a t e Library, a n d n u m e r o u s private charitable trusts, t h e center's s u b s e q u e n t g r o w t h a n d its significant successes h a d b e e n b o t h swift a n d i m p r e s s i v e . B y t h e early w i n t e r d a y i n D e c e m b e r 1 9 9 3 w h e n Ira B r i l l i a n t f i r s t s u g g e s t e d t o his n e w f r i e n d C h e G u e v a r a t h a t h e t o o s h o u l d j o i n t h e B e e t h o v e n S o c i e t y i n s u p p o r t o f its
m y r i a d missions, the center had a c c u m u l a t e d nearly 3 0 0 first e d i t i o n s o f B e e t h o v e n ' s w o r k s , m o r e t h a n 1,600 early e d i t i o n s published d u r i n g t h e composer's lifetime, a n d a library of almost 3,400 b o o k s and scholarly m o n o g r a p h s in ten languages d e v o t e d t o t h e c o m p o s e r ' s life a n d m u s i c . A n a n n u a l p i a n o c o m p e t i t i o n for h i g h s c h o o l m u s i c i a n s o f e x c e p t i o n a l p r o m i s e h a d b e e n established, as h a d a B e e t h o v e n - i n - t h e - S c h o o l s p r o g r a m , a s w e l l a s f r e q u e n t B e e t h o v e n festivals, c o s p o n s o r e d w i t h t h e San Jose Symphony.
A n d the center's semiannual
Beethoven
Journal, e d i t e d b y M e r e d i t h , b y n o w h a d p u b l i s h e d articles, l e t ters, and c o m m e n t a r i e s by virtually every legendary B e e t h o v e n scholar in the world. M o r e t h a n a n y t h i n g else, i t w a s Ira B r i l l i a n t ' s c o m m u n i c a tions and interactions with those individuals—scholarly l u m i n a r i e s like J o s e p h K e r m a n , L e w i s L o c k w o o d , a n d M a y n a r d S o l o m o n i n t h e U n i t e d States; W i l l i a m K i n d e r m a n i n C a n a d a ; Barry C o o p e r and Alan Tyson in Great Britain; and Sieghard Brandenburg and
and
enormously
Hans-Werner influential
Kuthen
at
the
Beethoven-Archiv
renowned in
Bonn,
G e r m a n y — t h a t p r o v e d t o h i m t h a t his d r e a m a t last w a s b e i n g t r a n s f o r m e d i n t o a n u n a r g u a b l e k i n d o f reality. H e w a s a s i m p l e r e a l e s t a t e m a n , after all; for m a n y y e a r s h e h a d b e e n n o t h ing m o r e than a B e e t h o v e n layman, a m e r e foot soldier of s o r t s , y e t h i s l o n g - t e r m c o m m i t m e n t h a d r e s u l t e d i n his early seventies in b u r g e o n i n g friendships w i t h the world's foremost a u t h o r i t i e s o n B e e t h o v e n ' s life a n d h i s w o r k . T h e y c a l l e d h i m b y his f i r s t n a m e , h e w a s p r o u d t o n o t e , a n d b y n o w h e c a l l e d t h e m b y t h e i r s a s w e l l ; t h e y r e s p e c t e d his w i d e - r a n g i n g s t o r e of k n o w l e d g e ; they recognized w h a t an important institution
the center he had established had b e c o m e , and, to a p e r s o n , it w a s c l e a r t h a t t h e y w e r e b e g u i l e d a s w e l l b y Ira B r i l l i a n t ' s p r o f o u n d a n d particular passion. I n all h i s y e a r s o f c o l l e c t i n g , h o w e v e r , B r i l l i a n t n e v e r h a d b e e n able t o a c q u i r e a f i n e f i r s t e d i t i o n o f B e e t h o v e n ' s O p u s 1 , the Piano Trios n u m b e r s 1-3, w h i c h had been published in 1 7 9 5 , t h r e e y e a r s after t h e c o m p o s e r ' s m o v e t o V i e n n a f r o m B o n n . B e e t h o v e n was by no means widely r e n o w n e d in those early days, a n d o n l y a handful o ^ t h e first edition of t h e trios s u r v i v e d t o t h e p r e s e n t day. N o t o n l y w a s a f i r s t - e d i t i o n s c o r e r a r e , b u t its o p u s n u m b e r l e n t i t a p a r t i c u l a r c a c h e t ,
and
B r i l l i a n t a n d t h e c e n t e r ' s staff w e r e e a g e r t o f i n d a c o p y a n d a c q u i r e it, i f its c o s t w e r e n o t t o o d e a r . A n d i t w a s i n e a r l y November
1994
that g o o d fortune
m o r e in the mail.
seemed to arrive once
In t h e catalog for Sotheby's s e m i a n n u a l
b o o k s and music auction, Brilliant spotted precisely w h a t he h a d b e e n l o o k i n g for: l o t n u m b e r 2 7 , t o b e s o l d i n L o n d o n o n D e c e m b e r 1, was a first-edition O p u s 1 in excellent c o n d i t i o n . Sotheby's estimate that it was w o r t h £ 1 , 5 0 0 - 2 , 0 0 0 was a bit daunting,
b u t Brilliant quickly d e t e r m i n e d to
do what
he
c o u l d t o s e c u r e it. H e w o u l d m a k e a s g e n e r o u s a p l e d g e a s h e c o u l d , a n d o t h e r k e y s u p p o r t e r s o f t h e c e n t e r likely w o u l d d o so as well, and t o g e t h e r surely they c o u l d a r m English agent R i c h a r d M a c n u t t w i t h f u n d s sufficient for its p u r c h a s e . B u t t h e r e w a s s o m e t h i n g else i n t h e c a t a l o g t h a t also q u i c k l y c a u g h t his e y e . I n t h e t w o d e c a d e s s i n c e h e h a d b e c o m e a c o l lector, h e n e v e r h a d e n c o u n t e r e d h u m a n remains o f any k i n d b e i n g offered at a u c t i o n , yet t h e r e it was unmistakably: lot 3 3 , its
value
estimated
at
£2,000-3,000
and
its
authenticity
certified as unassailable, w a s a lock of t h e great B e e t h o v e n ' s hair. W h e n h e b r o a c h e d t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f p u r c h a s i n g t h e l o c k o f hair w i t h M e r e d i t h and W e n d e l , b o t h w e r e i m m e d i a t e l y e n thusiastic,
and
then
Brilliant
remembered
his
friend
in
Nogales. H e w a s a b l e t o r e a c h C h e G u e v a r a a t his c l i n i c a t t h e c l o s e o f t h e day, a n d B r i l l i a n t f i r s t r e m i n d e d his f r i e n d t h a t h e h a d asked h i m to find a suitable B e e t h o v e n m e m e n t o s o m e t i m e . Y e s , o f c o u r s e , t h e d o c t o r r e m e m b e r e d . I n t h a t case, a n d n o w b a r e l y c o n c e a l i n g his e x c i t e m e n t , t h e s e n i o r m a n p o s e d a s u b sequent question: w o u l d C h e by chance be interested in acq u i r i n g a b i t o f L u d w i g v a n B e e t h o v e n ' s hair? It
was
an
extraordinary
notion—a
lock
of the
master's
h a i r t h a t o n e d a y h e m i g h t h o l d i n t h e p a l m o f his h a n d , B e e t h o v e n h i m s e l f a l i v e a g a i n , o r a t least u n d e n i a b l y a m o n g the he
living—and would
Che
pledge
Guevara
$5,000
enthusiastically
toward
its
affirmed
acquisition.
that
Brilliant
t h a n k e d h i m b o t h for his g e n e r o s i t y a n d his q u i c k d e c i s i o n , b u t he cautioned h i m that, based on Sotheby's o w n projections, i t m i g h t t a k e t w i c e t h a t a m o u n t t o s e c u r e it. Y e t h e t o o c o u l d c o n t r i b u t e , a n d surely t h e r e w e r e a few o t h e r m e m b e r s of the B e e t h o v e n Society w h o might as well. He w o u l d do w h a t he c o u l d to p u t t o g e t h e r a small c o n s o r t i u m of b u y e r s , a n d t h e y w o u l d m a k e t h e i r b e s t c o l l e c t i v e effort t o b r i n g t o the relic.
United
States
this
unlikely but
enormously
intriguing
I m a g i n e it, t h e t w o m e n u r g e d e a c h o t h e r : a b i t o f
B e e t h o v e n ' s hair.
THE
FIRST
ORDER
OF
B U S I N E S S was t o marshal the f i -
nancial resources that w o u l d be necessary to acquire b o t h the O p u s 1 s c o r e a n d t h e l o c k o f hair. D u r i n g t h e s u c c e e d i n g d a y s , A m e r i c a n B e e t h o v e n Society president T o m W e n d e l eagerly added $ 5 0 0 to the hair-acquisition pot, as did longtime s u p porter Caroline C r u m m e y ; C h e Guevara had pledged $5,000, o f c o u r s e ; B r i l l i a n t also c o u l d c o n t r i b u t e $ 2 , 0 0 0 o r s o o v e r a n d above the a m o u n t he had c o m m i t t e d to O p u s 1, but as he tallied t h e several c o n t r i b u t i o n s , he^believed he c o u l d a u t h o r i z e his agent R i c h a r d M a c n u t t t o bid n o h i g h e r t h a n £ 4 , 2 0 0 . T h a t a m o u n t might f e t c h t h e r e l i c , b u t w h o k n e w ? T h e i t e m at a u c t i o n w o u l d b e B e e t h o v e n h i m s e l f , i n p o i n t o f fact, s o i t s e e m e d entirely possible that s o m e o n e s o m e w h e r e i n t h e w o r l d m i g h t b e w i l l i n g t o s p e n d a p r i n c e l y s u m t o s e c u r e it. W h e n h e f a x e d h i s f i n a l i n s t r u c t i o n s t o M a c n u t t a f e w d a y s b e f o r e t h e sale, B r i l l i a n t m a d e i t c l e a r t o his a g e n t t h a t , s h o u l d t h e y fail i n t h e i r attempt to acquire O p u s 1 as lot 27 was auctioned, t h e n he s h o u l d b e a g g r e s s i v e i n his a t t e m p t t o a c q u i r e t w o o t h e r , i f d e c i d e d l y lesser, B e e t h o v e n f i r s t e d i t i o n s t h a t also w o u l d b e a u c t i o n e d . I f t h e y lost O p u s 1 — a n d h e s o r e l y h o p e d t h e y w o u l d n o t — M a c n u t t t h e n s h o u l d f o c u s his efforts o n t h e m , a s w e l l a s that b e g u i l i n g bit of hair h e l d in a small black l o c k e t that w a s labeled lot 3 3 . A fax f r o m L o n d o n w a s w a i t i n g for Ira B r i l l i a n t w h e n h e g o t out of bed on the m o r n i n g of D e c e m b e r 2, 1994, and the news from R i c h a r d M a c n u t t was both bad and good. T h e O p u s 1 s c o r e h a d s o l d for £ 6 , 5 0 0 , m o r e t h a n t h r e e t i m e s t h e S o t h e b y ' s estimate, a n d almost twice w h a t he had b e e n authorized to bid.
O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , M a c n u t t h a d b e e n successful i n a c q u i r i n g t h e " F a r e w e l l S o n g " a n d S e r e n a d e for F l u t e a n d F o r t e p i a n o first e d i t i o n s , a n d y e s , h e also h a d p u r c h a s e d o n B r i l l i a n t ' s b e h a l f t h e l o c k o f B e e t h o v e n ' s hair. N o o n e h a d c h o s e n t o b e t t e r M a c n u t t s high b i d o f £ 3 , 6 0 0 for lot 3 3 , a n d a l t h o u g h h e had b e e n p r e p a r e d to go a g o o d bit higher, of course, t h e gavel h a d fallen
before
he
had
been
forced
to
do
so—meaning
that
Guevara, Brilliant, and their partners w o u l d spend a total of about $7,300 o n c e Sotheby's surcharge, M a c n u t t s commission, a n d t h e s h i p p i n g c h a r g e s w e r e tallied. M a c n u t t i n f o r m e d his client that a l t h o u g h the b i d d i n g on t h e hair had b e e n brisk at its o u t s e t , i t q u i c k l y h a d r e a c h e d its u p p e r l i m i t s , a n d , g i v e n w h a t t h e y m i g h t h a v e h a d t o pay, M a c n u t t w r o t e t h a t h e b e lieved the w i n n i n g price " w a s in a sense quite comfortable." H i s hair. Ira B r i l l i a n t a n d his p a r t n e r s n o w a c t u a l l y o w n e d a b i t o f B e e t h o v e n ' s hair. N o t h i n g a k i n t o i t m i g h t e v e r b e offered again, he realized before a n o t h e r n o t i o n nearly buckled his k n e e s . H e a n d I r m a a n d C h e G u e v a r a a n d their cluster o f associates i n S a n J o s e s o o n w o u l d b e a b l e t o h o l d s o m e t h i n g o f the great m a n himself in their quavering hands. It truly was e x t r a o r d i n a r y , b u t h e t r i e d t o b e c a l m a s h e p l a c e d a n u r g e n t call to Nogales. " D o y o u h a v e y o u r c o m b r e a d y ? " h e asked w h e n h e h e a r d C h e Guevara's voice.
I R M A B R I L L I A N T W A S M A D E M O R E t h a n a little u n e a s y b y t h e p a c k a g e t h a t sat u n o p e n e d o n h e r h u s b a n d ' s d e s k for t h r e e
full d a y s . T h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s d i d n o t s e e m t o h e r t o b e v e r y different from possessing the c r e m a t e d remains of a stranger, alb e i t o n e w h o h a d b e e n h e l d i n t h e h i g h e s t r e g a r d . Finally, h o w e v e r , Ira w a s r e a d y t o o p e n t h e p a c k a g e ; t h e r e h a d b e e n a m o u n t i n g k i n d o f p l e a s u r e for h i m i n l e t t i n g i t sit u n a t t e n d e d , in k n o w i n g w h a t treasure it contained yet keeping that treas u r e a t bay, a n d t h e n , i n m u c h t h e s a m e w a y h e h a d w i t h h i s first B e e t h o v e n letter t w o decades before, he spent most of an h o u r meticulously u n w r a p p i n g th^ Sotheby's packaging before a t last h e h e l d t h e b l a c k - f r a m e l o c k e t i n his h a n d s a n d s a w w i t h astonishment the hair that had g r o w n on the head of the m a n w h o m he revered m o r e than any other. W h e n Brilliant a n d h e m e t i n T u c s o n a few days h e n c e , C h e G u e v a r a r e s p o n d e d i n k i n d t o his f i r s t g l i m p s e o f this m o s t u n likely p r i z e . N e i t h e r m a n s p o k e for a m o m e n t w h e n B r i l l i a n t r e m o v e d t h e l o c k e t f r o m t h e small b o x i n w h i c h h e h a d c a r ried it from P h o e n i x , a n d their silence b e s p o k e their shared e m o t i o n s . T h i s hair, this r e m a r k a b l e r e l i c o f B e e t h o v e n h i m self, w a s n o t s o m e t h i n g t h e y h a d e n d e a v o r e d for y e a r s t o o b t a i n ; n e i t h e r m a n , i n fact, h a d k n o w n o f its e x i s t e n c e j u s t six weeks before, yet the improbable dispatch with w h i c h it had c o m e into their possession didn't diminish in any w a y the p r o fundity of that m o m e n t in w h i c h they first v i e w e d it together. It was at that s a m e m e e t i n g , h o w e v e r , w h e n a significant m i s u n d e r s t a n d i n g b e t w e e n t h e m first c a m e i n t o focus as well. A l t h o u g h p r i o r t o t h e a u c t i o n t h e t w o h a d d i s c u s s e d t h e fact t h a t t h e y w o u l d d i v i d e t h e h a i r i f i t b e c a m e t h e i r s , its a c q u i s i t i o n h a d b e e n u n c e r t a i n e n o u g h t h a t t h e p a r t i c u l a r s o f t h e split n e v e r h a d b e e n discussed. N o w that t h e lock o f hair b e l o n g e d
t o t h e m , h o w e v e r , i t w a s t i m e t o b e g i n t o settle issues o f t h a t sort, a n d G u e v a r a m a d e it clear that it s e e m e d to h i m that t h e division should be based on the a m o u n t each had invested. It s e e m e d t o h i m t h a t s i n c e h e h a d p a i d $ 5 , 0 0 0 o f its $ 7 , 3 0 0 c o s t , t w o - t h i r d s of the hair therefore b e l o n g e d to h i m . B u t Brilliant w a s q u i c k t o d i s a g r e e . A s h e s a w it, G u e v a r a h a d s u p p l i e d t h e largest s h a r e o f t h e hair's p u r c h a s e p r i c e , y e s , b u t o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , i t w a s h e w h o f i r s t h a d l e a r n e d o f t h e p e n d i n g sale, w h o h a d e m p l o y e d his E n g l i s h a g e n t i n its a c q u i s i t i o n , w h o h a d paid the entire cost o f the t w o f i r s t editions, a n d w h o w o u l d have been willing as well to spend m o r e than the $1,300 he ultimately
had
contributed
to
the
hair's
purchase
if he
had
n e e d e d t o d o so. B r i l l i a n t d i d n o t offer his o w n p r o p o s a l for h o w the hair should b e d i v i d e d — w h a t seemed equitable simp l y w a s n ' t c l e a r t o h i m a s y e t — b u t h e d i d say t h a t h e h o p e d m u c h o f the hair ultimately w o u l d b e h o u s e d — i n p e r p e t u i t y — a t the B e e t h o v e n C e n t e r in San Jose. T h e t w o m e n agreed to give the matter m o r e thought, and s o o n t h e s u b j e c t o f t h e i r c o n v e r s a t i o n shifted. M i g h t i t m a k e s e n s e , D r . G u e v a r a w o n d e r e d , t o test a b i t o f t h e hair, t o h a v e i t e x a m i n e d b y f o r e n s i c scientists? W a s i t p o s s i b l e t h a t t e s t i n g o f t h e h a i r t h a t lay o n t h e t a b l e b e t w e e n t h e m m i g h t b e able t o announce
something
conclusive
about
the
last
days
of
B e e t h o v e n ' s life? C o u l d i t d e m o n s t r a t e w h a t m e d i c a t i o n s h e h a d c o n s u m e d ? C o u l d i t c o n c e i v a b l y e x p l a i n t h e r e a s o n s for h i s c h r o n i c i n t e s t i n a l distress, o r e v e n d e c i p h e r his deafness? T h i s w a s a t h r i l l i n g t h i n g for t h e t w o m e n t o c o n s i d e r : i n his Heiligenstadt Testament, p e n n e d nearly t w o h u n d r e d years b e fore, B e e t h o v e n himself h a d expressed t h e h o p e that o n e day
t h e r e a s o n s f o r h i s h e a r i n g loss m i g h t b e d e t e r m i n e d a n d m a d e p u b l i c , a n d n o w p e r h a p s t h e t w o o f t h e m c o u l d h e l p fulfill t h e c o m p o s e r s poignant request. Was
that
the reason why, they
asked themselves, the hair s o serendipitously h a d c o m e t o t h e m ?
U N D E R U S U A L C I R C U M S T A N C E S , I T I S Sotheby's policy n o t to disclose t h e sources of the^objects it presents at a u c t i o n . B u t o n t h i s o c c a s i o n — o n t h e a p p e a l o f Ira B r i l l i a n t a n d C h e Guevara and, of course, because of the r e n o w n of the m a n whose
hair
the
locket
contained—Stephen
Roe,
head
of
Sotheby's B o o k s and Manuscripts D e p a r t m e n t , agreed to c o n tact t h e p r e v i o u s o w n e r o f t h e hair, e x p l a i n i n g t h a t t h e p e o p l e w h o n o w h e l d i t h o p e d t h e y m i g h t l e a r n s o m e t h i n g o f its p a r t i c u l a r a n d unlikely p r o v e n a n c e . R o e m a d e i t clear w h e n h e w r o t e t o M i c h e l e Wassard Larsen i n D e n m a r k that she w a s under no obligation whatsoever to surrender her anonymity or t o describe h o w the lock o f hair h a d c o m e into h e r possession, but, as it h a p p e n e d , she was very willing indeed. T w o m o n t h s after t h e a r r i v a l o f B e e t h o v e n ' s h a i r i n A m e r i c a , i t w a s f o l l o w e d by a letter posted from Hillerod and mailed to t h e B e e t h o v e n C e n t e r i n San Jose. " H e l l o ! " t h e t y p e d missive called o u t ,
My n a m e is T h o m a s Wassard Larsen, and i am w r i t i n g to y o u a b o u t a lock of B e e t h o v e n s hair, sold by Sotheby's a u k tions i L o n d o n . I h o p e you understand the m e e n i n g with this l e t t e r , b e c a u s e i ' m n o t v e r y g o o d a t w r i t i n g i n e n g l i s h .
T h e l o c k w a s o w n e d b y m y m o t h e r , w h o h a d t o sell i t due to h e r economical situation. My m o t h e r M i c h e l e was b o r n in France a cupple of years before 2.nd w o r l d war. D u r i n g w.w.2 my g r a n d m o t h e r had 8 kids i n c l u d i n g my m o t h e r , a n d s h e c o u l d n o t feed t h e m all s o t h e r e f o r e m y m o t h e r w a s a d o p t e d b y a n i c e family i n D e n m a r k . S h e was n o w in the age of 8 years. My m o t h e r s n e w parents w e r e a D o c t o r and a nurse who
lived
Gilleleje. Sweden,
in This
a
little
little
town
town
in
was
North one
Sealand
of the
called
closest
to
t o w i t c h m a n y j u d e s f l e e d d u r i n g 2 . n d w.w.
M a n y o f these j u d e s w e r e w e r y p o o r and s o m e o f t h e m h a d s o m awfull d e c e a s e s . M y m o t h e r s n e w father w h o was a d o c t o r h e l p e d m a n y o f t h e s e j u d e s , i n t h e start o n l y w i t h m e d i c i n , b u t l a t e r h e w o r k e d t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e local f i s h e r m e n , i n t h e n i g h t t o smuggel j u d e s to S w e d e n . It was o n e of these j u d e s w h o g a v e t h e l o c k o f B e e t h o v e n s h a i r t o h i m for his h e l p . M y g r a n d f a t h e r k e p t t h i s m e d a l l i o n u n t i l his d e a d i n 1 9 6 9 , t h e same year that i was b o r n .
T h o m a s Larsen w a n t e d the locket's n e w o w n e r s t o k n o w h o w pleased h e a n d his m o t h e r w e r e that B e e t h o v e n ' s hair h a d g o n e t o p e o p l e w h o g r e a t l y a p p r e c i a t e d it, w h o w o u l d h o n o r i t a s t h e y a l w a y s h a d . A n d y e s , h e said, t h e y w o u l d w e l c o m e c o n t i n u e d c o m m u n i c a t i o n a n d w o u l d offer w h a t e v e r h e l p t h e y could
in
unraveling m o r e
of the
locket's
history.
Thomas
L a r s e n k n e w t h a t his g r a n d f a t h e r h a d b e e n a h u m a n i t a r i a n , t o b e s u r e , b u t t h e y o u n g m a n also w i s h e d t o k n o w m o r e a b o u t w h o t h e J e w s h a d b e e n a n d h o w his g r a n d f a t h e r h a d h e l p e d t h e m survive. W e r e t h e y called Hiller t o o , their n a m e t h e s a m e a s t h e o n e i n s c r i b e d o n t h e l o c k e t ? T h e y h a d r e a c h e d safety i n Sweden, he hoped, but then what had become of them? W h a t T h o m a s Larsen's letter c o n v e y e d was d u m b f o u n d i n g n e w information: it appeared that L u d w i g van B e e t h o v e n — m o s t u n w i t t i n g l y a n d far m o r e t h ^ i a c e n t u r y after h i s d e a t h — h a d p l a y e d a small y e t n o n e t h e l e s s s i g n i f i c a n t r o l e i n h e l p i n g J e w s escape the G e r m a n killing m a c h i n e . It was n e w s that t r a n s f i x e d Ira B r i l l i a n t i n p a r t i c u l a r — h e h a d f o u g h t against t h e N a z i s a n d w a s a J e w h i m s e l f — a n d s o o n after t h e r e c e i p t o f t h e letter, t h e y o u n g D a n e ' s q u e r i e s b e c a m e questions h e n o w r e solved to try to answer, solutions to these enigmas suddenly every bit as i m p o r t a n t to h i m as w e r e the potential explanat i o n s o f B e e t h o v e n ' s diseases t h a t f o r e n s i c scientists s o m e d a y m i g h t deliver. Like T h o m a s Larsen, Brilliant a n d G u e v a r a a n d e v e r y o n e i n A m e r i c a a s s o c i a t e d w i t h this i m p r o b a b l e l o c k o f hair n o w h o p e d they could succeed in tracking the descendants o f P a u l H i l l e r a n d his father, F e r d i n a n d , t h e m a n w h o h a d m e t t h e m i g h t y B e e t h o v e n a n d w h o s e c r e t e d t h e relic a w a y . I n t h e t u m u l t u o u s a f t e r m a t h o f W o r l d W a r II, d i d m e m b e r s o f t h e H i l l e r f a m i l y t r a v e l o n t o E n g l a n d , t o t h e U n i t e d States, o r t o t h e n a s c e n t state t h a t w a s t a k i n g s h a p e i n P a l e s t i n e ? H a d t h e y b e e n a b l e t o r e p a i r t h e i r lives i n t h e d e c a d e s b e t w e e n t h e w a r and now? H a d they—as the great composer had d o n e — e v e n tually f o u n d a w a y to o v e r c o m e awful adversity?
I N T H E M O N T H S S I N C E T H E p u r c h a s e o f B e e t h o v e n ' s hair, Ira B r i l l i a n t , C h e G u e v a r a , a n d t h e c e n t e r ' s staff h a d b e g u n t o discuss i n s o m e detail t h e possibility o f t e s t i n g t h e hair, a n d h a d h a d p r e l i m i n a r y c o n v e r s a t i o n s w i t h s c i e n t i s t s a s far a w a y a s t h e Massachusetts Institute of T e c h n o l o g y and as near at h a n d as t h e L a w r e n c e - L i v e r m o r e N u c l e a r L a b o r a t o r i e s , less t h a n a n hour's d r i v e f r o m t h e B e e t h o v e n C e n t e r i n San Jose. B u t l o n g b e f o r e a n y analysis c o u l d b e g i n , t h e issue o f t h e hair's o w n e r s h i p a n d its d i v i s i o n h a d n e e d e d t o b e d e c i d e d , a n d b y t h e e a r l y s u m m e r o f 1 9 9 5 , Brilliant h a d s u g g e s t e d this possible r e s o l u t i o n t o G u e v a r a : m o s t o f t h e h a i r , 7 3 p e r c e n t o f it, i n fact, would b e c o m e property of the Beethoven Center, w h e r e it w o u l d remain in perpetuity, and w h e r e it conceivably could be m a d e a v a i l a b l e s o m e t i m e far i n t o t h e f u t u r e for t e s t i n g w i t h f o r e n s i c t o o l s t h a t d i d n o t exist i n t h e p r e s e n t day. I t w o u l d b e labeled the " G u e v a r a Lock of Beethoven's H a i r " in a c k n o w l e d g m e n t o f t h e p h y s i c i a n ' s k e y r o l e i n its p u r c h a s e a n d o f his g e n e r o u s gift t o t h e c e n t e r . T h e r e m a i n d e r o f t h e h a i r w o u l d b e c o m e C h e G u e v a r a ' s sole possession, a n d h e c o u l d d o w i t h it what he chose, although the center w o u l d have the first o p t i o n t o p u r c h a s e i t i f i t e v e r w e r e o f f e r e d for sale. A n y c o n t e m p o r a r y testing w o u l d e m p l o y strands f r o m this p o r t i o n o f the
lock,
maker
and
with
Guevara
regard
to
himself w o u l d be what
tests
were
the
key
performed
decision and
by
whom. At
Ira B r i l l i a n t ' s
urging and in advance
o f his
response,
G u e v a r a h a d t r a v e l e d t o S a n J o s e t h a t s u m m e r t o visit t h e c e n t e r f o r t h e f i r s t t i m e a s a m e a n s o f g a u g i n g its m i s s i o n a n d its
m e r i t s for himself, a s w e l l a s t o a t t e n d t h e a n n u a l " B e e t h o v e n B a s h " s p o n s o r e d b y t h e A m e r i c a n B e e t h o v e n Society. W h i l e t h e r e , his i m p r o m p t u c h e e r l e a d i n g h a d s u c c e e d e d i n r a i s i n g t h e final portion renowned
of funds
1814
needed
to
Letronne-Hofel
purchase Beethoven
a
print
of the
engraving,
and
B r i l l i a n t h a d c o m e a w a y f r o m t h e i r j o i n t visit t o C a l i f o r n i a hopeful that t h e physician ultimately w o u l d agree that San Jose was the place w h e r e m o s t o f t h e hair b e l o n g e d . A n d s o o n t h e r e a f t e r , G u e v a r a h a d , i n fact, r e ^ h e d t h e s a m e c o n c l u s i o n ; h e h a d c o n s u l t e d b o t h h i s h e a r t a n d his p i l l o w , h e i n f o r m e d h i s f r i e n d , a n d h e w o u l d agree t o Brilliant's p r o p o s e d disposition o f t h e l o c k o f h a i r t h a t h e n c e f o r t h w o u l d b e a r his n a m e . Several m o r e m o n t h s passed before contracts w e r e r e a d y t o sign certifying t h e t e r m s o f t h e a g r e e m e n t , a n d b e f o r e C h e Guevara had succeeded in assembling a team of medical and scientific c o l l e a g u e s w h o w o u l d t a k e t h e f i r s t s t e p i n a f o r e n s i c p r o c e s s t h a t likely w o u l d t a k e s o m e y e a r s t o c o m p l e t e . B u t f i nally, o n t h e m o r n i n g o f D e c e m b e r 1 2 , 1 9 9 5 , all t h e n e c e s s a r y advance w o r k had been completed and a coterie of interested individuals w e r e prepared to m e e t at the University of Arizona M e d i c a l C e n t e r for t h e s i g n i n g o f t h e d o c u m e n t s a n d t h e n a t last t o o p e n t h e l o c k e t t h a t h e l d t h e p r e c i o u s h a i r — t h e f i r s t time
its
contents
had
been
exposed
since
frame
maker
H e r m a n n Grosshennig had refurbished the locket in C o l o g n e precisely e i g h t y - f o u r years before. Dr. G u e v a r a himself w o u l d p e r f o r m a s o r t o f s u r g e r y o n t h e l o c k e t late i n t h e m o r n i n g . O b s e r v i n g a n d offering their separate kinds of expertise w o u l d be conservator N a n c y Odegaard, Dr. George Drach, a professor
of urology
for
whom
Guevara
felt
great
loyalty
and
affection, a n d forensic a n t h r o p o l o g i s t D r . W a l t e r Birkby, e a c h from the
University
of Arizona;
forensic
pathologist
Dr.
R i c h a r d Froede, a former Pima C o u n t y medical examiner; a n d Ira a n d I r m a B r i l l i a n t , o f c o u r s e . A n d t h e r e w o u l d b e o t h ers w a t c h i n g t h e p r o c e d u r e as well: local television n e w s teams and print reporters w o u l d attend; A m y Stevens, a
Journal
Wall Street
staff r e p o r t e r , also w o u l d b e o n h a n d ; a n d a B r i t i s h
B r o a d c a s t i n g C o m p a n y c r e w w o u l d film t h e e v e n t a s p a r t o f a d o c u m e n t a r y t h e y w e r e p r o d u c i n g o n B e e t h o v e n ' s life a n d music. I t w a s g o i n g t o b e a t h r i l l i n g day, a n d Ira B r i l l i a n t h a d b e e n e a g e r t o g e t u n d e r w a y b e f o r e t h e traffic g o t b a d e a r l y o n t h a t T u e s d a y . H e w a s e x c i t e d , o f c o u r s e , b u t h e also felt c u r i o u s l y b e m u s e d a s h e n e g o t i a t e d his w a y t h r o u g h t h e c r u s h o f cars o n I n t e r s t a t e 1 0 . I t w a s all s o w i l d l y u n l i k e l y , w a s n ' t it? H e w a s l i v ing a kind of d r e a m , and it was truly hard to believe these i m probable circumstances: there in the backseat of the Buick en r o u t e to T u c s o n was a small a n d i n c o n s p i c u o u s b o x inside of w h i c h w a s C h e Guevara's hair—carefully coiled strands that were,
in
Beethoven
point
o f fact,
himself.
a
miraculous
bit
of L u d w i g
van
B Y T H E M I D D L E O F T H E 1820S, B e e t h o v e n r e q u i r e d r e g u lar assistance n o t o n l y w i t h m u s i c a l a n d f i n a n c i a l affairs, b u t also w i t h his r a t h e r m o r e m u n d a n e d o m e s t i c r e q u i s i t e s . I n t h e t h i r t y - t w o years h e h a d lived i n and a r o u n d V i e n n a , h e h a d never bought a h o m e — a l t h o u g h he long had had the means to d o s o — i n largest part b e c a u s e s o m e t h i n g i n h i m d e m a n d e d a c o n s t a n t c h a n g e o f s c e n e , b u t also b e c a u s e h e a n d l a n d l o r d s q u i c k l y t e n d e d t o f i n d c a u s e s for q u a r r e l . W i t h e a c h o f h i s m o r e than forty moves, B e e t h o v e n had prevailed u p o n friends, t h e n l a t e r f r i e n d s a n d s e r v a n t s , t o assist h i m , all o f w h o m w e r e w e l l a w a r e t h a t t h e r e q u e s t s u r e l y w o u l d b e r e p e a t e d w i t h i n six
m o n t h s o r so. A l t h o u g h h e c o u l d b e s h r e w d i n n e g o t i a t i n g w i t h m u s i c p u b l i s h e r s t h e p r i c e h e w o u l d c h a r g e for a n e w piece, he was notoriously p o o r at household computations, c o n c l u d i n g o n e t i m e after m u c h difficult c o g i t a t i o n t h a t t h e s u m o f e l e v e n h a l v e s m u s t t o t a l t e n a n d a half. A n d o n c e s e r vants h a d b e c o m e integral t o his h o u s e h o l d , h e e v e n h a d r e quired advice about h o w he o u g h t to
interact with t h e m .
" W h a t o u g h t o n e t o g i v e 2 s e r v a n t s t o eat a t d i n n e r a n d s u p per b o t h as to quantity and quality?" he had inquired of a friend. " W h a t allowance p e r day d o t h e h o u s e k e e p e r and m a i d receive? H o w about the washing? D o the housekeeper and maid get m o r e ? H o w m u c h w i n e and beer? D o e s o n e give i t to t h e m and w h e n ? Breakfast?" Servants had c o m e and g o n e constantly d u r i n g the years in w h i c h h e h a d b e e n able t o afford t h e i r s e r v i c e s ; m o s t h e w o u l d fire w i t h i n t w o m o n t h s of their arrival, a few w o u l d vanish after o n l y a d a y o f t h e d e a f m a n ' s t i r a d e s a n d w i l d d e m a n d s . N e p h e w K a r l n o w t r i e d t o b e w i t h his u n c l e a s o f t e n a s his university
studies
permitted,
and
when
Schindler
and
Beethoven parted c o m p a n y in the wake of Beethoven's accus a t i o n s a b o u t p u r l o i n e d r e c e i p t s f r o m t h e gala c o n c e r t a t w h i c h his N i n t h S y m p h o n y w a s p r e m i e r e d , h e w a s r e p l a c e d — b u t still w i t h o u t p a y m e n t — b y K a r l H o l z , also a v i o l i n i s t , y e t o n e w h o w a s rather m o r e gifted t h a n
Schindler in that regard,
and
s o m e o n e o f w h o m B e e t h o v e n g r e w v e r y fond d u r i n g the year before Holz's marriage quite curtailed the a m o u n t of time and assistance h e w a s able t o offer. I n m u c h t h e s a m e w a y t h a t t h e y always had,
Beethoven's benefactors and longtime friends—
w h o , o f c o u r s e , w e r e d r a w n t o h i m for t h e m u s i c h e m a d e , b u t
also b e c a u s e s o m e t h i n g a b o u t t h e irascible o l d g o a t w a s c u r i o u s l y d e a r a n d e v e n l o v a b l e — c o n t i n u e d t o visit h i m w i t h r e g ularity, a l w a y s i n q u i r i n g a b o u t h i s w e l f a r e a n d e n j o y i n g h i s g o o d c o m p a n y o n t h o s e d a y s w h e n his s p i r i t s w e r e b r i g h t . G o o d m o o d s , h o w e v e r , w e r e l i m i t e d b y e v e r m o r e illness. W h e n his o n g o i n g gastrointestinal w o e s a n d yet a n o t h e r u n r e m i t t i n g fever sent h i m to b e d in t h e spring of 1826, D r . A n t o n Braunhofer, a well-respected professor at t h e university, p r e s c r i b e d a s t r i c t d i e t a b s e n t coffe^, w i n e , s p i r i t s , o r spices o f a n y k i n d , o n e t h a t s e e m e d far m o r e c r u e l t h a n p o t e n t i a l l y p a l liative t o t h e p a t i e n t w h o h a d few pleasures. B u t t h e fever s l o w l y s u b s i d e d e n o u g h t h a t B e e t h o v e n w a s able t o t r a v e l i n M a y t o t h e n e a r b y spa t o w n o f B a d e n , w h e r e t h e d o c t o r h o p e d daily m i n e r a l b a t h s also m i g h t b e efficacious. Y e t B e e t h o v e n ' s c o n d i t i o n did n o t s o o n i m p r o v e . " W e are in bad health—still v e r y w e a k and belching and so forth," he r e p o r t e d in a letter to Braunhofer. "I think that a stronger m e d i c i n e is g o i n g to be necessary, b u t o n e w h i c h is n o t b i n d i n g . A n d n o w surely I s h o u l d b e a l l o w e d t o d r i n k w h i t e w i n e d i l u t e d w i t h w a t e r , for that mephitic beer is simply revolting. My catarrhal c o n d i t i o n is as f o l l o w s : I still spit a g o o d d e a l of b l o o d , b u t o n l y from my w i n d p i p e , I p r e s u m e . B l o o d also f r e q u e n t l y f l o w s f r o m m y n o s e and m y s t o m a c h has b e c o m e dreadfully w e a k , a n d s o has, generally, m y w h o l e c o n s t i t u t i o n . " Still c a p a b l e , h o w e v e r , o f a b i t o f m e r r i m e n t , h e c l o s e d his l e t t e r w i t h t h e n o t a t i o n o f a s h o r t , s i x t e e n - b a r c a n o n , its t w o l i n e s s t a t i n g , t h e n r e p e a t i n g t h e playful p h r a s e , " C l o s e t h e d o o r a g a i n s t d e a t h , D o c t o r ; I plead that these notes will help w i t h my need." D e s p i t e t h e c o n t i n u a l trials o f illness, B e e t h o v e n ' s ability t o
m a k e m u s i c h a d n o t y e t b e e n r e d u c e d solely t o t h e c o m p o s i n g of comical ditties, h o w e v e r . A l t h o u g h he had n o t w r i t t e n a string quartet since 1810, he had b e e n intrigued three years b e f o r e b y R u s s i a n p r i n c e N i c o l a s G a l i t z i n ' s offer t o c o m m i s sion three quartets, w h i c h , by advance arrangement, w o u l d be d e d i c a t e d t o h i m . T h e p r i n c e h a d let B e e t h o v e n set his o w n price and the c o m p o s e r in t u r n had assured h i m that the first quartet could be finished quite soon, but the demands made by
t h e Missa solemnis a n d t h e N i n t h S y m p h o n y h a d , i n fact, d e layed the quartet's c o m p l e t i o n until February 1825. B e e t h o v e n always had f o u n d s o m e t h i n g wonderfully therapeutic in the c o m p o s i t i o n o f m u s i c — i t w a s t h e sole m e d i c a t i o n h e r e l i a b l y c o u l d c o u n t o n — a n d this t i m e h e also t o o k p a r t i c u l a r p l e a s u r e i n r e t u r n i n g t o a f o r m h e l o n g h a d o v e r l o o k e d . W h i l e still i n B a d e n , w h e r e daily m i n e r a l b a t h s a t last s e e m e d t o b e h e l p i n g h i m a s w e l l , h e set t o w o r k o n t h e s e c o n d q u a r t e t , w h i c h h e quickly completed. T h e quartet's
molto adagio
third m o v e m e n t
was a " H y m n of thanksgiving to the Almighty, in the Lydian m o d e , offered by a convalescent," he w r o t e on t h e score, and b e s i d e its l i l t i n g , u p - t e m p o s e c t i o n h e s c r i b b l e d " F e e l i n g n e w strength." H e felt s t r o n g e n o u g h , i n fact, t o b e g i n w o r k o n G a l i t z i n ' s third quartet—the
last o n e r e q u i r e d o f h i m — w h i l e h e r e -
mained in the country, completing it in Vienna at the end of t h e y e a r , y e t still h e w a s c o m p e l l e d t o k e e p w r i t i n g . M o r e a b d o m i n a l illness—this t i m e a c c o m p a n i e d by painful j o i n t s a n d a w o r r i s o m e r e t u r n o f pain i n his e y e s — i n t e r r u p t e d w o r k o n a
fourth
q u a r t e t i n t h e w i n t e r , b u t it t o o w a s v i r t u a l l y c o m p l e t e
in July 1826, w h e n B e e t h o v e n was shattered by terrible, nearly incomprehensible news. " M y m o t h e r m e t h i m o n t h e Glacis, c o m p l e t e l y u n d o n e , " remembered
Gerhard
von
Breuning,
son
of Stephan
von
B r e u n i n g , h i s early f r i e n d f r o m B o n n , w h o h a d m o v e d t o V i e n n a w i t h his f a m i l y m a n y y e a r s b e f o r e .
" D o you know
w h a t has h a p p e n e d ? M y Karl h a s s h o t h i m s e l f ! " B e e t h o v e n a n n o u n c e d , i m p o s s i b l y . " I t w a s a g l a n c i n g s h o t ; h e i s still l i v i n g , there's h o p e that he can be savedj—but t h e disgrace he has b r o u g h t u p o n m e ; a n d I l o v e d h i m so." I t w a s e m b l e m a t i c o f t h e n a t u r e o f his r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h his n e p h e w t h a t B e e t h o v e n c o n s i d e r e d t h e h o r r i f i c e v e n t ' s effect o n his r e p u t a t i o n a s r e a d ily a s h e w o r r i e d a b o u t t h e b o y ' s s u r v i v a l , b u t t h e r e w a s n o d o u b t , nonetheless, that the attempted suicide devastated h i m . " T h e p a i n t h a t h e r e c e i v e d f r o m this e v e n t w a s i n d e s c r i b a b l e , " G e r h a r d v o n B r e u n i n g r e c a l l e d . " H e w a s cast d o w n a s a f a t h e r w h o h a d lost h i s m u c h - b e l o v e d s o n . " A l t h o u g h always eager t o please h i m , Karl, n o w n i n e t e e n , i n c r e a s i n g l y h a d b e e n p l a g u e d b y his u n c l e ' s d e m a n d s , his p o s sessiveness, his c o n s t a n t s u s p i c i o n s a n d q u i c k a n g e r . B e e t h o v e n d i s l i k e d Karl's f r i e n d s a n d h a d b e c o m e ceaselessly m i s t r u s t f u l o f t h e i r m o t i v e s ; h e c o m p l a i n e d t h a t t h e b o y w a s lazy, a s p e n d thrift, a n d h e h a d b e e n o u t r a g e d w h e n K a r l c o n t i n u e d t o s e e his m o t h e r s u r r e p t i t i o u s l y . F o r his p a r t , a n d p r i o r t o t h e i n c i d e n t , K a r l h a d i n f o r m e d his u n c l e ' s assistant K a r l H o l z t h a t h e s i m p l y h a d g r o w n " t i r e d o f life b e c a u s e [I] s e e i n i t s o m e t h i n g different
from
what
[my uncle] judiciously and righteously
w o u l d approve." "I g r e w worse because my uncle wanted me
t o b e b e t t e r , " h e e x p l a i n e d t o t h e p o l i c e after t h e fact, a n d s o o n J u l y 2 9 K a r l h a d p a w n e d his p o c k e t w a t c h , b o u g h t t w o n e w pistols, a n d t r a v e l e d t o B a d e n , w h e r e , h i g h o n a hill t h a t for m a n y y e a r s h a d b e e n o n e o f h i s u n c l e ' s f a v o r i t e h i k i n g s p o t s , h e h a d f i r e d b o t h w e a p o n s a t his t e m p l e s , fully i n t e n d i n g t o kill h i m s e l f . O n e b u l l e t h a d m i s s e d Karl's h e a d e n t i r e l y , h o w e v e r , a n d t h e o t h e r , i n c r e d i b l y , h a d failed t o p e n e t r a t e his skull. H e h a d b e e n found, barely conscious, and had b e e n h u r r i e d back to Vienna, w h e r e f i r s t h e h a d b e e n t a k e n t o his m o t h e r ' s h o u s e , a n d t h e n to a nearby hospital. As had h a p p e n e d the previous s u m m e r in B a d e n , this t i m e t o o B e e t h o v e n was a s s u m e d to be a peasant w h e n h e a r r i v e d a t t h e h o s p i t a l t o see h i s w o u n d e d n e p h e w . B u t w h e n a p h y s i c i a n ' s assistant f i n a l l y a c q u i e s c e d t o his i n s i s tence that he was the famous composer, the shabby old m a n q u i c k l y t o o k t h e assistant i n t o his c o n f i d e n c e , e x p l a i n i n g t h a t h e " d i d n o t really w a n t t o visit [Karl] for h e d o e s n o t d e s e r v e it; h e h a s g i v e n m e t o o m u c h v e x a t i o n , " t h e n t a k i n g r i m e t o o u t l i n e t h e b o y ' s m a n y m i s d e e d s b e f o r e a t last h e a s k e d t o b e t a k e n t o his r o o m . I t w a s late S e p t e m b e r b e f o r e K a r l w a s r e l e a s e d f r o m t h e h o s pital, b y w h i c h r i m e B e e t h o v e n f i n a l l y h a d b e g u n t o c o n t e n d w i t h t h e p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t his o w n b e h a v i o r t o w a r d his n e p h e w m i g h t have played a part in p u s h i n g h i m t o w a r d suicide. He n e v e r o p e n l y a d m i t t e d as m u c h , b u t he did agree that Karl n o w should be allowed to j o i n the army, s o m e t h i n g he had w a n t e d t o d o for s o m e t i m e , a n d B e e t h o v e n also m a d e a l a s t - d i t c h e n d e a v o r of sorts to p a t c h his splintered family b a c k together. Although he did n o t attempt a direct r a p p r o c h e m e n t with
Karl's m o t h e r , h e d i d ,
in the end,
a c k n o w l e d g e that Karl
s h o u l d s p e n d a b i t o f r i m e w i t h h e r b e f o r e h e b e g a n his m i l i t a r y s e r v i c e , a n d h e e v e n w e n t s o far a s t o w r i t e t o J o h a n n a , h e n c e f o r t h o f f e r i n g h e r Karl's h a l f o f h e r h u s b a n d ' s p e n s i o n a n d a d d i n g that " s h o u l d I be in a position later on to give y o u a sum
from
m y b a n k for t h e i m p r o v e m e n t o f y o u r c i r c u m -
s t a n c e s , i t w i l l c e r t a i n l y b e d o n e . " H e h a d w i s h e d h e r "all p o s sible g o o d " a s h e c o n c l u d e d t h a t letter, a n d n o w h e s e e m e d t o w i s h t h e s a m e t o e v e r y o n e w h o carried t h e B e e t h o v e n n a m e , a g r e e i n g a t last t o his b r o t h e r J o h a n n ' s p l e a t h a t h e a n d K a r l , w h o w a s still c o n v a l e s c i n g , s h o u l d c o m e stay for t h e r e m a i n d e r o f t h e a u t u m n w i t h h i m a t his small e s t a t e n e a r t h e village o f Gneixendorf. B e e t h o v e n l o n g had despised Johann's wife because he b e l i e v e d — n o t w i t h o u t e v i d e n c e — t h a t she husband
repeatedly,
but Johann,
had cuckolded her
a pharmacist,
assured
his
b r o t h e r that h e w o u l d "scarcely see t h e w o m a n , " a n d a c u r i o u s l y wistful B e e t h o v e n n o t o n l y s o o n b e c a m e c o m f o r t a b l e i n r e s i d e n c e w i t h his b r o t h e r , b u t also w a s c a p t i v a t e d b y t h e bright and o p e n countryside that spread away from it t o w a r d the D a n u b e a n d the distant Styrian m o u n t a i n s . " T h e scenes a m o n g w h i c h I a m s o j o u r n i n g , " h e w r o t e t o his m u s i c p u b lisher i n M a i n z , " r e m i n d m e s o m e w h a t o f t h e R h i n e c o u n t r y t h a t I s o g r e a t l y l o n g t o see a g a i n , h a v i n g left i t i n m y y o u t h . " A s had b e e n c o m m o n p l a c e for s o m e r i m e , h o w e v e r , h e often was w i t h d r a w n a n d o n s o m e days was terribly depressed. A n d d e s p i t e t h e fact t h a t h e also c o n t i n u e d t o b e ill w i t h w o r r i s o m e regularity, h e w a s a t ease e n o u g h a t G n e i x e n d o r f n o w that h e m a n a g e d t o r e t u r n t o w o r k o n a fifth q u a r t e t , w h i c h h e h a d
b e g u n in July a
few
days b e f o r e
Karl's
a t t e m p t e d suicide.
A l t h o u g h m o r e m o d e s t i n scale t h a n t h e p r e v i o u s q u a r t e t s , t h e r e w e r e aspects o f t h e n e w piece that yet again p o i n t e d i n novel directions. " W h a t I w r i t e n o w bears no resemblance to w h a t I w r o t e f o r m e r l y . I t i s s o m e w h a t b e t t e r , " h e d e c l a r e d , still b u o y e d b y n e w c h a l l e n g e s . H e c a l l e d t h e last m o v e m e n t o f t h e quartet
"The
Difficult R e s o l u t i o n , "
its title
unintentionally
i r o n i c , s i n c e h e c o u l d n o t t h e n k n o w t h a t i t w o u l d b e t h e last c o m p l e t e p i e c e h e e v e r w o u l d f i n i s h , his w o r k o n i t d o n e i n D e c e m b e r b e f o r e a t e r r i b l e r o w w i t h his b r o t h e r a n d a l a r m i n g n e w medical troubles persuaded h i m that it was time to return t o t h e city.
VERY MODERN MICR05COPE5
IT WAS AN
UNUSUAL
P U B L I C A T I O N i n w h i c h t o see his
byline, and t h e language in w h i c h the article was w r i t t e n was o n e he didn't speak, b u t nonetheless they b o t h had appeared in the September 1995 edition of
Jedisk Orientering,
the monthly
newsletter of Copenhagen's "Mosaic," or Jewish, community. "Last D e c e m b e r , a fellow B e e t h o v e n lover and I a c q u i r e d a c e r t i f i e d l o c k o f B e e t h o v e n ' s h a i r i n L o n d o n , " Ira B r i l l i a n t h a d b e g u n , his w o r d s t r a n s l a t e d i n t o D a n i s h b y t h e n e w s l e t t e r ' s e d itor, Birte K o n t . " W e l e a r n e d that it h a d b e e n c o n s i g n e d by a w o m a n in D e n m a r k . We were contacted by her son w h o told u s that t h e l o c k was g i v e n t o h e r b y h e r father. H i s n a m e w a s
K a y A l e x a n d e r F r e m m i n g . " B r i l l i a n t h a d g o n e o n t o tell t h e compelling story that F r e m m i n g s grandson first had described i n a l e t t e r m a i l e d t o t h e U n i t e d States six m o n t h s b e f o r e , a n d t h e A m e r i c a n h a d o u t l i n e d for D a n i s h r e a d e r s a s w e l l t h e i n triguing j o u r n e y the hair had m a d e t h r o u g h time and the w a r scarred nations of western E u r o p e . Because it appeared that Beethoven had been involved—albeit very indirectly—in the s a v i n g o f a J e w i s h life, a n d b e c a u s e h e s a w s u c h p o w e r f u l s y m b o l i s m i n t h a t possibility, B r i l l i a n t h a d a p p e a l e d t o D e n m a r k ' s c o n t e m p o r a r y J e w s for a n y a d d i t i o n a l i n f o r m a t i o n t h e y m i g h t have that w o u l d shed m o r e light on the circumstances that l o n g ago h a d led to the giving of t h e black locket to D r . F r e m m i n g . A n d Brilliant had expressed a n o t h e r h o p e as well: " I a m a l w a y s i n t e r e s t e d i n d a t a c o n c e r n i n g B e e t h o v e n a n d his influence on western culture, and as an A m e r i c a n J e w I am also e a g e r t o h e l p s p r e a d a s t o r y o f m a n ' s c o n c e r n for his fell o w m a n , a s p e r s o n i f i e d b y t h e s p o n t a n e o u s effort o f t h e D a n e s to help their fellow D a n e s in their h o u r of need." Ira B r i l l i a n t f i r s t h a d w r i t t e n t o B i r t e K o n t a t t h e s u g g e s t i o n o f N e w York University psychology professor Leo Goldberger, a childhood immigrant to Denmark from Germany, one w h o still h a d b e e n a s c h o o l b o y i n O c t o b e r 1 9 4 3 w h e n h e a n d his family w e r e forced t o f l e e t o S w e d e n f r o m t h e i r C o p e n h a g e n h o m e . A l t h o u g h G o l d b e r g e r h a d l i v e d i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s for m a n y years by now, he r e t u r n e d to D e n m a r k often, and in 1987 he had edited
The Rescue of the Danish Jews,
an English-
l a n g u a g e c o l l e c t i o n o f m e m o i r s a n d essays b y p r o m i n e n t D a n e s w h o had participated in those terrifying events.
Goldberger
himself, h o w e v e r , h a d n o t p a s s e d t h r o u g h t h e t o w n o f G i l l e l e j e
e n r o u t e t o safety, a n d t h e r e f o r e h a d b e e n u n a b l e t o offer s p e cific assistance w h e n B r i l l i a n t f i r s t h a d w r i t t e n t o h i m . Y e t h e , like s o m a n y o t h e r s already, h a d b e e n f a s c i n a t e d b y T h o m a s W a s s a r d L a r s e n ' s s t o r y o f h o w his g r a n d f a t h e r h a d c o m e t o p o s sess a l o c k o f t h e i m m o r t a l c o m p o s e r ' s hair, a n d t h e p r o f e s s o r had suggested n u m e r o u s people w h o m Brilliant m i g h t contact in
addition
to
the
e d i t o r o f Jedisk
Orientering.
In
particular,
G o l d b e r g e r was aware that a retired R o s k i l d e University p r o fessor n a m e d C h r i s t i a n T o r t z e n h a ^ p u b l i s h e d i n D a n i s h s o m e y e a r s b e f o r e a b o o k t i t l e d Gilleleje,
Oktober 1943, w h i c h h a d f o -
c u s e d solely o n h o w t h e e v e n t s o f t h e r e s c u e h a d u n f o l d e d there. It had taken Brilliant s o m e m o n t h s to locate a n d t h e n hear f r o m T o r t z e n , b u t w h e n a t last h e r e c e i v e d a l e t t e r f r o m h i m on the same afternoon he r e t u r n e d h o m e from watching Dr. G u e v a r a o p e n t h e l o c k e t i n T u c s o n , t h e n e w s T o r t z e n h a d for h i m was disappointing. His b o o k had b e g u n as an oral history p r o j e c t u n d e r t a k e n w i t h s t u d e n t s late i n t h e 1 9 6 0 s w h e n h e h a d b e e n a h i g h s c h o o l t e a c h e r i n t h e n o r t h Sjaslland t o w n o f H i l l e r o d , a few k i l o m e t e r s s o u t h o f Gilleleje. H e h a d b e c o m e so fascinated, a n d so m o v e d , by w h a t t h e residents of t h e small s e a p o r t h a d d e s c r i b e d t o h i m a n d his s t u d e n t s a b o u t t h a t t u r bulent time
t h a t h e s u b s e q u e n t l y h a d felt h o n o r - b o u n d
to
c o m p i l e their collective stories into a b o o k . A n d yes, of course, he
informed
Ira
Brilliant,
he
was
familiar w i t h
who
Dr.
F r e m m i n g h a d b e e n , b u t n o , n e i t h e r h e n o r his s t u d e n t s h a d b e e n able t o i n t e r v i e w h i m p r i o r t o his d e a t h i n 1 9 6 9 , a n d n e i t h e r h a d a n y o n e e v e r t o l d T o r t z e n a tale a b o u t a gift o f a l o c k o f hair. N o n e t h e l e s s , h e a s s u r e d t h e i n q u i r i n g A m e r i c a n i n h i s
boldly scribbled hand, "I am trying to find persons w h o have k n o w n Dr. Kay A l e x a n d e r F r e m m i n g i n o r d e r t o identify t h e J e w i s h refugee w h o gave h i m the hair lock. You will hear from m e later."
T H E O P E N I N G O F T H E L O C K E T o n that D e c e m b e r day had been a wonderful event, both reverential and riveting, as m o v i n g a s i t also h a d b e e n e t c h e d w i t h a n t i c i p a t i o n , a n d its s e v e r a l p a r t i c i p a n t s h a d c o m e a w a y q u i t e h o p e f u l t h a t t h e y h a d set i n motion
the
eventual
discovery
of important
new
informa-
tion—whatever it might b e — a b o u t Ludwig van Beethoven's l o n g - b a t t e r e d h e a l t h , d a t a n o w h i d d e n i n s t r a n d s o f his g r a y i n g h a i r . A n d e v e n t h a t v e r y day, n e w f i n d i n g s a b o u t b o t h t h e h a i r a n d its s k e t c h y p r o v e n a n c e h a d b e e n f o r t h c o m i n g : t h e l o c k e t i n w h i c h the hair had b e e n h o u s e d was identical to those that were commonplace in early-nineteenth-century Europe; it had b e e n refurbished in 1 9 1 1 , or so a bit of paper found inside attested, a n d that likely e x p l a i n e d w h y t h e strands r e m a i n e d i n surprisingly g o o d condition. T h e hair appeared t w o h u n d r e d years
old,
Birkby
had
or
thereabouts,
declared,
and
forensic under
anthropologist
microscopic
Walter
examination,
B i r k b y also h a d n o t e d t h e p r e s e n c e o f a f e w follicles a t t h e r o o t s o f i n d i v i d u a l h a i r s , m e a n i n g t h a t o r g a n i c D N A t e s t i n g likely w o u l d be possible, if it was d e e m e d a p p r o p r i a t e . It w a s n ' t until a f e w w e e k s h e n c e , h o w e v e r , that B i r k b y startled Brilliant, G u e v a r a , a n d their colleagues by i n f o r m i n g t h e m t h a t his
meticulous
count
had revealed that
the
presumed
150—200 h a i r s n u m b e r e d , i n fact, 5 8 2 . Y o u n g F e r d i n a n d H i l l e r had snipped away m u c h m o r e hair than a n y o n e previously had supposed, and therefore the Beethoven Center w o u l d receive 4 2 2 individual h a i r s — a n a m o u n t large e n o u g h that, o n c e r e t u r n e d t o t h e l o c k e t , its v o l u m e w o u l d a p p e a r h a r d l y t o h a v e b e e n d i m i n i s h e d — w h i l e Dr. G u e v a r a w o u l d claim 160 strands for h i m s e l f a n d for t h e t e s t i n g t h a t s o o n w o u l d g e t u n d e r w a y . T h e larger sample, t o g e t h e r w i t h the locket in w h i c h it h a d resided since the 1820s, w o u l d b^ h o u s e d in a t e m p e r a t u r e and h u m i d i t y - c o n t r o l l e d vault at the B e e t h o v e n C e n t e r in San Jose. D r . G u e v a r a w o u l d c h o o s e simply t o curl t h e hairs that n o w w e r e h i s i n s i d e a s t e r i l e p e t r i d i s h , its lid h e l d t i g h t w i t h a silver r i b b o n , w h i c h i n t u r n h e p l a c e d i n s i d e w h a t h e b e l i e v e d was
his
fireproof,
bombproof,
and
t h e f t p r o o f office
safe.
B e e t h o v e n ' s h a i r w o u l d b e n e a r b y a s h e s a w his p a t i e n t s e a c h day, a n d t h a t c e r t a i n t y g r e a t l y a p p e a l e d t o t h e p h y s i c i a n , y e t h e also w a s r e a d y t o a n n o u n c e i n M a r c h 1 9 9 6 t h a t a f e w o f t h o s e peripatetic hairs w e r e a b o u t to travel again. In collaboration with m e m b e r s of the Tucson-based team that had observed the o p e n i n g of the locket, and in regular c o n s u l t a t i o n w i t h Ira B r i l l i a n t a s w e l l , D r . G u e v a r a lately h a d d e s i g n a t e d t w o scientists w h o initially w o u l d b e e n t r u s t e d w i t h t h e p r e c i o u s r e l i c . First, h e w o u l d s h i p t w e n t y h a i r s — n o n e o f t h e m c o n t a i n i n g a follicle o r s o - c a l l e d " b u l b " — t o D r . W e r n e r Baumgartner, head of Psychemedics C o r p o r a t i o n in the Los Angeles s u b u r b o f C u l v e r City, California, w h o w o u l d c o m p l e t e a d r u g analysis o f t h e h a i r s b e f o r e f o r w a r d i n g t h e m i n turn
to
Dr.
William
Walsh's
Health
Research
Institute
in
N a p e r v i l l e , I l l i n o i s , for f u r t h e r a n d far m o r e e x t e n s i v e analysis.
I n t h e m o n t h s s i n c e t h e s e a r c h for t h e p r o p e r s c i e n t i s t s h a d c o m m e n c e d , Dr. pathologist
Guevara,
Richard
Froede
Ira B r i l l i a n t ,
Walter Birkby, a n d
separately
in
had been
contact
w i t h d o z e n s o f r e s e a r c h scientists a t l a b o r a t o r i e s a n d u n i v e r s i ties a r o u n d t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s a n d h a d f o u n d t h e m a l m o s t u n i versally interested i n t a k i n g o n t h e u n u s u a l project. E a c h h a d b e e n i n f o r m e d that the person ultimately selected w o u l d be r e q u i r e d t o a g r e e t o several k e y c o n d i t i o n s : t h e w o r k w o u l d b e conducted according to the
h i g h e s t c o n t e m p o r a r y scientific
standards; t h e n a m e o f the subject f r o m w h o m the hair h a d come
would
never be
attached
to
the
sample;
the
testing
would be completed in a timely manner and would be done free of charge; the sample w o u l d be returned immediately to G u e v a r a o n his v e r b a l r e q u e s t ; a n d all f i n d i n g s w o u l d b e k e p t u t t e r l y c o n f i d e n t i a l , u n l e s s G u e v a r a w e r e t o g i v e t h e scientists his e x p r e s s p e r m i s s i o n t o p u b l i c i z e t h e m . T h o s e d e m a n d s h a d deterred no o n e in the end, and ultimately the physician had b a s e d his d e c i s i o n s i n largest p a r t o n t h e s c i e n t i s t s ' c o l l e g i a l reputations; the t w e n t y hairs f r o m B e e t h o v e n ' s h e a d w o u l d g o to B a u m g a r t n e r and Walsh, the d o c t o r explained, simply b e cause their colleagues had affirmed that they w e r e t h e v e r y best i n t h e business a t t h e k i n d s o f analyses b o t h w e r e e a g e r t o u n dertake.
SOON
THE
SEARCH
FOR
MORE
information about the
locket's trip t h r o u g h t i m e necessarily spread f r o m D e n m a r k t o G e r m a n y a s w e l l . W i t h t h e f r e q u e n t assistance o f his f r i e n d
H a n s - W e r n e r K i i t h e n a t t h e B e e t h o v e n - A r c h i v i n B o n n , Ira B r i l l i a n t w a s able t o d e t e r m i n e b y t h e t i m e t h e t e s t i n g g o t u n d e r w a y that Paul H i l l e r — t o w h o m the hair had b e l o n g e d f r o m M a y 1 8 8 3 u n t i l a t least D e c e m b e r 1 9 1 1 a n d p e r h a p s u n t i l his d e a t h i n 1 9 3 4 — h a d b e e n a n o p e r a s i n g e r i n his y o u t h , a s
h i s m o t h e r h a d b e e n . A 1 9 2 2 e d i t i o n of Wet ist's? (Who's Who?) n o t e d , h o w e v e r , t h a t h e h a d s p e n t t h e m a j o r i t y o f his w o r k i n g life a s a m u s i c j o u r n a l i s t ; h e h a d m a r r i e d S o p h i e L i o n i n J u n e 1902 and she had b o r n e h i m t w o sons, Edgar in 1906, and E r w i n t w o y e a r s later. I t w a s c u r i o u s t h a t a 1 9 5 9 e d i t i o n o f t h e Musiklexikon failed t o m e n t i o n e i t h e r h i s w i f e o r t h e i r s o n s , y e t i t d i d n o t e t h a t i n 1 8 8 2 , t w e n t y y e a r s b e f o r e his m a r r i a g e , P a u l Hiller h a d fathered a s o n n a m e d Felix d u r i n g t h e t i m e he lived i n t h e c i t y o f C h e m n i t z . Felix a l m o s t c e r t a i n l y w o u l d b e d e ceased, Brilliant a n d Kiithen agreed, as w o u l d S o p h i e Hiller; b u t although b o t h m e n w o u l d be elderly by now, it was possib l e , w a s n ' t it, t h a t o n e o r b o t h o f S o p h i e ' s s o n s r e m a i n e d alive? Yet w h e r e — a n d h o w — o n earth could they be found? W i t h t h e d e d i c a t e d assistance o f a F r a u G o d d e n ( w h o s e first n a m e she n e v e r surrendered) at the Nordrhein-Westfalisches H a u p t s t a a t s a r c h i v i n Diisseldorf, B r i l l i a n t finally w a s a b l e t o p i e c e t o g e t h e r a H i l l e r family t r e e t h a t r e a c h e d b a c k as far as F e r d i n a n d H i l l e r ' s p a r e n t s , J u s t u s H i l l e r a n d his w i f e , R e g i n e , a n d w h i c h r e a c h e d far e n o u g h f o r w a r d i n t i m e t o r e c o r d t h e names and birth Kwast,
Paul
dates o f t h e g r a n d c h i l d r e n o f T o n y Hiller
Hiller's
sister
and
only
sibling.
But
nothing
B r i l l i a n t o r his assistants i n G e r m a n y c o u l d find o f f e r e d n e w i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t w h a t had b e c o m e o f Paul Hiller's wife o r a n y o f his s o n s . I t s e e m e d p r o b a b l e , o f c o u r s e , t h a t t h e i r lives
h a d b e e n d i s r u p t e d d r a m a t i c a l l y b y t h e rise o f N a z i s m a n d t h e subsequent state-sponsored persecution of Jews that had begun e a r l y i n t h e 1 9 3 0 s , b u t s o far a t least, t h e r e w a s n o w a y t o b e sure. T h e 1933
Adressbuch
for t h e c i t y o f C o l o g n e d e c l a r e d t h a t
P a u l H i l l e r a n d his s o n E d g a r , w h o w a s listed a s a n o p e r a s i n g e r by
profession,
resided
at
31
Eifelstrasse, j u s t off t h e s m a l l
E i f e l p l a t z , n e a r t h e city's s o u t h e r n r a i l w a y s t a t i o n . P u b l i s h e d a f e w m o n t h s after P a u l H i l l e r ' s d e a t h , t h e 1 9 3 4 e d i t i o n o f t h e d i r e c t o r y l i s t e d S o p h i e H i l l e r a n d s o n E d g a r a s still i n r e s i d e n c e ; b y 1 9 3 5 , o n l y S o p h i e H i l l e r still r e s i d e d t h e r e , o r s o t h e d i r e c t o r y c l a i m e d ; a n d b y 1 9 3 6 , n o one f r o m P a u l H i l l e r ' s f a m ily a p p e a r e d t o l i v e i n C o l o g n e a n y l o n g e r . S u r e l y S o p h i e H i l l e r o r o n e o f h e r t w o s o n s h a d fled n o r t h t o D e n m a r k a t a b o u t t h a t t i m e , Ira B r i l l i a n t n o w p r e s u m e d , a n d h a d t a k e n i n t o w t h e s t o r i e d l o c k o f hair. I t also s e e m e d p r o b a b l e t h a t o n e o f t h e t h r e e , o r c o n c e i v a b l y all o f t h e m t o gether,
h a d b e e n safe
in
Copenhagen
o r its e n v i r o n s u n t i l
O c t o b e r 1 9 4 3 , w h e n t h e y h a d b e e n f o r c e d t o flee a g a i n . B u t the t o w n s p e o p l e had k n o w n virtually n o n e o f the n a m e s o f the r e f u g e e s w h o p a s s e d t h r o u g h G i l l e l e j e e n r o u t e t o safe h a v e n i n S w e d e n . A n d i f t h a t w e r e t h e case, w o u l d i t e v e r b e p o s s i b l e t o prove w h o h a d p r e s s e d t h e l o c k e t i n t o K a y F r e m m i n g ' s hands?
" I N MY S C I E N T I F I C AND
P H I L O S O P H I C battles, I h a v e
d e r i v e d m u c h solace and strength
from
Beethoven's music,"
W e r n e r B a u m g a r t n e r w r o t e i n his r e p o r t t o D r . G u e v a r a a n d
Ira B r i l l i a n t w h e n h e c o m p l e t e d his e x a m i n a t i o n o f t h e t w e n t y hairs G u e v a r a had sent t o h i m . H e w a n t e d the m e n t o k n o w t h e r e f o r e h o w m u c h t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o test t h e h a i r for t h e presence of m o r p h i n e had m e a n t to him. Baumgartner was a n a t i v e o f A u s t r i a , a n d c e r t a i n l y his n a t i o n a l i t y m a d e h i m feel a kind of kinship with the great composer, yet there was s o m e thing m o r e that d r e w h i m to Beethoven: B a u m g a r t n e r was a l o n g - s t a n d i n g disciple o f t h e V i e n n a - b o r n p h i l o s o p h e r o f scie n c e Karl P o p p e r a s well. P o p p e r , y v h o died i n 1 9 9 4 a n d w h o also h a d b e e n a n a c c o m p l i s h e d c o m p o s e r a n d m u s i c o l o g i s t , believed that B e e t h o v e n remained the world's foremost " s u b j e c t i v e " c o m p o s e r , s o m e o n e w h o " h a d m a d e [his] m u s i c a n i n strument of self-expression" in a way that w o u l d have been d i s a s t r o u s , e v e n " d a n g e r o u s , " w i t h o u t his " p u r i t y o f h e a r t , his d r a m a t i c p o w e r s , his u n i q u e c r e a t i v e gifts." I n m u c h t h e s a m e w a y t h a t i t h a d s e e m e d t o P o p p e r , B a u m g a r t n e r also s u s p e c t e d that B e e t h o v e n never could have expressed that p r o f o u n d s u b j e c t i v e e m o t i o n h a d fate n o t f o r c e d h i m t o suffer c h r o n i c a n d p r o f o u n d physical pain, and it was in that c o n t e x t that the Los A n g e l e s s c i e n t i s t w a s s o s t a r t l e d b y t h e f i n d i n g his test p r o duced. S i n c e 1 9 7 7 , B a u m g a r t n e r a n d his c o l l e a g u e s a t P s y c h e m e d i c s C o r p o r a t i o n had tested m o r e than t w o million h u m a n hair samples using a patented p r o c e d u r e capable of detecting the presence of m o r p h i n e , heroin, and other opiate metabolites, a n d h a d s t r u g g l e d — a t last s u c c e s s f u l l y — t o c o n v i n c e a l e g i o n o f s k e p t i c s t h a t e x a m i n a t i o n o f h a i r for d r u g u s e w a s , i n fact, far m o r e a c c u r a t e t h a n u r i n a l y s i s . B a u m g a r t n e r , his w i f e A n n e t t e , and two
colleagues first had published the
results o f t h e i r
c o m p a r i s o n o f d r u g testing o f b o t h hair a n d u r i n e in t h e
of Nuclear Medicine
Journal
in 1979, b u t m o r e t h a n a d e c a d e h a d passed
b e f o r e their p r o c e d u r e h a d b e c o m e w i d e l y c o n s i d e r e d t h e state o f t h e a r t . C a p a b l e o f d e t e c t i n g d r u g c o n c e n t r a t i o n s a s small a s a billionth of a g r a m in weight, the B a u m g a r t n e r m e t h o d util i z e d r a d i o i m m u n o a s s a y , a l a b o r a t o r y t e c h n i q u e first d e v e l o p e d i n t h e 1 9 5 0 s b y N o b e l l a u r e a t e R o s a l y n Yalow, w h i c h c o m b i n e d r a d i o i s o t o p e t r a c i n g a n d basic i m m u n o l o g y t o c r e a t e a very accurate and straightforward means of measuring m i n u t e concentrations of biological
and pharmacological substances
i n b l o o d o r o t h e r fluid s a m p l e s .
Baumgartner's proprietary
m e t h o d of hair radioimmunoassay by n o w was e m p l o y e d by m o r e than sixteen h u n d r e d police departments,
parole d e -
partments, corporations, schools, and universities a r o u n d the U n i t e d S t a t e s , a n d successfully h a d w i t h s t o o d n u m e r o u s c h a l lenges in c o u r t . In a series of studies u n d e r t a k e n by t h e N a t i o n a l Institute
of Standards
and
Technologies
during
the
1990s,
seven r o u n d s of " b l i n d " hair samples had b e e n sent to l a b o r a t o ries across t h e c o u n t r y , a n d B a u m g a r t n e r ' s h a d b e e n t h e sole l a b o r a t o r y t h a t w a s 1 0 0 p e r c e n t successful i n i d e n t i f y i n g b o t h positive and negative samples. W h a t was particularly i m p o r t a n t w i t h regard to testing the B e e t h o v e n s a m p l e was that B a u m g a r t n e r a n d his colleagues h a d b e e n a b l e t o establish s o m e y e a r s b e f o r e t h a t t r a c e a m o u n t s o f o p i a t e s r e m a i n e d stable i n h u m a n h a i r o v e r v e r y l o n g p e r i ods of time. In 1986, they had e x a m i n e d a lock of hair that had b e e n clipped from t h e head of English p o e t J o h n Keats foll o w i n g his d e a t h i n 1 8 2 1 , a n d h a d f o u n d t h a t i t still c o n t a i n e d s i g n i f i c a n t levels o f m o r p h i n e 1 6 5 y e a r s later, a f i n d i n g c o n s i s -
t e n t w i t h t h e k n o w l e d g e t h a t K e a t s , also a c h e m i s t a n d p h y s i cian, had self-prescribed l a u d a n u m , an o p i u m tincture t h e n w i d e l y used as an analgesic, w h i l e he was d y i n g of t u b e r c u l o sis. A s u b s e q u e n t P s y c h e m e d i c s analysis of h a i r
from
a five-
h u n d r e d - y e a r - o l d m u m m y unearthed in Peru had s h o w n that i t still c o n t a i n e d t r a c e a m o u n t s o f c o c a i n e , a l t h o u g h m o s t o f t h e d r u g t h a t w a s p r e s e n t b y n o w h a d b r o k e n d o w n i n t o its byproduct benzoylergonine. If Beethoven had consumed opiates i n that
the
fact
last m o n t h s o f his
certainly
should
l^fe,
have
therefore,
been
revealed.
evidence But
of
what
Baumgartner found instead—or what he didn't find—seemed n o t h i n g less t h a n a r r e s t i n g ,
and he explained h o w he had
r e a c h e d his s u r p r i s i n g c o n c l u s i o n i n his r e p o r t t o D r . G u e v a r a a n d Ira B r i l l i a n t :
T h e analysis b e g a n w i t h t h e w a s h i n g o f t h e t w e n t y h a i r specimens in dry ethanol at 37 degrees centigrade with vigorous shaking at 120 cycles/minute. T h e p u r p o s e of the w a s h p r o c e d u r e was t o r e m o v e any possible m o r p h i n e c o n t a m i n a n t s f r o m t h e h a i r surface. A n y m o r p h i n e f o u n d in the ethanol solution w o u l d be interpreted as m o r p h i n e deposited on t h e hair n o t as a result of d r u g use b u t by m o r p h i n e that was present in
the environment while
B e e t h o v e n was alive o r d u r i n g t h e m a n y years o f storage of the hair sample. After
the
initial
decontamination
process,
the
hairs
w e r e d r i e d t o r e m o v e any residual ethanol. T h e subseq u e n t e x t r a c t i o n w a s p e r f o r m e d w i t h specially d e i o n i z e d
aoi
w a t e r w h i c h was received from Dr. William Walsh's l a b o r a t o r y . T h e u s e o f t h e specially p u r i f i e d w a t e r w a s d e s i r able in o r d e r to avoid i n t r o d u c i n g a n y metals (present as impurities in the water) i n t o t h e hair s p e c i m e n d u r i n g t h e extraction process.
Prior to extraction with water, the
hairs w e r e quickly rinsed w i t h 2 ml of w a t e r to r e m o v e any r e m a i n i n g ethanol, w h i c h could interfere w i t h the radioimmunoassay
(RIA)
procedure.
The
hair was s u b -
jected to 15 hours of extraction at 37 degrees centigrade w i t h a fresh 2 ml aliquot. T h e ethanol wash solutions w e r e evaporated to dryness and the residue taken up in w a t e r for R I A analysis. R I A w a s p e r f o r m e d i n d u p l i c a t e on
0.5
ml water aliquots.
The
results
of the
analysis
s h o w e d zero m o r p h i n e c o n t e n t i n t h e w a t e r e x t r a c t s , i n the water rinse, and in the ethanol wash solution.
Based on that finding—and assuming, of course, that the hair tested truly had b e e n B e e t h o v e n ' s — B a u m g a r t n e r was willing to claim w i t h o u t equivocation that the c o m p o s e r had not b e e n treated with m o r p h i n e or any other o p i u m derivative during t h e last m o n t h s o f h i s life, a n d t h i s n e w l y u n c o v e r e d i n f o r m a tion greatly intrigued him.
" D u r i n g m o s t o f his a d u l t life,
B e e t h o v e n was p l a g u e d b y v e r y painful b u t u n d i a g n o s e d m e d ical c o n d i t i o n s , a n d his d e a t h a p p e a r s t o h a v e b e e n p a r t i c u l a r l y p a i n f u l , " t h e s c i e n t i s t w r o t e . " N e v e r t h e l e s s , h e w a s still c r e atively active
on
his
deathbed.
In my opinion,
Beethoven
could n o t have r e m a i n e d creatively active if he h a d b e e n sed a t e d w i t h m o r p h i n e . N o t f i n d i n g m o r p h i n e i n his hair, I b e -
l i e v e , t h e r e f o r e s p e a k s v o l u m e s a b o u t his c h a r a c t e r , p a r t i c u l a r l y a b o u t his d i s p o s i t i o n t o w a r d s a d v e r s i t i e s . " T h o s e final w o r d s b e l o n g e d t o a l o n g - s t a n d i n g B e e t h o v e n a d m i r e r r a t h e r m o r e t h a n a n utterly objective scientist, yet they
nonetheless
illuminated
the
essential
significance
of
Baumgartner's finding: given the c o n t e m p o r a r y quality of the m e d i c a l a t t e n t i o n t h e c o m p o s e r r e c e i v e d d u r i n g his f i n a l d a y s , i t was logical t o assume that h e w o u l d h a v e b e e n offered m o r p h i n e a s a s u r e m e a n s o f m i t i g a t i n g his s u f f e r i n g , y e t n o w i t a p p e a r e d t h a t — i f offered, i n f a c t — h e h a d refused t h e d r u g . A n d i f h e had d e c l i n e d t o a c c e p t p a i n - r e l i e v i n g s e d a t i o n , w a s n ' t t h e s o l e p l a u s i b l e e x p l a n a t i o n for t h e refusal t h e l i k e l i h o o d t h a t h e p r e f e r r e d instead to k e e p his m i n d as clear as possible so he could c o n t i n u e to sketch music? In n o n e of the w r i t t e n a c c o u n t s b y B e e t h o v e n ' s last t w o p h y s i c i a n s , D r s . A n d r e a s W a w ruch
and
Giovanni
having prescribed an
Malfatti,
did
either
o p i a t e for t h e
man
acknowledge
dying man.
Wawruch
s p o k e o n l y o f a d m i n i s t e r i n g " a s e v e r e c o u n t e r - t r e a t m e n t for i n f l a m m a t i o n , " a s t h e c o m p o s e r ' s f i n a l illness c o m m e n c e d , a n d a l t h o u g h Malfatti later was asked to p r o v i d e additional therapy, t h e o n l y r e c o r d t h a t s u r v i v e s lists his
t r e a t m e n t — o n e that
b r i e f l y w a s efficacious, i n f a c t — a s n o t h i n g m o r e t h a n a n i c e d alcoholic p u n c h . I t i s t h e fact t h a t t h e g r e a d y i n f i r m c o m p o s e r c o n t i n u e d u n t i l t h e last w e e k o f his life t o s k e t c h m u s i c for w h a t m i g h t h a v e b e c o m e a n e w string quartet that surely shapes t h e strongest anecdotal evidence in support of Baumgartner's finding. T w o d e c a d e s earlier,
d u r i n g w h a t h a d b e e n his m o s t p r o d u c t i v e
compositional years, the m a n w h o s e greatest carnal pleasure
had been the consumption of champagne nonetheless seldom h a d a l l o w e d h i m s e l f t o c o n s u m e m o r e t h a n a little o n e v e n i n g s I
w h e n h e p l a n n e d t o w o r k t h e f o l l o w i n g day. T h a t w o n d r o u s b e v e r a g e sadly c l o u d e d his a b i l i t y t o c o n c e n t r a t e , h e h a d e x p l a i n e d , a n d its aftereffects s t r i p p e d h i m o f t h e v i t a l e n e r g y h e required as he composed, and so he very reluctantly had r e f u s e d t o a l l o w h i m s e l f its r e g u l a r p l e a s u r e . A t t h e e n d , p e r h a p s B e e t h o v e n simply n e v e r w a s offered t h e blessed, pain-free fog t h a t m o r p h i n e m i g h t h a v e i n d u c e d . Y e t i t w a s also p o s s i b l e — a s t h e Los A n g e l e s scientist n o w suggested, nearly t w o c e n t u r i e s after t h e f a c t — t h a t B e e t h o v e n p o i n t e d l y h a d d e c l i n e d it, m u c h a s h e h a d d o n e i n earlier years w h e n h e h a d d e n i e d h i m self c h a m p a g n e . P e r h a p s t h e s h a r p l y f o c u s e d w o r k o f s k e t c h i n g
I I
m u s i c , e v e n o n his d e a t h b e d , s e e m e d t o h i m t o b e t h e b e t t e r medicine.
IT
MIGHT
HAVE
B E E N A latter-day m e d i c i n e that Dr. Kay
F r e m m i n g h a d g i v e n t o a n ill r e f u g e e t h a t i n t u r n h a d e l i c i t e d t h e gift o f t h e l o c k o f hair, a l t h o u g h n o o n e c o u l d b e s u r e . T h e r e w a s v e r y little, i n fact, a b o u t t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s o f t h e g i v i n g t h a t a n y o n e k n e w i n 1 9 9 5 o r s e e m e d likely t o b e a b l e t o d i s c o v e r , y e t for Ira B r i l l i a n t i t s i m p l y w a s u n a c c e p t a b l e n o t t o t r y . H e r e a d e v e r y t h i n g h e c o u l d find a b o u t t h e r e m a r k a b l e heroism of the Danish people, their deeds b e c o m i n g r e n o w n e d w o r l d w i d e i n t h e d e c a d e s after t h e w a r . I n b o o k s b y h i s t o r i ans Leni
Yahil a n d
Harold
Flender,
Danish Rabbi
Marcus
M e l c h i o r , a n d i n L e o G o l d b e r g e r ' s a n t h o l o g y o f essays, B r i l l i a n t
204
learned h o w at t h e e n d of S e p t e m b e r 1943 naval attache G e o r g D u c k w i t z had alerted Danish leaders to the i m p e n d i n g purge; h o w d o c t o r s a n d nurses had led the w a y in the D a n i s h citizens' b o l d a n d i m m e d i a t e r e s p o n s e t o t h e crisis; h o w f r i g h t e n e d J e w s — D a n e s a n d i m m i g r a n t s a l i k e — h a d b e e n e s c o r t e d t o fishi n g villages a l o n g t h e 0 r e s u n d c o a s t , w h e r e t h e y h a d b e e n h i d d e n u n t i l t h e y w e r e p u t a b o a r d b o a t s for t h e b r i e f b u t p e r i l o u s transport to S w e d e n ; and he discovered as well that it was in the little p o r t o f G i l l e l e j e w h e r e , o n tr^e n i g h t o f O c t o b e r 6 , t h e r e s c u e effort h a d g o n e t e r r i b l y a w r y , s o m e o n e b e t r a y i n g t o t h e G e s t a p o t h e fact t h a t a s m a n y a s 1 2 0 J e w s w e r e h i d d e n i n t h e h i g h loft o f t h e G i l l e l e j e C h u r c h . Jens N o e , pastor of the c h u r c h in 1995, had no k n o w l e d g e a b o u t a lock of Beethoven's hair w h e n Brilliant contacted h i m that a u t u m n , although he promised to query the old-timers w h o still r e m e m b e r e d v i v i d l y t h e t r a u m a t i c e v e n t s o f a n o t h e r fall
fifty-two
years
before.
Danish
playwright
Finn
Abra-
h a m o w i t z , w h o h a d w r i t t e n a play a b o u t t h e e v e n t s i n t h e c h u r c h , b a s e d l a r g e l y o n C h r i s t i a n T o r t z e n ' s b o o k , c o u l d offer Brilliant n o n e w information; n e i t h e r could Per J o r g e n s e n , a d ministrator
o f Gilleleje's
regional
government,
nor
Henrik
Lundbak at the Frihedsmuseet, the National Resistance M u s e u m i n C o p e n h a g e n ; a n d n o o n e w h o h a d read Brilliant's earlier p l e a for assistance i n t h e J e w i s h c o m m u n i t y ' s n e w s l e t t e r e v e r r e s p o n d e d w i t h a specific m e m o r y , a p r o m i s i n g l e a d , o r e v e n idle speculation a b o u t w h o m i g h t h a v e g i v e n t h e small a n d v e n e r a b l e l o c k e t away. Each
new
possibility
that
Ira
Brilliant
pursued,
in
fact,
p r o v e d fruitless d u r i n g t h e t h r e e y e a r s t h a t f o l l o w e d , a n d i t
wasn't until M i c h e l e Wassard Larsen a n d her son T h o m a s t o o k u p t h e s e a r c h t h e m s e l v e s i n 1 9 9 8 t h a t a t last a f e w l e a d s b e g a n t o e m e r g e , clues p o i n t i n g t o the m o m e n t w h e n s o m e o n e — filled
perhaps
Beethoven's
with
hair
to
both her
fear
and
father.
On
gratitude—had a
blustery
given
Sunday
in
O c t o b e r o f that year, M i c h e l e a n d T h o m a s a n d T h o m a s ' s p a r t ner, Lena,
s h a r e d coffee a n d p a s t r i e s w i t h r e t i r e d f i s h e r m a n
J u l i u s J o r g e n s e n a t his h o m e i n G i l l e l e j e a n d w e r e f a s c i n a t e d b y w h a t h e h a d t o tell t h e m . H e h a d b e e n s e v e n t e e n y e a r s o l d t h a t fateful O c t o b e r , a n d his f a t h e r A a g e h a d b e e n s e x t o n o f t h e church.
I t w a s h i s f a t h e r w h o h a d stalled for
time
as the
Gestapo d e m a n d e d that he surrender the key to the church's h e a v y d o o r , a n d i t w a s his f a t h e r t o o w h o h a d t o l d h i m s o o n thereafter that D r . F r e m m i n g h a d b e e n called t o t h e c h u r c h e a r l i e r i n t h e n i g h t t o a t t e n d t o a r e f u g e e w h o w a s ill. A a g e J o r g e n s e n h a d b e e n quite clear a b o u t that detail, a n d he had t o l d his s o n s o m e t h i n g else: t h e r e w a s a r u m o r , n o t h i n g m o r e than that perhaps, that the refugee had given s o m e t h i n g " p r e c i o u s " t o t h e p h y s i c i a n i n r e t u r n for h i s h e l p .
Indeed, the
rumor
days,
was
alive
in
town
in
the
following
Julius
J o r g e n s e n r e m e m b e r e d , b u t h e c a u t i o n e d his visitors that t h e y s h o u l d n o t m a k e t o o m u c h o f w h a t h e h a d t o tell t h e m . T h e F r e m m i n g s had h i d d e n refugees in their h o m e as well, and the gift c o u l d h a v e c o m e f r o m o n e o f t h o s e p e o p l e , o r t h e r u m o r m i g h t simply have b e e n o n e o f those stories that s o m e h o w s p r i n g s t o life o f its o w n a c c o r d , a b s e n t a n a n c h o r i n t r u t h . Y e t t h e o n e t h i n g o f w h i c h h e c o u l d assure t h e m absolutely w a s t h a t t h e d o c t o r d i d visit t h e c h u r c h loft a f e w h o u r s b e f o r e its inhabitants w e r e captured.
J u l i u s J o r g e n s e n ' s m e m o r i e s set i n m o t i o n a f l u r r y o f n e w c o n t a c t s a n d n a s c e n t p o s s i b i l i t i e s for t h e e v e n t u a l r e s o l u t i o n o f the riddle. O n c e i n f o r m e d that the lock of hair m i g h t have been given away at the church, O d e n s e University history professor
Therkel
Straede—who
was
on
sabbatical
at
G e o r g e t o w n U n i v e r s i t y i n W a s h i n g t o n , D . C . , i n t h e fall o f 1998 a n d w i t h w h o m Brilliant h a d b e e n i n c o m m u n i c a t i o n — suggested that because r o u g h l y half o f those w h o h a d b e e n c a p t u r e d i n t h e c h u r c h loft u l t i m a t e l y h a d b e e n d e p o r t e d t o Czechoslovakia,
it would be
Theriesenstadt-Foreningen,
wise
to
contact
members
of
a survivors' association that neither
B r i l l i a n t n o r t h e L a r s e n s t h e r e t o f o r e h a d k n o w n of, t o i n q u i r e w h e t h e r o n e o r m o r e o f t h e m m i g h t b e able t o s h e d s u b s t a n tially m o r e l i g h t o n D r . F r e m m i n g ' s visit. T h e o r g a n i z a t i o n ' s c h a i r w o m a n , B i r g i t K r a s n i k F i s c h e r m a n n , h a d b e e n a s m a l l girl o n t h e n i g h t she a n d h e r family w e r e c a p t u r e d , a n d she r e m e m b e r e d v e r y little a b o u t t h o s e frightful h o u r s i n t h e c h u r c h loft,
but
Paul
Rabinowitz—his
surname
now
changed
to
S a n d f o r t — a friend a n d fellow survivor a n d a retired m u s i c history professor, h a d b e e n sixteen at t h e t i m e . A s i t h a p p e n e d , P a u l S a n d f o r t ' s m e m o i r o f his family's flight from the Nazis, their capture, and eventual i m p r i s o n m e n t in Theriesenstadt—titled
Ben:
The Alien Bird
and
published
u n d e r the p s e u d o n y m Paul A r o n — w a s about to be rereleased i n Israel i n a n E n g l i s h - l a n g u a g e e d i t i o n , a n d t h e b o o k m a d e the h o r r o r of that night and the subsequent sixteen m o n t h s of incarceration dramatically manifest.
But Paul
Sandfort—like
those w h o had b e e n queried before h i m — k n e w n o t h i n g about s o m e o n e h i d d e n w i t h h i m a n d his f a m i l y i n t h e c h u r c h w h o
m i g h t h a v e c a r r i e d a l o c k o f B e e t h o v e n ' s hair, t h e n g i v e n i t away in the hours before the capture. Neither could he c o n firm Julius Jorgensen's claim that Kay F r e m m i n g had c o m e to t h e loft t o offer m e d i c a l assistance, y e t h e did r e m e m b e r a small g r o u p o f visitors w h o m h e always h a d p r e s u m e d w e r e R e d C r o s s r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s . F r e m m i n g ' s w i f e , M a r t a , h a d w o r k e d for t h e R e d C r o s s , i n fact, a n d n o w M i c h e l e W a s s a r d L a r s e n w o n d e r e d w h e t h e r h e r m o t h e r and her father had g o n e t o the c h u r c h u n d e r the p r o t e c t i o n of the b o l d red insignia in o r d e r t o g i v e s o m e o n e specific aid, b u t P a u l S a n d f o r t c o u l d p r o v i d e nothing m o r e concrete than that—there had been so many p e o p l e p a c k e d i n t o t h e small s p a c e , h e e x p l a i n e d , a n d i t h a d b e e n so ffighteningly dark. Y e s , o f c o u r s e , h e k n e w w h o H e n r y Skjaer h a d b e e n , P a u l Sandfort subsequently w r o t e in
English
in response to the
questions n o w pressed u p o n h i m from America. Sandfort was a m u s i c o l o g i s t after all, a n d h a d s u n g w i t h t h e r e n o w n e d o p e r a baritone in a Danish student p e r f o r m a n c e following the war. " I c o u l d easily h a v e a s k e d h i m [ a b o u t t h e l o c k o f h a i r ] . I w a s s e n t t o G i l l e l e j e b y D r . N . R . B l e g v a d , w h o w a s t h e d o c t o r for t h e singers at the R o y a l T h e a t r e , so he probably did that in c o l l a b o r a t i o n w i t h H e n r y Skjaer, w h o w a s o f t e n a soloist w i t h the University C h o i r of C o p e n h a g e n w h e r e I was a first tenor. H e n r y Skjaer s u r e l y k n e w t h a t I w a s i n t h e loft, b u t w e n e v e r t a l k e d a b o u t it. M a y b e h e w a s e m b a r r a s s e d o f t h e fact t h a t I was taken by G e r m a n s ? " Christian Tortzen's book,
Gilleleje, Oktober 1943,
plainly h a d
d e s c r i b e d H e n r y Skjaer's a c t i v e r o l e i n t h e r e s c u e effort i n t h e seaside t o w n . T o r t z e n h a d b e e n t o l d b y a t least o n e f o r m e r
r e f u g e e t h a t i t w a s Skjaer w h o h a d d i r e c t e d h e r a n d h e r family t o t h e Gilleleje C h u r c h , a n d — t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e n e w s that t h e R o y a l Theatre's physician directed J e w s to Gilleleje—a very t e n u o u s k i n d o f c o n n e c t i o n a t last b e g a n t o e m e r g e b e t w e e n t h e m u s i c a l m i l i e u i n w h i c h P a u l H i l l e r ' s family h a d b e e n a t h o m e in C o l o g n e and the appearance of a lock of Beethoven's h a i r in a far d i s t a n t D a n i s h f i s h i n g v i l l a g e . Skjaer, in fact, h a d b e e n a k e y f i g u r e i n t h e small w o r l d o f D a n i s h v o c a l m u s i c ; i n 1 9 2 5 , h e h a d m a d e his f i r s t a p p e a r a n c e a t t h e R o y a l O p e r a i n C o p e n h a g e n — s i n g i n g , as it happened, the role of D o n Pizarro i n Fidelio, B e e t h o v e n ' s r e n o w n e d o p e r a o f l o v e a n d f r e e d o m f r o m i m p r i s o n m e n t ; a n d t w o years p r i o r t o that p r e m i e r e , h e h a d m a r r i e d C o p e n h a g e n resident Ida Levy, a D a n i s h J e w . T o r t z e n explained w h e n he was q u e r i e d again that in the a u t u m n of 1943,
" H e n r y Skjaer h a d a h o u s e i n S n e k k e r s t e n ,
s o u t h o f H e l s i n g o r [ a n d n o t far f r o m G i l l e l e j e ] . I n t h i s h o u s e w e r e g a t h e r e d 3 0 - 4 0 p e r s o n s i n t h e f i r s t d a y s o f O c t o b e r , Ida's r e l a t i v e s a n d J e w i s h f r i e n d s . Skjaer's s o n w a s a p u p i l o f M o g e n s Schmidt, w h o went to the house and together with
Skjaer
p l a n n e d t h e e s c a p e o f t h e J e w s . Skjser w a s i n G i l l e l e j e f r o m Tuesday the 5th to T h u r s d a y the 7th and in the middle of the e v e n t s . H i s wife's sister w a s a r r e s t e d b y t h e G e s t a p o , b u t Skjaer h a d her freed because she was a 'half-Jew.'" Christian
Tortzen
did n o t
k n o w w h e t h e r o t h e r refugees
w h o m Skjaer h a d h i d d e n s u b s e q u e n t l y h a d b e e n c a p t u r e d , a n d neither could he know, of course, w h e t h e r o n e of those p e o ple had b e e n a G e r m a n w h o s e s u r n a m e was Hiller. Yet c o u l d it simply have b e e n an extraordinary kind of coincidence that a lock of hair that o n c e had b e l o n g e d to f o r m e r opera singer
Paul Hiller in C o l o g n e — a n d w h o s e son Edgar had been an opera singer w h e n he disappeared in 1 9 3 5 — w a s given to Kay F r e m m i n g s o m e t i m e d u r i n g t h e days i n w h i c h a w e l l - k n o w n D a n i s h b a r i t o n e w a s clandestinely at w o r k h i d i n g friends a n d family m e m b e r s a n d h e l p i n g t o s e c u r e t h e i r e s c a p e ? M o r e t h a n t h i r t y J e w s h a d b e e n h i d d e n i n H e n r y Skjaer's S n e k k e r s t e n h o u s e ; surely it m a d e sense, did it n o t , to suspect that E d g a r Hiller had b e e n o n e of them? It s e e m e d to M i c h e l e Wassard Larsen as well as to
Ira
B r i l l i a n t far a w a y i n P h o e n i x t h a t a t last t h e l o n g - e l u s i v e p i e c e s o f t h e p u z z l e w e r e falling i n t o p l a c e . S u r e l y E d g a r H i l l e r h a d fled t o D e n m a r k w i t h t h e l o c k o f B e e t h o v e n ' s h a i r a m o n g h i s f e w p o s s e s s i o n s ; s u r e l y h e h a d b e e n b e f r i e n d e d b y his m u s i c a l c o l l e a g u e H e n r y Skjaer; s u r e l y h e h a d g i v e n t h e h a i r t o D r . F r e m m i n g a s h e s t r u g g l e d t o flee t o S w e d e n . I t all fit p e r f e c t l y e x c e p t for a s i n g l e a n d v e r y t r o u b l e s o m e fact: a t t h e m a s s i v e Danish
national
archives
in
Copenhagen
known
as
the
Rigsarkivet, there was no evidence that Edgar Hiller or anyo n e i n his family e v e r h a d b e e n i n t h e c o u n t r y . T h e n a m e s o f thousands of Germans w h o had entered Denmark—legally and illegally a s w e l l — d u r i n g t h e 1 9 3 0 s a n d 1 9 4 0 s , i n c l u d i n g t w o d o z e n or so n a m e d Hiller, h a d b e e n carefully cataloged, as w a s each individual's date o f b i r t h a n d t h e city f r o m w h e n c e h e o r s h e h a d fled. B u t m a d d e n i n g l y , t h e b i r t h d a t e s a n d h o m e cities of n o n e of the immigrants n a m e d Hiller approximated those of Paul Hiller's wife or sons, a n d t h e n a m e s S o p h i e , Edgar, a n d E r w i n simply did n o t appear in the archive.
A N A R C H I V I S T A T T H E Y A D V a s h e m i n Israel r e p o r t e d i n O c t o b e r 1998 that t h e m u s e u m ' s extensive database s h o w e d no evidence that either Sophie
Hiller,
E d g a r Hiller,
or Erwin
Hiller had died at the hands of the Nazis b e t w e e n the years 1935 a n d 1945. T h e search did confirm, h o w e v e r , that Selma H i l l e r , t h e f i r s t w i f e o f Felix H i l l e r , P a u l H i l l e r ' s e l d e s t a n d i l legitimate s o n , h a d d i e d a t T h e r i e s e n s t a d t . T h e Yad V a s h e m h a d c o l l e c t e d n o details a b o u t h e r c a p t u r e o r t h e c i r c u m s t a n c e s of her death, yet it appeared c y t a i n
that she had died on
S e p t e m b e r 10, 1942, and therefore it w o u l d have b e e n i m p o s sible for h e r t o h a v e b e e n s e n t t o t h e c a m p f r o m D e n m a r k . T h e sole sign o f t h e o t h e r H i l l e r family m e m b e r s that archivist O x a n a K o r o l was able t o u n c o v e r was a R e d C r o s s T r a c i n g Service
document
that m a d e
it appear quite
G e r m a n J e w n a m e d E r w i n Hiller, b o r n i n
likely
that
a
1 9 0 8 , h a d sailed
f r o m B r e m e r h a v e n t o N e w Y o r k o n J u n e 16, 1 9 4 8 , a n d this small bit o f i n f o r m a t i o n s u d d e n l y a p p e a r e d t o b e a n o t h e r p o tential
breakthrough:
if
Erwin
Hiller
had
emigrated
to
A m e r i c a , t h e n s u r e l y h e o r his d e s c e n d a n t s c o u l d b e l o c a t e d . He w o u l d be ninety by now, and although perhaps it was u n likely, h e might still b e a l i v e ; s u r e l y his c h i l d r e n w o u l d b e in a n y case. But
when
Stan
Lindaas
at
Salt
Lake
City's
Heritage
C o n s u l t i n g , a g e n e a l o g i c a l r e s e a r c h f i r m , b e g a n t o s e a r c h for h i m a s p a r t o f t h e b u r g e o n i n g , m u l t i n a t i o n a l effort t o s o l v e t h e mystery of h o w the
lock
o f h a i r h a d m a d e its w a y o u t o f
Germany, it soon seemed as if E r w i n Hiller simply had v a n i s h e d t h e m o m e n t h e s t e p p e d off t h e S S
Marine Flasher
and
o n t o a M a n h a t t a n pier. T h e R e d Cross tracing d o c u m e n t h a d listed t h e H e b r e w I m m i g r a n t A i d S o c i e t y a s t h e f o r t y - y e a r - o l d Hiller's N e w York address, b u t Lindaas was i n f o r m e d b y H I A S officials t h a t t h e y h a d n o r e c o r d o f a n E r w i n H i l l e r i m m i g r a t i n g t o t h e U n i t e d States i n 1 9 4 8 , o r i n any o t h e r year. N e i t h e r did t w o o t h e r N e w York-based Jewish history associations— t h e Y I V O I n s t i t u t e for J e w i s h R e s e a r c h a n d t h e L e o B a e c k Institute—have records pertaining to h i m , and searches of the federal g o v e r n m e n t ' s S o c i a l S e c u r i t y , I m m i g r a t i o n a n d N a t u r a l i z a t i o n , a n d c e n s u s r e c o r d s also p r o v e d e n t i r e l y futile, a s d i d i n quiries aimed at dozens of Americans n a m e d Hiller w h o had posted Internet and other kinds of queries about their o w n g e nealogical b a c k g r o u n d s . Paul Hiller's son E r w i n , an actor in C o l o g n e w h e n his w h e r e a b o u t s b e c a m e u n k n o w n f o l l o w i n g his father's d e a t h , h a d c o m e t o A m e r i c a , i t a p p e a r e d , b u t t h e n had disappeared a second time. I t w a s n ' t u n t i l A l e x a n d e r F u l l i n g , a p a r t n e r i n t h e small r e search
firm
of Schroder &
Fulling,
GbR
in
the
town
of
G u m m e r s b a c h , n e a r C o l o g n e , initiated his o w n m e t h o d i c a l s e a r c h for e v i d e n c e o f P a u l H i l l e r a n d his h e i r s t h a t a s k e t c h y p i c t u r e o f w h a t h a d b e c o m e o f t h e f a m i l y a t last b e g a n t o emerge.
A l t h o u g h t h e vital-statistics r e g i s t e r for t h e c i t y o f
C o l o g n e had b e e n destroyed by Allied b o m b i n g at the e n d of W o r l d W a r II, Fulling was able to locate Paul Hiller's obituary, b u t h e f o u n d it, t o his s u b s t a n t i a l s u r p r i s e , i n t h e
Westdeutscher
Beobachter, w h i c h w a s t h e R h i n e l a n d ' s l e a d i n g p r o - N a z i n e w s p a p e r early in 1934. Equally surprising w e r e t h e b o l d cross p l a c e d a t t h e t o p o f t h e b o x e d o b i t u a r y — a t y p e t h a t clearly h a d b e e n p u r c h a s e d b y family m e m b e r s o r f r i e n d s — a s w e l l a s its
.repeated
statements
about
the
deceased
man's
devout
Christianity. Hiller m i g h t have b e c o m e a Christian, of course, b u t it s e e m e d virtually u n i m a g i n a b l e that he w o u l d have e m braced N a z i politics in addition. Fulling c o u l d n o t be positive, b u t he strongly suspected that the o b i t u a r y h a d b e e n expressly d e s i g n e d t o h e l p h i d e his s u r v i v o r s ' J e w i s h i d e n t i t i e s . Slowly,
incrementally,
and occasionally only because of a
g o o d bit o f luck, Fulling discovered m o r e shards o f i n f o r m a t i o n d u r i n g t h e c o u r s e o f t h e f i r s t Half o f 1 9 9 9 : P a u l H i l l e r h a d b e q u e a t h e d his father's l e t t e r s a n d d i a r i e s t o t h e C o l o g n e c i t y a r c h i v e , b u t his musical l e g a c y — h a n d w r i t t e n scores, sketches, a n d m e m o r a b i l i a — h a d b e e n g i v e n t o t h e c o m b i n e d city a n d university library in F e r d i n a n d Hiller's h o m e city of Frankfurt b y his d a u g h t e r T o n y . F e l i x H i l l e r , P a u l H i l l e r ' s e l d e s t s o n — w h o had died in Berlin in 1963, Fulling discovered—had m a r ried Selma Hiller in 1916, then had m a r r i e d a w o m a n n a m e d J o h a n n a F u c h s i n 1 9 3 6 , six y e a r s p r i o r t o his f i r s t wife's d e a t h , m e a n i n g that Felix a n d S e l m a certainly h a d d i v o r c e d , a l t h o u g h Fulling c o u l d find no r e c o r d of that dissolution. Five years b e fore
Felix
Hiller remarried,
he
had m o v e d to
Berlin from
C h e m n i t z , a n d a l t h o u g h Fulling was able to locate h i m in t h e city's 1 9 3 1
Adressbuch—where, p e r h a p s i t s h o u l d n ' t h a v e b e e n
surprising, he was identified as a c o m p o s e r — h e c o u l d find n e i ther an obituary identified
Felix's
nor probate descendants.
information that might have Next,
Fulling contacted t w o
G e r m a n musicians' societies h e a d q u a r t e r e d in Berlin a n d was i n f o r m e d that a l t h o u g h their r e c o r d s s h o w e d no sign of a Felix Hiller, an E d g a r Hiller, b o r n in C o l o g n e in longed to
1906, had b e -
a sister o r g a n i z a t i o n i n S w i t z e r l a n d .
That Edgar
Hiller was Felix Hiller's half b r o t h e r , it n o w s e e m e d certain, a n d p e o p l e at t h e Swiss o r g a n i z a t i o n w e r e able to c o n f i r m that he had b e e n a m e m b e r d u r i n g t h e years he lived in Z u r i c h . T h e o r g a n i z a t i o n h a d lost t o u c h w i t h h i m after 1 9 5 3 , h o w e v e r , the
Swiss contacts
reported to
Fulling,
at which time
he
r e s i d e d i n G e r m a n y a g a i n , this t i m e i n t h e c i t y o f H a m b u r g . G e r m a n privacy laws m a k e t h e k i n d o f o p e n - e n d e d research t h a t A l e x a n d e r F u l l i n g w a s u n d e r t a k i n g a difficult p r o c e s s i n the best o f circumstances, and bureaucrats i n H a m b u r g are n o t o r i o u s l y far m o r e r e s t r i c t i v e t h a n m o s t , b u t F u l l i n g ' s r e p e a t e d p l e a s for assistance n o n e t h e l e s s p r o v e d successful a t last, a n d i n J u n e 1 9 9 9 h e q u i t e r e m a r k a b l y w a s able t o a s c e r t a i n — w i t h t h e vital h e l p of a y o u n g , u n d e r s t a n d i n g , a n d r u l e - b e n d i n g c o u r t clerk—that Edgar Hiller had died in H a m b u r g on N o v e m b e r 20, 1959, that he had never m a r r i e d and had had no children, a n d t h a t his s m a l l e s t a t e h a d b e e n w i l l e d t o his b r o t h e r , w h o lived in Los Angeles, California, a n d w h o s e n a m e was M a r c e l Hillaire. I t w a s e x t r a o r d i n a r y n e w s — a t least i t w a s t o t h e k n o t o f p e o p l e o n t w o c o n t i n e n t s w h o h a d b e e n s e a r c h i n g for P a u l H i l l e r ' s s o n s , o r his s o n s ' d e s c e n d a n t s , for n e a r l y f o u r y e a r s b y n o w — a n d a t last r e s e a r c h e r S t a n L i n d a a s i n Salt L a k e C i t y c o u l d b e g i n to m a k e substantial progress, a n d he did so almost i m m e d i a t e l y : A m e r i c a n Marcel Hillaire had b e e n b o r n in C o l o g n e on April 23,
1908, just as E r w i n Hiller had; he had emigrated from
Germany on June
15,
1948, a n d that date m a t c h e d E r w i n
Hiller's e m i g r a t i o n r e c o r d a s well; h e h a d lived i n N e w Y o r k City, w o r k i n g as a B r o a d w a y and television actor until 1954, w h e n h e h a d m o v e d t o L o s A n g e l e s t o establish h i s film c a r e e r .
H e h a d lived i n California until his d e a t h o n J a n u a r y 1 , 1 9 8 8 , w h e n he h a d died from complications following surgery. Like his b r o t h e r E d g a r , h e n e v e r h a d m a r r i e d a n d n e i t h e r d i d h e h a v e c h i l d r e n , b u t Lindaas found that his d e a t h certificate h a d b e e n s i g n e d b y a w o m a n n a m e d E s t h e r T a y l o r , w h o h a d listed her relationship to the decedent as "friend," and w h o continued to five at the same B u r b a n k address w h e r e she had lived eleven years before. Since
he
first
had
heard
t h e ^distressingly
sketchy
but
nonetheless fascinating story that t h e lock of B e e t h o v e n ' s hair s o m e h o w h a d left t h e H i l l e r family i n t h e m i d s t o f t h e S e c o n d W o r l d W a r a n d h a d c o m e i n t o the possession of a kindly D a n i s h p h y s i c i a n , Ira B r i l l i a n t h a d l o n g e d o n e d a y t o s p e a k w i t h and p e r h a p s e v e n m e e t face-to-face o n e o f Paul Hiller's descendants. A n d although Esther Taylor was not a blood r e lation of the m a n w h o s e n a m e had b e c o m e Marcel Hillaire, B r i l l i a n t s o o n l e a r n e d t h a t s h e h a d b e c o m e his h e i r , i n fact. A n d the kind and engaging wife and m o t h e r o f t w o y o u n g s o n s w a s n o t h i n g less t h a n a s t o n i s h e d w h e n h e r t e l e p h o n e r a n g i n early J u l y a n d s h e b e g a n t o r e p l y i n t h e a f f i r m a t i v e t o a s e r i e s of exceedingly unanticipated questions: Yes, M a r c e l Hillaire h a d b e e n h e r d e a r f r i e n d u n t i l his d e a t h . Y e s , t h e a c t o r h a d b e e n b o r n E r w i n Hiller and h a d b e e n raised i n C o l o g n e . Yes, his f a t h e r h a d b e e n P a u l H i l l e r , t h e m u s i c j o u r n a l i s t , a n d y e s , of course, she affirmed, M a r c e l had told h e r m a n y times a b o u t t h e l o c k o f h a i r his f a t h e r p o s s e s s e d , o n e t h a t his f a m e d g r a n d father
had
cut
from
the
Europe ever had k n o w n .
corpse
of the
greatest
composer
T H E T W E N T Y H A I R S F R O M B E E T H O V E N ' S head that had b e e n in Dr. W e r n e r Baumgartner's care arrived at the Health R e s e a r c h Institute i n N a p e r v i l l e , Illinois, a t t h e e n d o f M a y 1996, together w i t h a detailed description of each p e r e g r i n a t i n g hair. B a u m g a r t n e r n o t e d t h a t t h e s a m p l e h e h a d e x a m i n e d a n d n o w w a s passing along c o n t a i n e d lations"—ten
hairs
were
5—7
two
centimeters
distinct in
"popu-
length,
and
t e n m o r e w e r e 10—12 c e n t i m e t e r s l o n g . P o s i t i n g a n a v e r a g e g r o w t h r a t e o f 1.3 c e n t i m e t e r s p e r m o n t h , t h e L o s A n g e l e s s c i entist estimated that because of t h e v a r y i n g lengths, t h e hairs h a d g r o w n b e t w e e n four a n d a half a n d n i n e m o n t h s p r i o r to the composer's death.
T h e short g r o u p contained t w o gray
h a i r s , t h e l o n g e r g r o u p five, a n d t h e r e m a i n i n g t h i r t e e n h a i r s w e r e dark b r o w n . T h e y arrived at D r . William Walsh's research facility—enc a s e d i n a plastic vial t h a t w a s p r o t e c t e d b y a n o u t e r vial a s w e l l — - j u s t a s A m y S t e v e n s ' s a r t i c l e a t last a p p e a r e d o n t h e f r o n t page of the
Wall Street Journal
of
interest
media
in
the
and immediately elicited a flood scientists'
pursuits.
Although
B a u m g a r t n e r spoke by telephone w i t h a few reporters in Los Angeles, it was Walsh w h o m e t w i t h t h e m en masse in t h e C h i c a g o s u b u r b , b o t h scientists a n d t h e i r colleagues i n A r i z o n a h o p i n g c o l l e c t i v e l y t h a t t h e y c o u l d offer t h e m e d i a a b o n e o f s o r t s for a day, o r t w o a t m o s t , t h e n b e left a l o n e a g a i n for t h e l o n g s t r e t c h o f t i m e t h a t t h e n e w tests w o u l d r e q u i r e . "I
was
astonished
at
the
result,"
Baumgartner
told
the
A s s o c i a t e d P r e s s o f t h e m o r p h i n e tests. " I t ' s e x t r e m e l y s t r a n g e t h a t B e e t h o v e n , w h o s u f f e r e d all h i s life, d i d n ' t t a k e o p i a t e s . . . . A m o n g B e e t h o v e n scholars, t h e r e is a major mystery h o w p e o -
pie can transcend great pain and create p r o f o u n d music. T h e a n s w e r is, it takes a p r o f o u n d p e r s o n . . . . B e e t h o v e n d i d n o t choose to take s o m e t h i n g that w o u l d d e h u m a n i z e h i m , because m o r p h i n e is, after all, a loss o f h u m a n
freedom
and h u m a n
will." B u t B e e t h o v e n scholar William M e r e d i t h , d i r e c t o r o f t h e B e e t h o v e n C e n t e r , i n t e r p r e t e d t h e c h e m i s t ' s f i n d i n g r a t h e r differently. H e t o o h a d b e e n g r e a t l y s u r p r i s e d b y t h e r e s u l t , y e t w h a t it foremost signaled to h i m was the n e w k n o w l e d g e that B e e t h o v e n " s u f f e r e d n e e d l e s s l y " a t ^ i e e n d o f his life, e s p e c i a l l y c o n s i d e r i n g t h a t his a b d o m e n h a d b e e n o p e n e d r e p e a t e d l y t o d r a i n e x c e s s fluid. " I t u n d e r s c o r e s t h e fact t h a t B e e t h o v e n r e c e i v e d b a r b a r i c t r e a t m e n t , e v e n b y t h e s t a n d a r d s o f t h e day," M e r e d i t h told the San Jose
Mercury News.
T h e m a n w h o stepped i n front o f the rack o f m i c r o p h o n e s i n N a p e r v i l l e offered n o t h i n g i n t h e w a y o f i n t e r p r e t i v e c o m m e n t b e c a u s e his w o r k h a d y e t t o b e g i n , o f c o u r s e . B u t Bill Walsh did a n n o u n c e that in the c o m i n g m o n t h s he w o u l d r e c o m m e n d to
G u e v a r a a n d B r i l l i a n t w h a t f u r t h e r tests w e r e
likely t o y i e l d t h e m o s t n e w i n f o r m a t i o n , a n d w h o w o u l d b e the best p e o p l e t o p e r f o r m t h e m . H e c o u l d n o t b e sure yet h o w m a n y examinations ultimately w o u l d be undertaken, but h e w o u l d f o c u s his i n v e s t i g a t i o n s i n t h r e e a r e n a s : m i c r o s c o p i c analysis m i g h t b e e m p l o y e d i n h o p e s o f r e a c h i n g a s u b s t a n t i v e conclusion
about
the
hair's a g e
and condition;
trace-metal
analysis, d o n e w i t h v e r y m o d e r n m i c r o s c o p e s , c o u l d s e a r c h for a b n o r m a l concentrations of an array of metals;
and genetic
testing, if c o n d u c t e d , m i g h t p r o v i d e insights into genetic diso r d e r s a s w e l l a s establish a b a s e l i n e for c o m p a r i s o n w i t h o t h e r Beethoven remains.
In t h e days following t h e press c o n f e r e n c e s , B e e t h o v e n ' s hair did i n d e e d briefly e n t e r t h e A m e r i c a n m e d i a spotlight. T h e Chicago
Tribune,
Los
Angeles
Times,
and
San
Francisco
Chronicle all t o o k r a t h e r s o b e r a p p r o a c h e s t o t h e n e w s t h e s c i entists h a d g e n e r a t e d , w h i l e t h e o f t e n - o u d a n d i s h N e w Y o r k
Post
s e i z e d t h e o p p o r t u n i t y t o p o k e s o m e fun: " H i l l e r h e l d
o n t o t h e h a i r for y e a r s , finally g i v i n g i t t o h i s s o n P a u l a s a 3 0 t h b i r t h d a y gift. ( ' G e e , t h a n k s , D a d , b u t I w a s r e a l l y h o p i n g f o r a piece of Mozart's sports-jacket.')" T h e television n e w s departments a t A B C , C B S , and N B C aired segments about the i m p e n d i n g t e s t i n g a n d t h e A r i z o n a m e n w h o h a d set i t i n m o t i o n , a n d i n t h e s u c c e e d i n g d a y s , Ira B r i l l i a n t l o g g e d n i n e t e e n calls f r o m still m o r e n e w s o r g a n i z a t i o n s i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , G r e a t B r i t a i n , Italy, a n d J a p a n . B e e t h o v e n ' s h a i r a n d its e n d - o f t h e c e n t u r y s c r u t i n y w e r e b i g n e w s , b u t o n l y for a m o m e n t , b e f o r e o t h e r e v e n t s cast t h e m i n s h a d o w a g a i n , b e f o r e Bill W a l s h p r o c e e d e d w i t h t h e s l o w a n d o r d e r l y analyses t h a t w o u l d o c c u p y s o m e o f his t i m e a n d m u c h o f his f a s c i n a t i o n for f o u r m o r e years t o c o m e . A chemical engineer by training, William Walsh had b e c o m e t h e l e a d i n g e x p e r t o n h a i r analysis i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s a l m o s t by
accident.
While
completing
his
Ph.D.
at
Iowa
State
U n i v e r s i t y in t h e early 1960s, he h a d designed a n d built a h i g h - v a c u u m X - r a y s p e c t r o m e t e r for t r a c e - m e t a l analysis for t h e I n s t i t u t e for A t o m i c R e s e a r c h i n A m e s . A l r e a d y , h e h a d b e e n e m p l o y e d at t h e Los A l a m o s Scientific L a b o r a t o r y in New
Mexico
and
the
University
of Michigan
Research
Institute, designing a n d operating an array of nuclear-fuels e x p e r i m e n t s , a n d , o n c e his d o c t o r a l w o r k w a s d o n e , h e h a d a c -
cepted
a
position
at
Argonne
National
Laboratory
near
C h i c a g o , w h e r e h e d i r e c t e d a t e a m o f scientists w h o s e projects focused on nuclear-fuels processing and the d e v e l o p m e n t of small a n d sophisticated batteries. It was d u r i n g t h e t w o decades that Walsh had spent at A r g o n n e that v o l u n t e e r w o r k he had undertaken
in
the
Prisoner
Assistance
Program
at
nearby
Stateville P r i s o n h a d led to an obsession w i t h t h e q u e s t i o n of w h e t h e r there might be a direct relationship b e t w e e n h u m a n chemical imbalances a n d antisocial behavior, a personal i n q u i r y t h a t s o o n w o u l d c h a n g e his life. I n w o r k i n g w i t h m e n w h o w e r e about t o b e paroled, Walsh h a d h e a r d r e p e a t e d l y f r o m p a r e n t s a n d family m e m b e r s that the particular inmate t o w h o m they w e r e related had b e e n " d i f f e r e n t " f r o m b i r t h , a n d his siblings o f t e n h a d b e e n r e p o r t e d t o b e w e l l a d j u s t e d a n d successful i n c o m p a r i s o n . P e r s o n a l o b servation similarly h a d led Walsh t o suspect that m a n y c r i m i nals w e r e d i s s i m i l a r f r o m t h e g e n e r a l p o p u l a t i o n n o t s o m u c h morally or psychologically but
physiologically,
and in 1975 h e
a n d a g r o u p o f v o l u n t e e r s h e e n l i s t e d f r o m a m o n g his c o l leagues at A r g o n n e had b e g u n to study the b i o c h e m i s t r y of S t a t e v i l l e i n m a t e s i n a n effort t o e x p l o r e t h e q u e s t i o n . T a k i n g b l o o d a n d u r i n e samples from a large p r i s o n p o p u l a t i o n , t h e n r e m o v i n g t h e m t o l a b o r a t o r i e s for analysis, w o u l d h a v e b e e n difficult for m a n y r e a s o n s , b u t s a m p l e s o f i n m a t e s ' hair, o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , h a d b e e n r e l a t i v e l y easy t o o b t a i n a n d t r a n s p o r t , a n d , a s W a l s h a n d his c o l l e a g u e s s o o n h a d d i s c o v e r e d , scalp h a i r also p r o v e d t o b e a n e x c e l l e n t i n d i c a t o r o f c h e m i c a l levels r e tained in tissue t h r o u g h o u t t h e body. By 1980, t w o separate Walsh-led
studies—one
involving
ninety-six
violent
prison
inmates and parolees and an equal n u m b e r of nonviolent " c o n t r o l " subjects; the o t h e r a c o m p a r i s o n of t w e n t y - f o u r pairs of b r o t h e r s , o n e a v i o l e n t " d e l i n q u e n t , " his sibling a verifiable " a l l - A m e r i c a n b o y " — h a d s h o w n similar a n d r e m a r k a b l e r e sults. N o t o n l y h a d t h e h a i r o f v i r t u a l l y all t h e c r i m i n a l s u b j e c t s e v i d e n c e d a b n o r m a l levels o f s e v e r a l essential t r a c e m e t a l s , those elements had been present in high and low concentrations i n t w o readily identifiable p a t t e r n s — t h o s e w h o e x h i b i t e d o n l y p e r i o d i c u n e x p l a i n e d rages, and those w h o had b e c o m e c h r o n i c a l l y s o c i o p a t h i c . T h e r e clearly was a l i n k b e t w e e n a n t i social b e h a v i o r a n d b o d y c h e m i s t r y , t h e s c i e n t i s t n o w w a s c o n vinced. I n t h e s u c c e e d i n g y e a r s , W a l s h h a d b e e n a b l e t o establish t h e w o r l d ' s f i r s t s t a n d a r d s for t r a c e - m e t a l c o n c e n t r a t i o n i n h u m a n hair, as well as r e f e r e n c e n o r m a l s based on a 1 0 0 , 0 0 0 - s a m p l e d a t a b a s e . I n a c o l l a b o r a t i o n b e g u n i n 1 9 8 2 w i t h C a r l Pfeiffer, a physician
and widely
acknowledged
expert on biochemical
imbalances w h o was based i n P r i n c e t o n , N e w Jersey, Walsh h a d b e c o m e i n c r e a s i n g l y c o n v i n c e d t h a t s u c h deficits a n d o v e r l o a d s c o u l d b e successfully t r e a t e d w i t h m i n e r a l s , v i t a m i n s , a n d a m i n o a c i d s . I n 1 9 8 6 , h e h a d left his l o n g - h e l d p o s i t i o n a t A r g o n n e t o establish t h e H e a l t h R e s e a r c h I n s t i t u t e , h e n c e f o r t h d e v o t i n g his efforts f u l l - t i m e t o t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f h i g h l y a c c u r a t e m e t h o d s for c h e m i c a l s c r e e n i n g o f h a i r a s w e l l a s allied k i n d s o f a p p l i e d r e s e a r c h , a n d t h r e e y e a r s later h e h a d f o u n d e d t h e Pfeiffer T r e a t m e n t C e n t e r — n a m e d i n h o n o r o f his b y - t h e n d e c e a s e d c o l l e a g u e — i t s p r o g r a m s t a r g e t e d specifically a t t h e evaluation and t r e a t m e n t of patients w i t h an array of b e h a v -
i o r a l d y s f u n c t i o n s w h o s e c a u s e likely w a s o n e o r m o r e n e u r o chemical imbalance. By the
time
he was
approached by
Dr.
Guevara
about
w h e t h e r he w o u l d be interested in coordinating the testing of t h e hair f r o m B e e t h o v e n ' s head, Walsh's b u r g e o n i n g r e n o w n — coupled w i t h the generally l o w esteem in w h i c h the field of h a i r analysis l o n g h a d b e e n h e l d — h a d m a d e h i m t h e s c i e n t i s t o f c h o i c e , a n d b y n o w h e h a d p a r t i c i p a t e d i n f o r e n s i c analyses o f the hair b i o c h e m i s t r y o f C h a r l ^ M a n s o n a n d t h r e e d o z e n m o r e n o t o r i o u s A m e r i c a n criminals. L u d w i g van B e e t h o v e n w o u l d b e Walsh's f i r s t f a m o u s — r a t h e r t h a n infamous—subject, a n d t h a t h a d b e e n a k e y r e a s o n for h i s p o s i t i v e r e s p o n s e t o Guevara's o v e r t u r e . So, t o o , h a d b e e n his e n d u r i n g m e m o r y o f t h e h e i r l o o m bust of t h e g r e a t c o m p o s e r his m o t h e r , a p i a n o instructor, long had kept positioned on the baby grand piano in their Bay City, M i c h i g a n , h o m e back w h e n he w a s a boy. W i t h t h e c o n s e n t o f D r . G u e v a r a a n d Ira B r i l l i a n t , W a l s h n o w p l a n n e d t o p r o c e e d v e r y cautiously. H e w o u l d p e r f o r m n o n e o f t h e t e s t i n g himself, b u t i n s t e a d w o u l d s e l e c t a g r o u p o f t w o o r t h r e e scientists w h o m h e b e l i e v e d w e r e t h e b e s t o f t h e best i n t h e i r a r c a n e areas o f e x p e r t i s e ; e a c h s c i e n t i s t w o u l d be i n f o r m e d only that he was e x a m i n i n g t h e hair of a " f a m o u s p e r s o n , " a n d W a l s h w o u l d a l l o w e a c h o n e t o p r o c e e d w i t h his e x p e r i m e n t o n l y after h e w a s c o n v i n c e d o f t h e s o u n d n e s s o f t h e scientist's m e t h o d o l o g y a n d his u t t e r c o m m i t m e n t t o a c c u racy. All w o r k w o u l d b e p e r f o r m e d f r e e o f c h a r g e , a n d W a l s h t h e r e f o r e w o u l d a g r e e t o b e v e r y p a t i e n t w h i l e e a c h test w a s u n d e r t a k e n . T h e o w n e r s o f t h e hair, i n t u r n , h a d t o b e glacially
p a t i e n t a s w e l l , a n d t w o a n d a h a l f y e a r s p a s s e d , i n fact, b e f o r e a t last W a l s h
flew
to P h o e n i x and presented Guevara and
Brilliant w i t h a preliminary r e p o r t of the findings he had o b tained, o n e o f w h i c h , i n particular, staggered the t w o m e n w h o so long had held the figure of the immortal Beethoven in such exalted regard.
T H R O U G H O U T T H E C E N T U R Y T H A T WAS about t o come t o a c l o s e , B e e t h o v e n s c h o l a r s w i t h a focal i n t e r e s t i n t h e c o m poser's c h r o n i c ill-health—as well as physicians w i t h particular p a s s i o n s for B e e t h o v e n ' s m u s i c — h a d s t u d i e d his m e d i c a l h i s t o r y a n d s p e c u l a t e d a b o u t t h e c a u s e s o f his m a n y diseases a n d t h e i m p a c t t h e y m a d e o n his m u s i c . A m e r i c a n m u s i c o l o g i s t C l a r e n c e J . B l a k e , w r i t i n g i n 1 9 0 1 a b o u t t h e c o m p o s e r ' s loss o f h e a r i n g , h a d insisted that " t h e r e is no m o r e pathetic p i c t u r e t h a n t h a t o f B e e t h o v e n i n his l a t e r y e a r s , a t a n a g e w h e n h e s h o u l d h a v e b e e n i n t h e p e r f e c t i o n o f his p h y s i c a l m a n h o o d , deaf to o v e r w h e l m i n g applause or striking in t u m u l t u o u s discord the piano w h i c h to h i m was d u m b . " Yet despite that e x pression of empathy, it had appeared to Blake that Beethoven's h e a r i n g d e f i c i t h a d n o t , i n fact, i n f l u e n c e d his c o m p o s i t i o n s i n a significant way. " I n d e e d it m a y be q u e s t i o n e d , " Blake h a d c o n c l u d e d h i s s h o r t essay, " i f his m u s i c a l n a t u r e w e r e affected a t all o t h e r t h a n f a v o r a b l y b y his i n f i r m i t y . H i s a r t w a s g r e a t e r t h a n t h e m a n , o r r a t h e r t h e m a n i n his art was g r e a t e r t h a n himself." By m i d c e n t u r y , scholars such as W a l d e m a r S c h w e i s h e i m e r
h a d g r o w n w i l l i n g t o a r g u e t h a t t h e c o m p o s e r ' s deafness h a d i n f l u e n c e d his m u s i c p r o f o u n d l y , i n fact, a n d e v e n t o p o s i t its c a u s e . " B e e t h o v e n ' s t r a g i c deafness w a s t h e c o n s e q u e n c e o f a disease o f t h e i n n e r ear, a
neuritis acoustica.
T h e most probable
c a u s e o f this n e u r i t i s w a s a s e v e r e early a t t a c k o f t y p h o i d fever," S c h w e i s h e i m e r had w r i t t e n in t h e
Musical Quarterly
in 1945.
T h e p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t t h e h e a r i n g loss h a d b e e n c a u s e d i n s t e a d by syphilis—a theory that had g r o w n popular in s o m e circles—simply could not be supported by Beethoven's medical history, a c c o r d i n g t o S c h w e i s h e i m e r , w h o described t h e claim t h a t h e h a d syphilis a s " p u r e i n v e n t i o n , " a n d i t h a d b e e n u t t e r l y discredited m o r e than a century before, he believed, w h e n n o n e o f s e v e r a l v i v i d a n d telltale signs o f t h e d i s e a s e h a d b e e n o b s e r v e d a t a u t o p s y . A q u a r t e r c e n t u r y later, h o w e v e r , t h e n o t i o n t h a t syphilis h a d b e e n t h e c o m p o s e r ' s c h i e f m e d i c a l c u l p r i t nonetheless
had
grown
commonplace
enough
that
British
scholar E d w a r d Larkin h a d d e v o t e d a n e n t i r e section o f his l o n g essay, " B e e t h o v e n ' s M e d i c a l H i s t o r y , " t o its r e f u t a t i o n . Like
Schweisheimer,
Larkin
had
not
intended
to
protect
Beethoven's magisterial reputation by refusing to a c k n o w l e d g e t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f his h a v i n g c o n t r a c t e d a v e n e r e a l disease; i n fact, h e b e l i e v e d i t w a s p r o b a b l e t h a t h e h a d : " I t i s l i k e l y t h a t B e e t h o v e n , like e v e r y b o d y else, c a u g h t g o n o r r h e a , " L a r k i n h a d written,
his
essay
published
Beethoven: The Last Decade,
in
1970
as
an
appendix
to
b y M a r t i n C o o p e r , " b u t t h e r e is n o
e v i d e n c e t h a t e i t h e r his l i f e l o n g illnesses o r his deafness w e r e syphilitic, a n d t h e substantial m e d i c a l w r i t e r s m a k e o t h e r d i a g noses." F o r his p a r t , L a r k i n s u s p e c t e d t h a t B e e t h o v e n ' s deafness m o s t
probably was caused by otosclerosis, the h a r d e n i n g of the cart i l a g i n o u s o p e n i n g t o t h e i n n e r ear. T h e c o m p o s e r ' s l i f e l o n g litany o f o t h e r d i s o r d e r s — " h e p a t i t i s , colitis, r h e u m a t i s m , r e p e a t e d c a t a r r h s , abscesses, c r y o p a t h y ( a t t a c k s p r e c i p i t a t e d b y chilling), t h e o p t h a l m i a and t h e skin d i s o r d e r s " — L a r k i n b e lieved could be seen as s y m p t o m a t i c and " e x t r e m e l y suggestive of connective
tissue
immunopathy,"
a
disorder
in
which
disease-fighting antibodies strangely and selectively a t t e m p t to destroy t h e body's o w n b o n e , cartilage, ligaments, t e n d o n s , o r soft tissue. W h e n B r i t i s h r h e u m a t o l o g i s t a n d B e e t h o v e n d e v o tee T h o m a s Palferman
had weighed in
on the
etiology of
B e e t h o v e n ' s diseases i n a c o m p r e h e n s i v e a r t i c l e p u b l i s h e d i n the Beethoven Center's
Beethoven Journal
n o t e d t h e several p r e v i o u s diagnoses,
in
1992, he had
and had agreed with
Larkin that an " a u t o i m m u n e " disorder m i g h t have b e e n at the r o o t of m o s t of B e e t h o v e n ' s maladies. Y e t it wasn't likely that i t h a d c a u s e d his h e a r i n g loss a s w e l l , a n d P a l f e r m a n t h e r e f o r e h a d s u g g e s t e d his o w n u n p r e c e d e n t e d d i a g n o s i s . S a r c o i d o s i s , a disease c l o s e l y r e l a t e d t o t u b e r c u l o s i s a n d c h a r acterized
by
the
appearance
of noncancerous,
tumorlike
g r o w t h s o n organs t h r o u g h o u t t h e b o d y — n e o p l a s m s capable o f i n f l i c t i n g s e v e r e d a m a g e a n d its a t t e n d a n t p a i n — w a s t h e o n e disease P a l f e r m a n b e l i e v e d c o u l d e n c o m p a s s e v e r y a s p e c t o f Beethoven's medical misfortune. A l t h o u g h often self-limiting a n d r a t h e r b e n i g n i n its effects, a s e v e r e case o f s a r c o i d o s i s , Palferman had contended,
c o u l d a c c o u n t for t h e d e s t r o y e d
l i v e r t h a t e n d e d B e e t h o v e n ' s life, for h i s e y e c o m p l a i n t s , h i s frequent respiratory attacks; a n d t h e k i d n e y stones discovered a t a u t o p s y also c o u l d e x p l a i n his c h r o n i c a n d o f t e n c r i p p l i n g
abdominal pain. A n d although it was reported in the medical l i t e r a t u r e o n l y e x t r e m e l y rarely, t h e B r i t i s h p h y s i c i a n h a d a d m i t t e d , s a r c o i d o s i s c o u l d also l e a d t o d e a f n e s s . I t w a s t h e s o l e diagnosis that c o u l d provide a unified explanation of the great man's extensive suffering, and c o u n t e r i n g w h a t C l a r e n c e Blake had w r i t t e n nearly a c e n t u r y before, Palferman had c o n c l u d e d his a r g u m e n t b y s u g g e s t i n g t h a t b e c a u s e
"pain and despair
c a n a m p l i f y artistic o r i g i n a l i t y , i t i s p e r h a p s a x i o m a t i c t h a t B e e t h o v e n ' s m a n y adversities allowed h i m t o p l u m b e m o t i o n a l d e p t h s t h a t a m o r e t r a n q u i l life w o u l d h a v e d e n i e d h i m . " P u t simply, B e e t h o v e n ' s diseases t h e r e f o r e h a d p l a y e d a n i n s p i r i t i n g r o l e i n t h e c r e a t i o n o f his p r o f o u n d l y e m o t i v e m u s i c . I t a p p e a r s t h a t P h i l i p W e i s s , a c o n t r i b u t i n g w r i t e r for t h e
New York Times Magazine
did n o t read Palferman's c o m m e n -
tary or any of those that had preceded it w h e n he took up the subject
of Beethoven's
health
and
the
ongoing
study
of
B e e t h o v e n ' s hair i n O c t o b e r 1998. T h e r e p o r t e r had seized u p o n Ira B r i l l i a n t a n d C h e G u e v a r a a s e x a m p l e s o f a m a t e u r s o u t of their depths in the b u r g e o n i n g arena of forensic history in an article published in t h e
New York Times Magazine
on
N o v e m b e r 30, and Weiss was sure as well that he had ferreted o u t t h e r e a s o n w h y t h e t w o m e n h a d b o u g h t t h e l o c k o f hair, t h e n g o n e to great lengths to have it tested: they w e r e out to p r o v e that B e e t h o v e n h a d c o n t r a c t e d syphilis. A l t h o u g h each m a n h a d i n s i s t e d t o W e i s s t h a t t h e o n g o i n g h a i r analysis w a s a i m e d a t n o p r e d e t e r m i n e d goal w h e n h e h a d visited Brilliant at the B e e t h o v e n C e n t e r in San Jose and Guevara in Nogales, t h e w r i t e r w o u l d n o t be d e t e r r e d , and t h e result was a story entitled
"Beethoven's
Hair
Tells
All!,"
the
cover
of the
m a g a z i n e illustrated w i t h an i m a g e of t h e c o m p o s e r seated at his p i a n o a n d g l a r i n g at t h e t a b l o i d
"Vienna Confidential,"
w h o s e h e a d l i n e b l a r e d , " C l a p for B e e t h o v e n ? H i s h a i r says i t all: H e ' s g o t Y D . " A l t h o u g h Weiss c o n c e d e d that Brilliant was a " c h a r m i n g 7 6 y e a r - o l d , " h e also d e p i c t e d h i m a s a m a n b l i n d l y d e t e r m i n e d t o h a v e his way. G u e v a r a , i n t u r n , was s o m e o n e o f w h o m t h e w r i t e r c o u l d c r o w , " I r e c o g n i z e d his t y p e . H e w a s t h e w e l l r e a d p r o v i n c i a l d o c t o r . . . . H i s t h e o r i e s of h i s t o r y o w e d a l o t to G o r e Vidal novels and c o r r e s p o n d e n c e videos." A n d the tests t h e t w o m e n h a d a u t h o r i z e d W i l l i a m W a l s h t o u n d e r t a k e — e x a m i n a t i o n s Weiss was certain w e r e aimed at shouting t o t h e w o r l d that B e e t h o v e n h a d b e e n sexually i n d i s c r e e t — struck h i m "as rather g e e - w h i z a n d trivial." N e i t h e r G u e v a r a n o r Brilliant t o o k pleasure in b e i n g p o r trayed in the nation's leading n e w s p a p e r as s o m e t h i n g of a s y p h i l i s - o b s e s s e d b u m p k i n , a n d , w h a t w a s w o r s e w a s t h e fact that the B e e t h o v e n cognoscenti a r o u n d the w o r l d n o w m i g h t p r e s u m e that they w e r e bent on buttressing a medical diagnosis t h a t h a d b e e n s o u n d l y d i s c r e d i t e d for n e a r l y t h r e e d e c a d e s . T h e magazine writer wrongly had presumed—then had presented it as cleverly u n c o v e r e d inside i n f o r m a t i o n — t h a t the o w n e r s o f t h e G u e v a r a l o c k h a d t h e i r s i g h t s set o n syphilis y e t w e r e t o o c o y t o a d m i t it p u b l i c l y . T h e d o c t o r w a s a after all, W e i s s r e m i n d e d t h e
Times's
urologist,
readers.
Y e t a s t h e r i m i n g b y c h a n c e w o u l d h a v e it, Ira B r i l l i a n t a n d Dr. Guevara had m e t w i t h testing coordinator William Walsh i n A r i z o n a d u r i n g t h e five w e e k s b e t w e e n t h e i r c o n v e r s a t i o n s w i t h W e i s s a n d t h e article's a p p e a r a n c e , a n d t h e y n o w w e r e
privy to information
that only Walsh
h i t h e r t o had k n o w n :
B e e t h o v e n ' s h a i r h a d e v i d e n c e d levels o f m e r c u r y s o l o w t h e y were undetectable. M e r c u r y had been a ubiquitous treatment for s y p h i l i s a n d d o z e n s o f o t h e r i n f e c t i o n s e a r l y i n t h e n i n e teenth century, o n e the c o m p o s e r certainly w o u l d have c o n s u m e d regularly i f h e k n o w i n g l y h a d b e e n battling t h e disease. Syphilis n o w clearly c o u l d n o t explain B e e t h o v e n ' s c r u e l c o n c e r t o f d i s e a s e s . B u t Bill W a l s h a n d t h e m e n h e h a d e m p l o y e d t o test t h e h a i r h a d f o u n d s o m e t h i n g else t h a t m i g h t .
ESTHER TAYLOR
K N E W T H A T A lock o f Beethoven's hair
h a d b e e n i n h e r d e a r f r i e n d ' s f a m i l y for t w o g e n e r a t i o n s , b u t she could n o t explain h o w it had reached D e n m a r k , n o r could she n a m e t h e p e r s o n w h o had g i v e n i t away. A t w e n t y - y e a r - o l d p u l m o n a r y therapist w o r k i n g at B r o t m a n M e m o r i a l Hospital in C u l v e r City, California, she had m e t M a r c e l H i l l a i r e i n t h e s p r i n g o f 1 9 7 4 , j u s t d a y s after h e h a d b e e n t h r o w n h i g h i n t h e air b y a s p e e d i n g a u t o m o b i l e a s h e was
attempting
to
cross
La
Brea
Avenue
at
Hollywood
B o u l e v a r d . Hillaire's injuries w e r e extensive; h e h a d b e e n h o s p i t a l i z e d for f o u r m o n t h s , a n d d u r i n g t h a t t i m e E s t h e r T a y l o r had g r o w n enchanted by the debonair European man, and he, in turn, by her. Despite the four decades that separated their a g e s , t h e t w o g r e w v e r y c l o s e , a n d w h e n a t last h e w a s r e l e a s e d from the hospital, Esther Taylor a n d M a r c e l Hillaire found an a p a r t m e n t o n B u r n s i d e A v e n u e i n Los Angeles that they w e r e s u r e w o u l d s u i t t h e m b o t h , o n e w h i c h t h e y s h a r e d for t h e
following eight years. M a r c e l Hillaire h a d led a r i c h yet often c h a o t i c life, E s t h e r l e a r n e d e a r l y o n , a n d s h e l o v e d t o h e a r h i s m a g i c a l s t o r i e s a b o u t his y o u t h .
He had been born Erwin
O t t m a r Hiller in C o l o g n e on April 23, 1908. His m o t h e r was S o p h i e L i o n , a l i e d e r s i n g e r w h o a l w a y s l a m e n t e d t h e fact t h a t the Lion b r a n c h of her ancient tribe s o m e h o w h a d settled in G e r m a n y . His father w a s a p r o u d patriot w h o w o r e a Kaiser W i l h e l m m u s t a c h e , b u t h e w a s a p a s s i o n a t e socialist a s w e l l , a n d a l t h o u g h h e o n c e h a d d i r e c t e d t h e city's o p e r a , P a u l H i l l e r h a d w o r k e d as a n e w s p a p e r ' s m u s i c critic by t h e t i m e E r w i n a n d his elder b r o t h e r Edgar c a m e along. His paternal grandfather, w h o had
died
long
Kapellmeister f o r cious
before
he
was
born,
had
been
Cologne's
m a n y y e a r s ; h i s f a t h e r still p o s s e s s e d a f e w p r e -
mementos
that
once
had
belonged
to
the
famed
Ferdinand: there was a copy of the death mask that had b e e n shaped
from
clay
pressed
onto
the
deceased
Ludwig van
B e e t h o v e n ' s face; t h e r e w a s a w e a t h e r e d c o n d u c t o r ' s b a t o n t h a t h a d b e l o n g e d t o B e e t h o v e n — o r h a d i t b e e n his g r a n d f a t h e r ' s f r i e n d Felix M e n d e l s s o h n ' s b a t o n ? O r w a s i t m e r e l y his g r a n d father's o w n ? H e c o u l d n ' t b e s u r e — a n d s e c u r e u n d e r t h e glass o f a small b l a c k l o c k e t w a s a b i t o f h a i r his g r a n d f a t h e r h a d clipped from Beethoven's head. Esther Taylor was sure Marcel w o u l d have been hugely helpful i n e x p l a i n i n g h o w t h e l o c k o f h a i r h a d left his family a n d h a d traveled to Denmark—sadly,
she n e v e r h a d d r e a m e d that a
d e c a d e after his d e a t h p e o p l e w o u l d s e e k h e r o u t i n h o p e s t h a t s h e h a d i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t M a r c e l ' s d i s t a n t past, a n d a b o u t t h a t l o c k o f hair. A n d s h e w a s c e r t a i n o f s o m e t h i n g m o r e : M a r c e l h a d
b e e n u n h a p p y that the lock of hair w e n t to a m u s e u m — a s he h a d b e e n t o l d i t h a d — r a t h e r t h a n t o h i m o r his b r o t h e r E d g a r . In a r e n e w e d attempt to ascertain w h e r e the hair had g o n e w h e n i t left t h e H i l l e r ' s h o m e a t 3 1 Eifelstrasse i n C o l o g n e — and
armed
now
with
Esther
Taylor's
vital
information—
G e r m a n researcher A l e x a n d e r Fulling b e g a n again t o search, t h i s t i m e for e v i d e n c e o f t h e l o c k o f h a i r itself r a t h e r t h a n for F e l i x H i l l e r , d e a d s i n c e 1 9 6 3 , o r his h a l f b r o t h e r E d g a r , w h o h a d d i e d i n H a m b u r g i n 1 9 5 9 , o r f^r E r w i n , w h o h a d b e c o m e M a r c e l Hillaire. were
more
dead
But what ends:
the
Fulling ultimately found merely Cologne
music
academy
that
F e r d i n a n d H i l l e r h a d d i r e c t e d for d e c a d e s h a d n o r e c o r d o f a gift f r o m his s o n o f a l o c k o f B e e t h o v e n ' s h a i r ; n e i t h e r d i d t h e c i t y a r c h i v e , n o r t h e p u b l i c library, n o r t h e l i b r a r y o f t h e u n i versity, a n d a l t h o u g h t h e c o l l e c t i o n o f t h e B e e t h o v e n - A r c h i v i n B o n n i n c l u d e d several locks o f t h e master's hair, n o n e h a d b e e n t h e gift o f P a u l H i l l e r , a n d n o n e h a d b e e n s p i r i t e d t o D e n m a r k d u r i n g the war. F e r d i n a n d H i l l e r ' s d i a r i e s a n d l e t t e r s , h o w e v e r , had b e e n b e queathed to the music academy,
and
from
archivists t h e r e
F u l l i n g l e a r n e d t h a t P a u l H i l l e r ' s sister T o n y also h a d g i v e n m u c h o f h e r father's m u s i c a l l e g a c y — s k e t c h e s ,
manuscripts,
and scores—to the m u s e u m of the c o m b i n e d public and u n i versity library in Frankfurt.
Surely it was w o r t h
inquiring
w h e t h e r the lock of hair had b e e n sequestered there, Fulling d e c i d e d , a n d h e b r i e f l y w a s s t u n n e d i n t h e fall o f 1 9 9 9 w h e n h e was i n f o r m e d b y archivist A n n K e r s t i n g - M e u l e m a n that the m u s e u m o n c e h a d p o s s e s s e d a l o c k o f B e e t h o v e n ' s hair, w h i c h
s h e b e l i e v e d h a d b e e n u n a c c o u n t e d f o r after t h e w a r . T h e f o l lowing
morning,
however,
the
telephone
was
ringing
as
F u l l i n g o p e n e d his office d o o r ; i t w a s K e r s t i n g - M e u l e m a n , calling from Frankfurt, w i t h an apology. T h e lock of hair in q u e s t i o n still w a s i n t h e m u s e u m ' s p o s s e s s i o n — s h e w a s l o o k i n g at it as she spoke, in fact—and it had b e e n a m o n g t h e m a n y n o table items that h a d b e e n a c q u i r e d w h e n F r a n k f u r t e r F r i e d r i c h N i c h o l a s M a n s k o p f w i l l e d t h e c o l l e c t i o n o f his p r i v a t e m u s i c history m u s e u m t o t h e city i n 1 9 2 9 . So there it was: Marcel Hillaire had told Esther Taylor r e p e a t e d l y d u r i n g t h e y e a r s s h e l i v e d w i t h h i m t h a t his f a t h e r h a d given the venerable hair that o n c e h a d b e e n B e e t h o v e n ' s to an institution of s o m e sort, w h e r e Paul Hiller had e x p e c t e d it to b e c a r e d for i n p e r p e t u i t y . Y e t w h y c o u l d F u l l i n g find n o e v i d e n c e o f t h e g e n e r o u s gift d e s p i t e e x t e n s i v e s e a r c h i n g ? T h a t q u e s t i o n s e e m e d to s p a w n a n u m b e r of plausible answers: p e r haps Marcel Hillaire chose to claim that the lock of hair had b e e n g i v e n a w a y b e c a u s e his k n o w l e d g e o f w h a t a c t u a l l y h a d b e c o m e of it was e n d u r i n g l y painful. It is i m a g i n a b l e as well that Paul H i l l e r told his son that he h a d g i v e n t h e lock of hair t o a m u s e u m w h e n , i n fact, h e h a d g i v e n i t t o his b r o t h e r E d g a r o r t o s o m e o n e o u t s i d e t h e i r i m m e d i a t e family. P e r h a p s , on the other hand, Fulling simply had yet to make an inquiry at t h e p r o p e r m u s e u m , a possibility that s e e m e d increasingly u n l i k e l y ; P a u l H i l l e r h a d l i v e d i n C o l o g n e t h r o u g h o u t his life, a n d his f a t h e r h a d b e e n m u c h b e l o v e d i n t h a t c i t y for m o r e than thirty years; surely it was there beside the R h i n e , or in nearby B o n n , that Paul Hiller w o u l d have w a n t e d the lock of
h a i r t o r e m a i n . W a s a w r i t t e n r e c o r d o f t h e gift d e s t r o y e d i n t h e massive Allied b o m b i n g at t h e e n d of the S e c o n d W o r l d War? M u c h of C o l o g n e had b e e n leveled in 1945; w h o l e lib r a r i e s h a d b e e n d e c i m a t e d a n d s c o r e s o f m a t e r i a l s i n t h e city's c e n t r a l a r c h i v e s i m p l y h a d c e a s e d t o exist; p e r h a p s a d o c u m e n t p e r t a i n i n g t o Paul Hiller's b e q u e s t had b e e n d e s t r o y e d i n t h e conflagration. Or, did s o m e o n e — a m u s e u m employee, a m u s e u m t r u s t e e p e r h a p s — w h o h a d access t o t h e l o c k o f h a i r a n d w h o had taken it as he or she fleo^ G e r m a n y , take as well t h e p r i n t e d e v i d e n c e that p r o v e d the hair h a d b e e n in t h e institution's possession in t h e first place? If t h e l o c k of hair had b e e n s t o l e n — e i t h e r b y s o m e o n e w h o w a n t e d i t s o l e l y for its m o n e t a r y v a l u e , o r b y s o m e o n e w h o r e f u s e d t o l e a v e i t b e h i n d for the
hated
Nazis—surely
that
person
might
have
destroyed
w h a t e v e r r e c o r d s o n c e h a d s i g n a l e d its e x i s t e n c e . W a s i t s o m e o n e w h o h a d k n o w n P a u l H i l l e r o r his f a m i l y w h o a b s c o n d e d f r o m C o l o g n e w i t h a h i d d e n l o c k o f hair? D i d t h e p e r s o n w h o ultimately gave the
hair to
Dr.
F r e m m i n g k n o w precisely
w h e r e it had c o m e from, or had the black locket w i t h the bit of B e e t h o v e n inside b e e n used as barter and b e e n passed from h a n d to hand a dozen times before it reached the t o w n of Gilleleje? C o u l d a n s w e r s t o t h o s e q u e s t i o n s e v e r b e a s c e r tained? C o u l d they ultimately b e m i n e d i n m u c h the same w a y t h a t a small t e a m o f A m e r i c a n scientists r e c e n d y h a d g l e a n e d s e c r e t s a b o u t B e e t h o v e n ' s h e a l t h f r o m his 1 7 0 - y e a r - o l d h a i r ? O r w o u l d t h e passage o f B e e t h o v e n ' s h a i r t o D e n m a r k a l w a y s remain a perplexing mystery?
WILLIAM
WALSH,
LIKE
WERNER
BAUMGARTNER
be-
fore h i m , w a n t e d the m e n w i t h w h o m h e m e t privately i n A r i z o n a t o k n o w t h a t i t h a d b e e n his h o n o r t o c o o r d i n a t e t h e several e x a m i n a t i o n s of B e e t h o v e n ' s hair. Y e t it w a s i m p o r t a n t to h i m that he m a d e it clear as w e l l that his f o r e m o s t interest along the w a y had b e e n in e n s u r i n g that g o o d science had b e e n performed during the preceding twenty-nine months. Neither his n o r h i s c o l l e a g u e s ' c a r e e r s c o u l d b e a d v a n c e d i n a n y w a y b y s h o d d y m e t h o d o l o g y o r s l o p p y lab p r o c e d u r e s .
He
had
w o r k e d t o o h a r d for t o o m a n y y e a r s i n l e g i t i m i z i n g h a i r a n a l y sis a n d p r o v i n g its i m p o r t a n t a p p l i c a t i o n s t o r i s k f u t u r e a c c u s a t i o n s t h a t h e h a d b e e n s e a r c h i n g for n o t o r i e t y ,
rather than
w h a t e v e r t r u t h lay t r a p p e d i n t h e t w e n t y s t r a n d s o f hair. B u t o n c e h e h a d m a d e t h o s e p e r s p e c t i v e s clear, h o w e v e r , W a l s h next w a n t e d the o w n e r s of Beethoven's hair to k n o w that he h a d r i v e t i n g i n f o r m a t i o n for t h e m , w h i c h h e h a d s u m m a r i z e d in a s e v e n - p a g e r e p o r t . Following their arrival
from
Los Angeles in M a y
1996,
Walsh had dried t h e hairs—still w e t from Baumgartner's rad i o i m m u n o a s s a y p r o c e d u r e — i n his lab a t t h e H e a l t h R e s e a r c h I n s t i t u t e , t h e n h a d f o r w a r d e d t w o h a i r s , o n e b r o w n , o n e gray, t o M a x A d a m s , a n e x p e r t i n h i g h - m a g n i f i c a t i o n forensics a n d photomicrography
who
lives
on
a
yacht
that
sails
the
C a r i b b e a n . A d a m s h a d studied t h e hairs a t magnifications o f 1 0 0 X , 4 0 0 X , a n d l.OOOX, a n d h a d f o u n d , n o t s u r p r i s i n g l y , t h a t t h e hair h a d b e g u n t o d e t e r i o r a t e . "Several areas h a d e x p e r i e n c e d e r o s i o n o f t h e o u t e r keratin layer a n d n u m e r o u s tiny hair fragments w e r e observed," Walsh w r o t e in the confidential report. B u t the hair had n o t disintegrated, as it certainly
m i g h t h a v e b y n o w , a n d its o v e r a l l c o n d i t i o n s u r e l y o w e d m u c h t o its l o n g - t e r m s t o r a g e b e t w e e n t h e s e a l e d p i e c e s o f glass.
Although
Adams
had
been
able
to
determine
" g a s e o u s e l e m e n t s w i t h h i g h diffusion c o e f f i c i e n t s ,
that
such as
o x y g e n " h a d p e r m e a t e d t h e hair, h e was certain that t h e k e r a t i n l a y e r o n t h e o u t s i d e o f e a c h h a i r shaft r e m a i n e d i n t a c t enough to have prohibited the penetration of heavy metal atoms. In o t h e r w o r d s , it had b e e n Adams's o p i n i o n that w h a t e v e r metals m i g h t later b e f o u n d i \ t h e sampled hair h a d n o t e n t e r e d i t after B e e t h o v e n ' s d e a t h . F o u r t e e n m o n t h s h a d passed following Adams's e x a m i n a t i o n b e f o r e W a l s h a t last d e t e r m i n e d w h a t h e b e l i e v e d w o u l d b e t h e b e s t m e t h o d a n d t h e b e s t p e r s o n for t r a c e - m e t a l analysis, a n d Walter
McCrone,
the
indefatigable
eighty-three-year-old
founder of the M c C r o n e R e s e a r c h Institute in Chicago, was t h a t m a n . L i k e l y still t h e n a t i o n ' s f o r e m o s t c h e m i c a l m i c r o s c o p i s t d e s p i t e his a g g r e g a t e y e a r s , i t w a s M c C r o n e w h o h a d demonstrated conclusively in the
1980s that the S h r o u d of
T u r i n had been painted in the fourteenth century and was not, therefore, the burial cloth of Jesus; and prior to that d e t e r m i n a t i o n , M c C r o n e also h a d p r o v e n — b y e x a m i n i n g a s a m p l e o f his h a i r — t h a t N a p o l e o n h a d n o t d i e d f r o m a r s e n i c p o i s o n i n g , as long had b e e n suspected. I n his e x a m i n a t i o n o f t h e t w o B e e t h o v e n h a i r s , M c C r o n e first had incinerated each one, as well as three m o r e control hairs taken from living persons, in a l o w - t e m p e r a t u r e nascent o x y g e n a s h e r . T h e ash f r o m e a c h o f t h e f i v e h a i r s s u b s e q u e n t l y had been analyzed using b o t h scanning electron microscope energy dispersion spectrometry,
k n o w n as
SEM/EDS,
and
scanning
ion
microscope
mass
spectrometry,
SIMS—each
t e c h n i q u e e m p l o y i n g a t o m i c interactions a n d q u a n t u m physics r a t h e r t h a n l i g h t a n d m a g n i f i c a t i o n t o " p e e r i n s i d e " a test m a terial. N o t l o n g after h e h a d r e c e i v e d t h e h a i r s , M c C r o n e h a d r e t u r n e d t o W a l s h c h e m i c a l d a t a p e r t a i n i n g t o a t o t a l o f fiftythree separate elements, although not every o n e of those had b e e n f o u n d i n m e a s u r a b l e q u a n t i t i e s i n e a c h o f t h e five s a m ples. Walsh, i n t u r n , h a d analyzed i n d e p e n d e n t l y t h e r a w r e sults, e x p l a i n i n g i n his r e p o r t t h a t " e v a l u a t i o n o f t r a c e e l e m e n t s in hair can be quite c o m p l e x , and requires k n o w l e d g e of metal m e t a b o l i s m , n u t r i e n t transport, e x c r e t i o n kinetics, bile s h u n t ing, a n d m a n y o t h e r b i o c h e m i c a l processes a n d factors." T h e examinations by electron microscopy ultimately had been u n able t o e n c o u n t e r a n y e v i d e n c e i n e i t h e r t h e B e e t h o v e n s a m ples o r t h e c o n t r o l s o f t h e e l e v a t e d c o p p e r / z i n c r a t i o , t o g e t h e r w i t h v e r y h i g h levels o f s o d i u m a n d p o t a s s i u m , t h a t r e p e a t e d l y Walsh h a d f o u n d in t h e hair of p e o p l e of e x t r e m e intelligence; neither B e e t h o v e n n o r any of the three controls had exhibited t h a t " g e n i u s p a t t e r n , " h e h a d d e t e r m i n e d . All five s a m p l e s , i n fact, h a d s h o w n n o r m a l c o n c e n t r a t i o n s o f a t o t a l o f f o r t y - t h r e e e l e m e n t s . T h e t h r e e c o n t r o l samples h a d e x h i b i t e d n o r m a l lead concentrations as well, but the t w o B e e t h o v e n samples dramatically h a d n o t — a n d that was the information that Walsh n o w was eager to share: the t h r e e controls had s h o w n relative l e a d c o n c e n t r a t i o n s o f 0 . 9 5 , 1.4, a n d 9 . 8 , w h e r e a s t h e r e l a t i v e concentrations in the B e e t h o v e n samples, in comparison, had b e e n as high as 90 and 250. It was an absolutely arresting finding, o n e that m e a n t that the
average a m o u n t o f lead in t h e B e e t h o v e n hair h a d b e e n
forty-
two times t h e l e a d a v e r a g e c o n t a i n e d i n t h e c o n t r o l s . L u d w i g van Beethoven,
Walsh believed the
evidence n o w strongly
suggested, h a d b e e n massively toxic w i t h lead a t t h e t i m e o f his d e a t h a n d m a y h a v e b e e n for d o z e n s o f y e a r s b e f o r e .
NEITHER
CHE
GUEVARA
NCJJR
I R A Brilliant ever h a d
d a r e d t o p r e s u m e t h a t t h e analysis t h e y h a d set i n m o t i o n t h r e e years before ultimately w o u l d lead to c o m p e l l i n g n e w inform a t i o n a b o u t B e e t h o v e n ' s h e a l t h , let a l o n e a c o m p r e h e n s i v e e x p l a n a t i o n o f w h y his b o d y s o l o n g h a d b e e n s o b u r d e n e d . Yet s u d d e n l y that o u t c o m e a p p e a r e d possible. Lead n o l o n g e r p o i s o n e d children a n d adults as c o m m o n l y as it o n c e had, b u t i n t h e y e a r s b e f o r e its v e r y d e l e t e r i o u s effects o n t h e h u m a n b o d y h a d b e c o m e intimately u n d e r s t o o d , lead i n c o o k w a r e , tableware, and water p i p e s — a m o n g myriad sources—had p o i soned millions of people a r o u n d the world, sometimes only subtly, b u t o f t e n w i t h d i s a s t r o u s r e s u l t s . T h e p h y s i o l o g i c a l effects o f l e a d p o i s o n i n g i n c h i l d r e n h a v e b e e n w i d e l y u n d e r s t o o d a n d discussed t h r o u g h o u t m o s t o f t h e t w e n t i e t h century, b u t t h e metal is capable of devastating adults a s w e l l , a n d a c a t a l o g o f its c o m m o n c l i n i c a l m a n i f e s t a t i o n s — a c o n d i t i o n called p l u m b i s m — d o e s , v e r y intriguingly, read like a s o m b e r list o f B e e t h o v e n ' s l i f e l o n g ills. C h r o n i c t o x i c e x p o sure to lead almost invariably causes i n t e r m i t t e n t y e t l o n g - t e r m gastrointestinal cramping,
distress
vomiting,
characterized
constipation
by
and/or
severe
abdominal
diarrhea;
gout
is
c o m m o n , as are a variety of rheumatic complaints, and so t o o a r e s k i n p a l l o r a n d j a u n d i c e . R e c u r r e n t h e a d a c h e s , loss o f a p p e t i t e , irritability, f o r g e t f u l n e s s , a n d e r r a t i c b e h a v i o r o f t e n a r e r e p o r t e d in adults w i t h p l u m b i s m , as is a generalized k i n d of c l u m s i n e s s c a u s e d b y t h e p a r t i a l paralysis o f e x t e n s o r m u s c l e s o f the
arms
a n d legs.
O t h e r neurological
symptoms
that are
widely acknowledged in the medical literature—but which c e r t a i n l y a r e n o t c o m m o n t o e v e r y c a s e — a r e v i s u a l deficits a n d a p r o g r e s s i v e loss o f h e a r i n g c a u s e d b y p e r m a n e n t d a m a g e to the optic and auditory nerves. C o m p a r e those dramatically debilitating s y m p t o m s w i t h a s y n o p s i s o f t h e c o m p o s e r ' s a i l m e n t s o v e r t h e c o u r s e o f his lifetime, o n e that was compiled by Drs.
Hans Bankl and Hans
J e s s e r e r o f t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f V i e n n a ' s I n s t i t u t e for t h e H i s t o r y o f M e d i c i n e in their 1986 b o o k
Beethovens
Die Krankheiten Ludwig van
( T h e Illnesses o f L u d w i g v a n B e e t h o v e n ) . In 1 7 9 5 ,
the twenty-four-year-old composer began to experience freq u e n t and often intense a b d o m i n a l pains; in 1798, he first b e c a m e a w a r e of a t r o u b l e s o m e inability to hear w h a t p e o p l e said, a n d s o o n h e also b e g a n t o e x p e r i e n c e b u z z i n g a n d r i n g i n g i n his e a r s . I n 1 8 0 1 , B e e t h o v e n c o n s t a n t l y w a s p l a g u e d w i t h d i a r r h e a , fever, a n d a b d o m i n a l c r a m p i n g , a n d t h o s e c o m p l a i n t s c o n t i n u e d for t h e s u c c e e d i n g d e c a d e ; h e h a d s e v e r a l teeth pulled in 1807 in the h o p e that the extractions w o u l d r e l i e v e h i s r e c u r r e n t " g o u t y h e a d a c h e s " ; his h e a r i n g c o n t i n u e d t o d i m i n i s h , a n d h e o f t e n w a s f o r c e d t o k e e p c o t t o n i n his e a r s in order to reduce "unpleasant rustling" sounds, or tinnitus. A l t h o u g h his i n t e s t i n a l a i l m e n t s l e s s e n e d b e t w e e n t h e y e a r s o f 1811 and 1816, they then returned w i t h a vengeance, as did
"frightful attacks of r h e u m a t i s m " that c u l m i n a t e d in a serious r h e u m a t i c f e v e r i n 1 8 2 0 t h a t s e n t h i m t o b e d f o r six w e e k s . B e e t h o v e n e x p e r i e n c e d an attack of j a u n d i c e a n d m o r e acute diarrhea and constipation in
1821, a "gout of my chest" in
1 8 2 2 , p e r s i s t e n t e y e p a i n a n d still m o r e " w r e t c h e d " c r a m p i n g i n 1 8 2 3 — h i s h e a r i n g a l r e a d y s o p o o r for t h e p r e c e d i n g five years that people w i t h w h o m he was in contact had b e g u n to write d o w n whatever they wanted him to know. He was freq u e n t l y b e d r i d d e n i n 1 8 2 4 , a n d in^l 8 2 5 his b o w e l s b e c a m e i n f l a m e d , his n o s e b l e d o f t e n , a n d h e v o m i t e d r e g u l a r l y a s w e l l . H i s a b d o m e n b e g a n to swell a year later; he h a d severe b a c k p a i n , g r e w t e r r i b l y j a u n d i c e d , suffered a b o u t o f p n e u m o n i a , a n d a t t h e e n d o f t h a t y e a r , h e slid i n t o a final illness t h a t c u l m i n a t e d t h r e e m o n t h s later in a " c o m a h e p a t i c u m , " his d e a t h d i r e c t l y i n d u c e d b y t h e failure o f his liver. I n a d d i t i o n t o t h o s e a g g r e g a t e illnesses, t h e c o m p o s e r i n d e e d o f t e n w a s i r r i t a b l e a n d e r r a t i c i n his b e h a v i o r ; b e g i n n i n g i n 1 8 0 0 , h e t o l d f r i e n d s t h a t he had b e g u n to c o n s u m e a substantial a m o u n t of w i n e w i t h meals in t h e h o p e that it w o u l d stimulate his increasingly p o o r a p p e t i t e , a s w e l l a s ease his p a i n . E v e n t h e n o t o r i o u s l y u n u s u a l w a y i n w h i c h h e w a l k e d also i s s u g g e s t i v e o f t h e effects o f c h r o n i c lead toxicity. T h e v e r y h i g h l e a d levels t h a t W a l t e r M c C r o n e d e t e c t e d i n B e e t h o v e n ' s h a i r a r e s t r i c t l y i n d i c a t i v e o n l y o f t h e fact t h a t B e e t h o v e n w a s m a s s i v e l y l e a d t o x i c i n t h e last m o n t h s o f his life, o f c o u r s e , y e t g i v e n his t h i r t y y e a r s o f m o u n t i n g illnesses, his testy b e h a v i o r a n d c h r o n i c c l u m s i n e s s , i t n o w a p p e a r s v e r y p r o b a b l e that h e h a d c o n s u m e d large a m o u n t s o f lead l o n g b e fore. It is possible that in
1795 or thereabouts, B e e t h o v e n
s o m e h o w ingested a massive
quantity of lead o n l y a single
rime; lead is q u i c k l y d e p o s i t e d in b o n e , w h e r e it readily resides for m a n y y e a r s ,
and from which
source
it subsequendy is
slowly released back i n t o the b o d y O n t h e o t h e r hand, h e m a y have b e e n insidiously p o i s o n e d by the same source of lead t h r o u g h o u t t h e c o u r s e o f t h e last h a l f o f h i s life. A l t h o u g h t h e restless
Beethoven
moved
constantly
during
those
years,
a m o n g t h e p o s s e s s i o n s t h a t w e r e a u c t i o n e d f o l l o w i n g his d e a t h w e r e " 1 4 c h i n a plates, s o m e e a r t h e n w a r e , 1 tin c u p , several glasses, b o t d e s a n d b o w l s , 4 brass c a n d l e h o l d e r s , 1 brass m o r tar, 1 c o p p e r t u b , 1 r o t i s s e r i e , a s s o r t e d i r o n p o t s a n d p a n s , a n d the usual k i t c h e n furnishings." T h a t e a r t h e n w a r e certainly can be s u s p e c t e d of c o n t a i n i n g a l e a d e n glaze; t h e c h i n a m i g h t h a v e a s w e l l , a n d t h e " t i n " c u p a n d " i r o n " p o t s also c o u l d h a v e b e e n t h e c a u s e . I t s e e m s u n l i k e l y , g i v e n his m a n y r e s i d e n c e s , t h a t lead-soldered
water pipes
poisoned
Beethoven
severely yet
s o m e h o w s p a r e d t h e r e m a i n i n g c i t i z e n s o f V i e n n a , b u t t h e fact that he c o n s u m e d considerable a m o u n t s of w i n e , w h i c h in that e r a o f t e n w a s " p l u m b e d " w i t h l e a d t o l e s s e n its b i t t e r n e s s — a practice that even then was strongly discouraged because the c o n s u m p t i o n o f p l u m b e d w i n e s o clearly led t o " t h e c o l i c " — also m e a n s t h a t w i n e c a n n o t b e r u l e d o u t a s a p o s s i b l e s o u r c e of the poison.
WHILE
THEY
REMAINED
TOGETHER
IN
Tucson i n
the
a u t u m n o f 1 9 9 8 , Bill W a l s h , Ira B r i l l i a n t , a n d C h e G u e v a r a c o l l e c t i v e l y a g r e e d a s t h e y b e g a n t o discuss h o w b e s t t o m a k e
their findings public that it w o u l d be virtually impossible ever to
positively
Beethoven's
identify hair
to
what exceed
had forty
caused times
the the
lead
levels
in
contemporary
n o r m . A n d neither did the three m e n believe they should ann o u n c e that they plainly had solved a c e n t u r i e s - o l d m y s t e r y a b o u t t h e c a u s e o f t h e c o m p o s e r ' s deafness a n d t h e s o u r c e o f his c h r o n i c ill h e a l t h a s w e l l . Y e t t h e y h a d set i n m o t i o n t h e t e s t i n g o f t h e h a i r t h r e e y e a r s b e f o r e specifically i n h o p e s t h a t n e w information about the
composer's
d e a t h a n d t r o u b l e d life
could be ascertained, and n o w it appeared, rather remarkably, that their simple goal had b e e n achieved. A l t h o u g h o n e reporter had charged that they w e r e bent on t a b l o i d salacity, i n s t e a d i t h a d b e e n c a u t i o u s a n d o p e n - e n d e d s c i e n c e t h a t h a d s h a p e d t h e t e s t i n g ' s c o u r s e . G u e v a r a , a clinical p h y s i c i a n w h o h a d s t u d i e d h i s craft for f o u r t e e n y e a r s a n d n o w h a d p r a c t i c e d i t for a n e q u a l l e n g t h o f t i m e , a n d W a l s h , w h o h a d h a d t o s t r u g g l e h a r d t o a c h i e v e his o w n a c c l a i m , n o w f o r e m o s t believed that the a n n o u n c e m e n t of their findings had to be cradled in circumspection, and Brilliant agreed w i t h t h e m . Guevara and Walsh w o u l d c o a u t h o r a paper and s u b m i t it to a scientific j o u r n a l
for
publication,
they
ultimately
decided.
T h e i r article w o u l d detail t h e analytical m e t h o d o l o g i e s a n d laboratory p r o c e d u r e s that they had e m p l o y e d ; it w o u l d r e c o u n t Walter M c C r o n e ' s arresting finding; it w o u l d cite studies t h a t h a d b e e n p r e s e n t e d i n s i m i l a r s o r t s o f articles d u r i n g t h e p r e c e d i n g q u a r t e r o f t h e c e n t u r y d e m o n s t r a t i n g lead's ability t o c a u s e d e b i l i t a t i n g h e a r i n g deficits; a n d t h e y w o u l d , o f c o u r s e , compare Beethoven's medical history to the concert of s y m p t o m s that p l u m b i s m c o m m o n l y induces. B u t just as British
rheumatologist T h o m a s Palferman had d o n e w h e n he p r o posed sarcoidosis as a unified diagnosis of the composer's m a n y maladies in t h e
Beethoven Journal
i n 1 9 9 2 , t h e y also w o u l d a c -
k n o w l e d g e that B e e t h o v e n could have b e e n p o i s o n e d by lead a n d still h a v e s u f f e r e d u n r e l a t e d diseases a s w e l l . Y e t P a l f e r m a n h i m s e l f h a d e x p l a i n e d t h a t t h e s e a r c h for a s i n g l e c a u s e o f diffuse c o m p l a i n t s i s a n h o n o r e d m e d i c a l t r a d i tion. " T h e Franciscan p h i l o s o p h e r William of O c c a m . . . has been credited with the dictum
praeter necessitatem
(Entities
Entia non sunt multiplicanda
should not be
multiplied
ex-
cept w h e n necessary). Applied to medicine, the principle of Q c c a m ' s R a z o r encourages t h e intellectual discipline of seeking relentlessly a unifying diagnosis, no m a t t e r h o w o b s c u r e or u n r e l a t e d t h e m a n y a s p e c t s o f a clinical p r o b l e m m i g h t a p p e a r . " G i v e n P a l f e r m a n ' s o w n areas o f e x p e r t i s e a n d t h e i n f o r m a t i o n a v a i l a b l e a t t h e t i m e , i t w a s s a r c o i d o s i s t h a t for h i m c a m e c l o s est t o p r o v i d i n g t h a t u n i f y i n g e x p l a n a t i o n o f t h e g r e a t c o m p o s e r ' s c o m p l a i n t s . B u t i t w a s B e e t h o v e n ' s deafness t h a t h a d b e e n hardest to explain in that context, a p o i n t u n d e r s c o r e d by Scottish gastroenterologist A d a m K u b b a and music historian Madeleine Y o u n g in their "medical biography" of Beethoven published in
The Lancet
i n J a n u a r y 1 9 9 6 , j u s t as t h e t e s t i n g o f
hair from the G u e v a r a lock had c o m m e n c e d . " T h o u g h a g o o d e x p l a n a t i o n for his e y e c o n d i t i o n s , s a r c o i d o s i s c o u l d n o t a c c o u n t for B e e t h o v e n ' s d e a f n e s s , " t h e y h a d w r i t t e n . " H e w o u l d h a v e h a d t o h a v e d e v e l o p e d n e u r o s a r c o i d o s i s w i t h all its a s s o c i a t e d n e u r o l o g i c a l deficits for i t t o h a v e c a u s e d loss o f h e a r ing. K u b b a a n d Y o u n g similarly h a d d i s c o u n t e d E d w a r d Larkin's
1 9 7 0 s u g g e s t i o n t h a t a c o n n e c t i v e tissue disease a c c o u n t e d for all o f B e e t h o v e n ' s d i s o r d e r s s a v e t h e d e a f n e s s ; a n d n e i t h e r w e r e t h e y c o n v i n c e d t h a t P a g e t ' s disease o f b o n e , t u b e r c u l o s i s , i n f l a m m a t o r y b o w e l disease,
or Whipple's disease—each sug-
gested as a unifying cause at s o m e p o i n t d u r i n g the c e n t u r y t h a t w a s d r a w i n g t o a r a p i d c l o s e — w e r e , i n fact, t h e c o l l e c t i v e c a u s e . T h e t w o S c o t s h a d c o n c l u d e d t h e i r analysis b y e x p r e s s i n g t h e i r p e r s o n a l beliefs t h a t B e e t h o v e n ' s a g o n i z i n g l y p o o r h e a l t h s u r e l y w a s r o o t e d i n m u l t i p l e disease p r o c e s s e s , b u t t h e t h r e e A m e r i c a n s w h o n o w p o s s e s s e d vital n e w i n f o r m a t i o n — t h e n e w s t h a t B e e t h o v e n ' s h a i r h a d e x h i b i t e d l e a d levels t h a t w e r e startlingly h i g h — w e r e eager t o learn w h a t c o m m e n t a t o r s like K u b b a a n d Y o u n g , P a l f e r m a n , a n d a score of o t h e r s w o u l d make of the proposition
that plumbism,
i n fact,
explained
B e e t h o v e n ' s life o f t r o u b l e b e s t o f all. Walsh w a n t e d t o g o o n e step further. He k n e w that i f b o n e remains of B e e t h o v e n existed, by s o m e r e m o t e chance, testing p e r f o r m e d o n t h e m w o u l d b u t t r e s s e n o r m o u s l y t h e results o f t h e h a i r analysis; a n d m o r e o v e r , i f h a i r a n d b o n e t h e n w e r e compared
by
DNA
sequencing
and
were
determined
ir-
refutably t o have c o m e f r o m the same h u m a n b e i n g , t h e n t h e case t h e y c o u l d m a k e for t h e a c c u r a c y o f t h e i r w o r k a n d t h e likelihood
that
chronic
plumbism
explained very
much
of
the composer's medical history w o u l d b e c o m e a compelling o n e indeed. As it happened, Drs. Bankl and Jesserer in Vienna h a d e x a m i n e d small f r a g m e n t s o f B e e t h o v e n ' s skull i n t h e m i d 1 9 8 0 s i n t h e c o u r s e o f t h e r e s e a r c h for t h e i r b o o k . M o r e t h a n a century before, the bones had been sequestered by an a n thropologist
who
had
examined
the
composer's
skeletal
r e m a i n s after his c o r p s e h a d b e e n e x h u m e d ; t h e y h a d b e e n l o a n e d for t h e l a t t e r - d a y s t u d y b y a n a g i n g F r e n c h m a n , w h o h a d i n h e r i t e d t h e m f r o m his g r e a t - u n c l e , t h a t s a m e a n t h r o p o l ogist. Perhaps, just perhaps, Brilliant suggested, the F r e n c h m a n c o u l d b e p e r s u a d e d t o have t h e m e x a m i n e d again.
IT
HAD
BEEN
F O U R Y E A R S since t h e t w o B e e t h o v e n e n -
thusiasts from A r i z o n a h a d a c q u i r e d a lock of t h e g r e a t m a n s h a i r , t h e n h a d b e g u n t o c o n t e m p l a t e w h e t h e r t h e y m i g h t ask scientists to see w h a t secrets it w o u l d s h e d . It h a d b e e n four years as well since they first h a d h e a r d the sketchy a n d m y s t e rious
story
of h o w
the
lock
of hair
had
been
passed f r o m
F e r d i n a n d Hiller t o his son, t h e n s o m e h o w h a d traveled t o D e n m a r k , w h e r e i t w a s m a d e a gift i n t h e t o w n o f G i l l e l e j e . A l t h o u g h t h e hair in r e c e n t days h a d led t h e m t o w a r d a satisfying n e w c o n c l u s i o n a b o u t w h y B e e t h o v e n h a d suffered s o l o n g , t h e t w o m e n a n d t h e i r c o l l e a g u e s still w e r e f r u s t r a t e d b y t h e w a y i n w h i c h t h e hair's w h e r e a b o u t s i n t h e m o n t h s t h a t h a d led t o O c t o b e r 1 9 4 3 r e m a i n e d a c o n u n d r u m . Yes, researchers ultimately had discovered that E r w i n Hiller had emigrated to America, assumed a n e w name, then continu e d his a c t i n g c a r e e r ; a n d t h e s e a r c h i n g ' s g r e a t e s t s u c c e s s s u r e l y h a d b e e n t h e d i s c o v e r y o f E s t h e r T a y l o r , his h e i r . S h e h a d c o n firmed that t h e l o c k of hair h a d b e e n a family h e i r l o o m , a n d Paul Hiller's inscription on the back of a p h o t o g r a p h of h i m self t h a t h e h a d g i v e n t o his s o n — a p h o t o g r a p h E s t h e r T a y l o r n o w c h e r i s h e d — h a d proved b e y o n d any d o u b t that it was Paul
Hiller's h a n d as well that h a d w r i t t e n t h e e x p l a n a t o r y n o t e on t h e b a c k o f t h e black locket. Esther T a y l o r t o o h a d b e e n able to
explain
that
Erwin—her
Marcel—had
remained
in
G e r m a n y and France d u r i n g the war, and had n o t traveled to D e n m a r k ; a n d it was she as well w h o h a d offered t h e fresh i n sight that M a r c e l b e l i e v e d his father h a d g i v e n t h e lock of hair to a m u s e u m s o m e t i m e before his d e a t h . Sophie Hiller died in C o l o g n e in 1942, researcher Alexander F u l l i n g h a d d i s c o v e r e d , a n d t h e r e ^ p r e i t a p p e a r e d t h a t s h e , like Erwin, had remained in G e r m a n y rather than flee to Denmark. H e r son Edgar, the opera singer w h o s e p r o m i s i n g career had b e e n shattered by the war, had lived in Z u r i c h from 1939 until 1 9 4 8 , w h e n h e briefly h a d followed his b r o t h e r t o t h e U n i t e d States b e f o r e eventually settling again in H a m b u r g . A l t h o u g h it was conceivable that he had traveled to D e n m a r k d u r i n g those years, it n o w s e e m e d unlikely, particularly c o n s i d e r i n g that t h e Nazis had o c c u p i e d the c o u n t r y d u r i n g m o s t of those years a n d that he had been a Jew. If Marcel's information was correct, s o m e o n e else h a d s t o l e n t h e l o c k e t f r o m a n u n k n o w n G e r m a n institution, then had spirited it to D e n m a r k — t a k i n g it because i t w a s a vital r e l i c t h a t s o m e h o w h a d t o b e p r e s e r v e d , o r p e r haps merely pilfering it as a k i n d of b o o t y that o n e day m i g h t be quite convenient. In D e n m a r k , a d o z e n p e o p l e h a d a t t e m p t e d to solve the e n d u r i n g e n i g m a b y n o w . A u t h o r C h r i s t i a n T o r t z e n , r e t i r e d fishe r m a n J u l i u s J o r g e n s e n , h i s t o r i a n T h e r k e l Straede, a n d m u s i cologist
and
Theriesenstadt
survivor
Paul
Sandfort,
in
particular, had helped M i c h e l e Wassard Larsen piece t o g e t h e r the
events
o f t h e first d a y s o f O c t o b e r
1943.
F r o m their
c o l l e c t i v e efforts, i t n o w s e e m e d c e r t a i n t h a t K a y a n d M a r t a F r e m m i n g h a d sheltered refugees i n their h o m e o n those days, that Marta had b e e n active in helping escaping J e w s hide in the Gilleleje C h u r c h , a n d that h e r h u s b a n d h a d a t t e n d e d t o o n e o r m o r e o f t h e m o n t h e n i g h t t h e y w e r e c a p t u r e d . I t w a s far less certain, yet t h e available e v i d e n c e n o n e t h e l e s s suggested, that the r e n o w n e d opera baritone H e n r y Skjaer—who had helped refugees reach the c h u r c h as w e l l — h a d b e e n a key i n t e r m e d i ary, o n e w h o s o m e h o w l i n k e d a G e r m a n J e w w i t h a p r e c i o u s l o c k e t i n his p o c k e t t o t h e k i n d h e a r t e d p h y s i c i a n t o w h o m t h e locket subsequently had been given. A s M i c h e l e W a s s a r d L a r s e n c o n t i n u e d t o s e a r c h for i n f o r m a t i o n late i n 1 9 9 9 , t h e r e r e m a i n e d a f e w s t o n e s for h e r still t o o v e r t u r n , a l t h o u g h t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f e n c o u n t e r i n g a satisfying explanation b e n e a t h o n e o f t h e m appeared increasingly u n likely. P a u l S a n d f o r t h a d e x p l a i n e d s o m e m o n t h s b e f o r e t h a t h e a n d his f a m i l y h a d fled t o G i l l e l e j e o n i n s t r u c t i o n s f r o m D r . N . R . B l e g v a d , t h e R o y a l T h e a t r e p h y s i c i a n , a n d M i c h e l e still h o p e d t o find a s o n o r d a u g h t e r o f t h e d o c t o r w h o m i g h t , b y c h a n c e , r e m e m b e r h e a r i n g t h a t his f a t h e r h a d h e l p e d a n i m m i g r a n t f r o m G e r m a n y e s c a p e a s w e l l . A n d t h e r e also w a s this: T i n a Sanden, an archivist in t h e city of L u n d in S w e d e n , had r e p o r t e d that her search of the police registers that r e c o r d e d t h e n a m e s o f e v e r y o n e w h o h a d r e a c h e d S w e d e n safely i n 1 9 4 3 h a d t u r n e d u p a y o u n g G e r m a n w h o h a d g i v e n his n a m e a s M . T . T e o d r a H i l l e r . H i s b i r t h d a t e w a s listed a s O c t o b e r 1 0 , 1915, and he had identified himself—quite curiously—as an actor. H e h a d arrived i n S w e d e n o n O c t o b e r 7 , 1 9 4 3 , t h e v e r y day o f t h e e a r l y - m o r n i n g raid o n t h e Gilleleje C h u r c h .
O n c e m o r e Michele had e n c o u n t e r e d s o m e t h i n g n e w that led intriguingly to further questions. If t h e m a n s date of birth had been correct,
this
Hiller w o u l d have b e e n n i n e years
y o u n g e r than Edgar Hiller, seven years Erwin's j u n i o r , a n d the t w o had had n o cousins o r o t h e r relatives w h o s e b i r t h dates w o u l d h a v e b e e n a p p r o x i m a t e . Y e t c o u l d this b e simply a n o t h e r e x t r a o r d i n a r y coincidence? Was it possible that a J e w i s h a c t o r n a m e d H i l l e r — a l a r g e l y " C h r i s t i a n " s u r n a m e — h a d fled to D e n m a r k , then escaped to S w e d e n on a day w h e n dozens of refugees h a d b o a r d e d boats in Gilleleje, yet n o n e t h e l e s s h a d had nothing whatsoever to do with the now-legendary lock o f hair? I t was p o s s i b l e , o f c o u r s e , y e t t h e s e v e r a l s y n c h r o n i c i t i e s w e r e h a u n t i n g . E r w i n Hiller, t h e actor, had called himself H a r r y F u r s t e r for a t i m e e a r l y i n t h e w a r . D e s p i t e w h a t s e e m e d t o b e strong evidence that he had r e m a i n e d in Germany, did he, in fact, f i n d his w a y f i r s t t o D e n m a r k , t h e n t o S w e d e n , w h e r e i t s e e m e d o n l y p r u d e n t for h i m t o c o n t i n u e t o s h i e l d h i s i d e n tity? D i d h i s b r o t h e r E d g a r , p r e s u m e d t o b e i n Z u r i c h a t t h e rime, m a k e a similar j o u r n e y a n d similarly misidentify himself? Did
someone
else—who
possibly
would
have
known
the
p r o v e n a n c e o f t h e h a i r h e h a d left b e h i n d i n G i l l e l e j e — f i n d i t f i t t i n g s o m e h o w t o tell a s y m p a t h e t i c S w e d i s h p o l i c e m a n t h a t H i l l e r w a s his n a m e ? F o r M i c h e l e W a s s a r d L a r s e n a n d T h o m a s h e r s o n , for Ira B r i l l i a n t a n d C h e G u e v a r a , for Bill M e r e d i t h , P a t r i c i a S t r o h a n d t h e B e e t h o v e n C e n t e r staff, a n d a w h o l e c o t e r i e o f p e o p l e o n t w o c o n t i n e n t s w h o h a d b e c o m e captivated b y this m o s t i m p r o b a b l e of stories,
these and the larger and e n v e l o p i n g
questions of h o w and w h e r e and w h y the venerable locket had b e e n passed t o Dr.
F r e m m i n g w e r e powerfully compelling,
even if they w e r e forever unlikely to be answered. T h e y w e r e questions that c o n t i n u e d to illuminate the quiet h e r o i s m that h a d o c c u r r e d on t h e coast of D e n m a r k ; t h e y d r e w a resonant reference to the belief in freedom that B e e t h o v e n himself had held so dear; like t h e u r g e to discover that h a d s p a w n e d t h e f o r e n s i c s t u d y o f his hair, t h e y w e r e q u e s t i o n s t h a t w e r e w o n derfully w o r t h t h e a s k i n g , a n d l i k e his s p l e n d i d m u s i c , t h e y s e e m e d c e r t a i n t o e n d u r e for m u c h t i m e t o c o m e .
BY
1826, BEETHOVEN'S HAIR
H A D G O N E q u i t e gray. H i s
physical s t r e n g t h a n d t h e vitality that l o n g h a d h e l p e d h i m p e r s e v e r e w e r e g o n e ; his e y e s c o n t i n u e d t o a c h e ; h e c o u l d h e a r n o t h i n g ; his g u t still r o i l e d t u m u l t u o u s l y , t h e p a i n a n d i n s i d i o u s d i a r r h e a s u r e l y e x a c e r b a t e d b y t h e fact t h a t h e h a d b e g u n t o d r i n k m o r e w i n e t h a n e v e r b e f o r e — a s m u c h a s a full b o t t l e with
each
meal,
according to
dining companions
and
the
tavern-keepers w h o regularly served him. I n t h e h o p e o f d e f e a t i n g his diseases, o v e r t h e y e a r s B e e t h o v e n h a d s o u g h t t h e a d v i c e a n d a m e l i o r a t i n g assistance o f fifteen different physicians in B o n n and Vienna. M o s t of t h e m had b e e n
" m e d i c a l asses," h e insisted, b u t i t w a s far n e a r e r t h e t r u t h t h a t c u r a t i v e m e d i c i n e w a s m e r e l y i n its i n f a n c y i n t h o s e d a y s . E a r l y i n t h e n i n e t e e n t h c e n t u r y , b l e e d i n g a n d l e e c h i n g still w e r e c o m monplace, and poisonous m e r c u r y mistakenly was believed to b e a p a n a c e a for d o z e n s o f d i s o r d e r s . D o c t o r s a t t e m p t e d t o m a k e t h e i r c h a r g e s c o m f o r t a b l e a n d t o ease t h e i r p a i n w i t h m o r p h i n e w h e n t h e y c o u l d — a n d t h e latest c h a l l e n g e o f m e d i c i n e w a s t h e s i m p l e a t t e m p t t o e x p l a i n t h e cause o f a n i l l n e s s — b u t t r u e c u r e s r e m a i n e d l a r g e l y e l u s i v e . A s his several p h y s i c i a n s h a d s t r u g g l e d t o f i n d a u n i f i e d e x p l a n a t i o n for B e e t h o v e n ' s l i f e l o n g ills, t h e y h a d q u e r i e d their patient repeatedly a b o u t the years of the 1790s.
The
composer
himself suspected
that
"colic"
h a d b e e n t h e c a u s e o f his deafness,
his
incessant
and Dr.
Franz
W e g e l e r , his o l d f r i e n d a n d f r e q u e n t m e d i c a l adviser, also b e l i e v e d t h a t b o t h ears a n d b o w e l s h a d b e e n b e s e t b y t h e s a m e m y s t e r i o u s t r o u b l e . " T h e s e e d s o f his d i s o r d e r s , his h e a r i n g p r o b l e m , a n d t h e d r o p s y t h a t f i n a l l y k i l l e d h i m , a l r e a d y lay w i t h i n m y f r i e n d ' s ailing b o d y i n 1796," h e speculated years later, a l t h o u g h h e actually m a y h a v e b e e n r e m e m b e r i n g 1 7 9 7 , a y e a r t h a t for B e e t h o v e n w a s far m o r e e t c h e d b y illness t h a n t h e o n e b e f o r e it. Y e t i n a n y case, W e g e l e r h a d c o n t i n u e d t o s u s p e c t l o n g after B e e t h o v e n ' s d e a t h t h a t s o m e t h i n g i n s i d i o u s h a d b e fallen h i m i n t h o s e early y e a r s , s o m e t h i n g t h a t u l t i m a t e l y h a d b e e n t h e c u l p r i t for t h e a m a l g a m a t e d t r o u b l e s t h a t e n s u e d . I t w a s " d r o p s y " — t h e swelling caused b y the r e t e n t i o n o f fluids t h a t i s n o w k n o w n a s e d e m a — t h a t h a d b e g u n t o p l a g u e B e e t h o v e n w h i l e h e l i v e d w i t h his b r o t h e r i n t h e t o w n o f G n e i x e n d o r f i n t h e A u s t r i a n c o u n t r y s i d e late i n 1 8 2 6 . H i s feet w e r e f i r s t t o b a l l o o n , a n d t h e y d i d s o v e r y p a i n f u l l y ; t h e n his
b e l l y t o o g r e w fat w i t h f l u i d , a n d b y t h e t i m e h e a n d K a r l , his nephew, began their j o u r n e y back to Vienna on D e c e m b e r 1, h e already was nearly i m m o b i l i z e d b y these dire n e w s y m p toms. B e e t h o v e n and Karl w e r e forced to spend a night en route h o m e in an unheated r o o m above a tavern, and by the t i m e h e w a s d e l i v e r e d a t last t o h i s l o d g i n g s n e a r t h e u n i v e r s i t y , B e e t h o v e n h a d d e v e l o p e d a h i g h fever, a h a c k i n g c o u g h , a n d h a d a s h o o t i n g p a i n i n his side. D r . B r a u n h o f e r , n o m i n a l l y still his p h y s i c i a n , d e c l i n e d t o a t t e n d t o his p a t i e n t for r e a s o n s t h a t remain unclear; a second doctor premised to c o m e quickly but d i d n o t , a n d i t w a s n ' t u n t i l t h e i r t h i r d d a y b a c k i n t h e city t h a t Karl was able to secure the services of Dr. A n d r e a s W a w r u c h , a p r o f e s s o r o f p a t h o l o g y a n d clinical m e d i c i n e a t t h e V i e n n a Hospital. " O n e w h o holds y o u r n a m e i n h i g h h o n o r will d o e v e r y t h i n g p o s s i b l e t o b r i n g y o u s p e e d y relief," t h e p h y s i c i a n scribbled into the conversation b o o k as he was introduced at bedside t o t h e famous m a n w h o s e visage h a d t u r n e d yellowish a n d w h o b y n o w h a d b e c o m e t e r r i b l y i n f i r m , his b r e a t h i n g l a b o r e d , b l o o d d r i p p i n g f r o m his m o u t h . A l t h o u g h W a w r u c h w a s a b l e t o m a k e his p a t i e n t a b i t m o r e c o m f o r t a b l e t h a t d a y b y a d m i n i s t e r i n g " a s e v e r e c o u n t e r - t r e a t m e n t for i n f l a m m a t i o n , " w h e n h e a r r i v e d for his d a i l y visit f i v e days h e n c e h e d i s covered that B e e t h o v e n was near death
a n d n o w also w a s
raging at that realization:
I f o u n d h i m g r e a t l y d i s t u r b e d a n d j a u n d i c e d all o v e r his b o d y . A f r i g h t f u l c h o l e r i c a t t a c k h a d t h r e a t e n e d his f i f e i n the p r e c e d i n g night. A violent rage, a great grief because
of sustained ingratitude and u n d e s e r v e d humiliation, was t h e cause o f this m i g h t y explosion. T r e m b l i n g a n d shiveri n g , h e b e n t d o u b l e b e c a u s e o f t h e p a i n s t h a t r a g e d i n his l i v e r a n d i n t e s t i n e s , a n d his feet, h i t h e r t o m o d e r a t e l y i n flated, w e r e t r e m e n d o u s l y s w o l l e n . . . . G e n t l e e n t r e a t i e s f r o m his f r i e n d s q u i e t e d t h e t h r e a t e n i n g m e n t a l t e m p e s t , a n d t h e f o r g i v i n g m a n f o r g o t all t h e h u m i l i a t i o n t h a t h a d b e e n p u t u p o n h i m . B u t t h e disease m o v e d o n w a r d w i t h giant strides.
T h r e e w e e k s i n t o t h e crisis, B e e t h o v e n ' s a b d o m e n h a d b e c o m e s o swollen that W a w r u c h n o w believed there was n o c h o i c e b u t t o d r a i n its fluid surgically, a p r o c e d u r e t h a t w a s p e r f o r m e d o n D e c e m b e r 2 0 , a n d w h i c h p r o d u c e d literally g a l lons of septic, w a t e r y liquid. B e e t h o v e n was better, b u t only a little, w h e n h e said g o o d - b y e t o K a r l o n J a n u a r y 2 , 1 8 2 7 , a s t h e y o u n g m a n left t o b e g i n his m i l i t a r y p o s t i n g i n M o r a v i a , a n d t h e f o l l o w i n g d a y B e e t h o v e n c o m p o s e d a w i l l m a k i n g K a r l his sole h e i r . A s e c o n d t a p p i n g o n J a n u a r y 8 p r o d u c e d e v e n m o r e l i q u i d t h a n h a d b e e n d r a i n e d t h e first t i m e , a n d n o w h e w a s h o r r i b l y a w a s h i n his o w n fluid, h i s b e d c l o t h e s a n d m a t t r e s s soaked, a large w o o d e n b o w l o v e r f l o w i n g b e n e a t h his b e d , t h e straw that was m e a n t to p r o t e c t t h e floor fouled as well a n d filled w i t h c o c k r o a c h e s t h a t h a d b e e n a t t r a c t e d b y t h e s t e n c h . It was an ugly and u n s e e m l y a n d d e m e a n i n g w a y to die. B u t although the bugs disgusted him, otherwise B e e t h o v e n n o w began
to
grow
calm.
He
sketched music
and
revised
the
m e t r o n o m e m a r k i n g s o n a s c o r e o f t h e N i n t h S y m p h o n y for his b e n e f a c t o r s a t t h e L o n d o n P h i l h a r m o n i c S o c i e t y , w h o i n t u r n , a n d o n h e a r i n g o f his p l i g h t , m a d e h i m a l o a n o f a h u n d r e d p o u n d s t h a t t h e y h o p e d c o u l d b e a p p l i e d t o his m e d i c a l c a r e . F r o m his l o n g t i m e f r i e n d a n d f r e q u e n t l a n d l o r d J o h a n n Pasqualati, h e r e q u e s t e d sweets: "Please send m e s o m e m o r e s t e w e d c h e r r i e s t o d a y , b u t c o o k e d q u i t e simply, w i t h o u t a n y l e m o n . F u r t h e r , a l i g h t p u d d i n g , a l m o s t like g r u e l , w o u l d g i v e me great pleasure." In a letter to his G e r m a n m u s i c publisher, he b e g g e d wine—specifically the R n \ ne w i n e that always had b e e n his f a v o r i t e . A n d he b e g a n to receive a congress of visitors as well. In Karl Holz's absence, A n t o n Schindler willingly had r e t u r n e d to do
Beethoven's
daily
bidding,
and
during
the
succeeding
weeks Schindler greeted and escorted to the composer's bedside c u r r e n t f r i e n d s a n d b e n e f a c t o r s , f o r m e r f r i e n d s n o w d e t e r m i n e d t o set t h i n g s s t r a i g h t , f e l l o w m u s i c i a n s , h i s b r o t h e r J o h a n n , and a few strangers eager to m e e t the great m a n b e f o r e i t w a s t o o late. T h e r e c a m e a daily v i s i t o r t o o , t h i r t e e n year-old Gerhard von Breuning, the boy w h o m Beethoven nicknamed
"Trouser Button"
and whose
company
he
de-
lighted in. B r e u n i n g was d r a w n , i n t u r n , t o t h e grandfatherly d e m e a n o r o f h i s family's l o n g t i m e f r i e n d d e s p i t e t h e fact t h a t h e clearly w a s d y i n g . A u s t r i a n c o m p o s e r s A n t o n i o D i a b e l l i , Jan Dolezalek, them
often.
and A n s e l m H i i t t e n b r e n n e r visited, s o m e o f Composer Johann
Hummel—who
had
been
B e e t h o v e n ' s early friend a n d rival in V i e n n a — t r a v e l e d to the
Schwarzspanierhaus
f r o m as far a w a y as h i s h o m e i n W e i m a r ,
bringing with
h i m his w i f e a n d his
fifteen-year-old
pupil
F e r d i n a n d Hiller, i n t r o d u c i n g t h e b o y w h o m H u m m e l insisted held great musical promise to the dying master in a m a n n e r t h a t c o u l d n o t h e l p b u t r e m i n d B e e t h o v e n o f his o w n i n t r o d u c t i o n to M o z a r t forty years before. B u t a l t h o u g h his s p i r i t s o f t e n w e r e lifted h i g h b y t h e c o n c e r n p e o p l e e x p r e s s e d for h i m — a n d b y t h e s i m p l e p l e a s u r e s o f t h e i r company—Beethoven's
body
continued
to
collapse.
Two
m o r e a b d o m i n a l tappings w e r e r e q u i r e d i n February, a n d following the fourth, the long-suffering patient n o w recognized t h a t his t i m e w a s n e a r l y d o n e . est"
he
said w i t h
a
hint
"Plaudite, amid, comoedia finita
of smile
to
Schindler and y o u n g
B r e u n i n g o n a d a y w h e n D r . W a w r u c h a n d his c o n s u l t a n t s h a d departed with
grave
expressions on
t h e i r faces:
"Applaud,
Beethoven
reluctantly
friends, the c o m e d y is finished." At
his
brother's
encouragement,
a g r e e d t o r e c e i v e t h e last r i t e s o f t h e c h u r c h late i n M a r c h , a n d o n t h a t s a m e d a y t h e w i n e h e h a d r e q u e s t e d o f his p u b l i s h e r a r rived from Mainz.
"Pity,
p i t y — t o o late,"
he whispered to
S c h i n d l e r , w h o h e l d a b o t t l e for h i m t o s e e , b u t t h e n h e s p o k e n o m o r e . H e fell i n t o a c o m a t h a t e v e n i n g , a n d d i d n ' t stir f r o m i t for t w o d a y s , n o t u n t i l , i n t h e m i d s t o f a l a t e - a f t e r n o o n snowstorm on March 26, with only Hiittenbrenner and an u n k n o w n w o m a n — p e r h a p s his m a i d , p e r h a p s o n e o f t h e t w o sist e r s - i n - l a w h e s e l d o m h a d w a n t e d t o b e n e a r — a t his bedside, a b r i g h t flash of l i g h t n i n g followed by a h o u s e - r a t t l i n g clap of t h u n d e r r o u s e d h i m m o m e n t a r i l y . H e o p e n e d his e y e s , raised h i s r i g h t h a n d a n d c l e n c h e d i t i n t o a f i s t a s i f t o s p u r n t h e sky's
c o m m a n d , t h e n his h a n d fell b a c k t o t h e b e d . L u d w i g v a n Beethoven was dead.
BECAUSE
THE
GREAT
COMPOSER'S
PASSING
was
an
-
e v e n t o f s u c h m o m e n t i n t h e city t h a t h a d b e e n his h o m e for t h i r t y - f i v e y e a r s , artist J o s e f D a n h a u s e r h a d b e e n p e r m i t t e d t o c o m e t o B e e t h o v e n ' s b e d r o o m t o ma^ce a p l a s t e r d e a t h m a s k o f his face a n d t o e x e c u t e d r a w i n g s o f his b o d y i n r e p o s e i n a b r i g h t l y p o l i s h e d coffin t h a t s t o o d n e a r h i s b e d — B e e t h o v e n ' s l o n g h a i r falling a w a y f r o m his e m a c i a t e d face a n d s p r e a d i n g a c r o s s t h e p i l l o w t h a t h e l d his h e a d , his o n c e - b r i g h t e y e s n o w p r e s s e d c l o s e d , his b o d y s u r r o u n d e d b y f l o w e r s . B u t b e f o r e t h e y a p p l i e d t h e plaster, r e p o r t e d D a n h a u s e r ' s b r o t h e r C a r l , w h o had accompanied h i m on the errand, the t w o m e n cut t w o locks of hair from the composer's temples as "souvenirs of the illustrious head." In the decades before the invention of photography, it was m o r e c o m m o n t h a n n o w for p e o p l e t o k e e p l o c k s o f h a i r a s r e m e m b r a n c e s of children, parents, and lovers w h o had died, and to do the same w h e n circumstances occasionally p e r m i t t e d w i t h the hair of great a n d famous
figures—such
as the m a n
w h o s e l o n g - b a t t e r e d b o d y n o w lay o n v i e w . I n t h e t w o d a y s s i n c e B e e t h o v e n ' s d e a t h , H i i t t e n b r e n n e r also h a d t a k e n a k e e p sake
lock of hair;
Franz von
Hartmann
a n d his f r i e n d t h e
y o u n g c o m p o s e r " F r i t z " Schubert had cut two, and so did many
others—friends,
acquaintances,
and
strangers
alike—
during the quiet hours before Beethoven's b o d y was carried f r o m his h o u s e . I n m u c h t h e s a m e w a y t h a t t h e y h a d b e e n d r a w n for m a n y decades to the pageantry and high e m o t i o n of operas and c o n certs, t h e p e o p l e o f V i e n n a also w e r e r e n o w n e d for t h e i r l o v e o f a f i n e a n d m a u d l i n funeral, a n d a n e n o r m o u s c r o w d s — 2 0 , 0 0 0 people by some estimates—had surged into the Schwarzspanierstrasse b y t h r e e o ' c l o c k o n t h e a f t e r n o o n o f M a r c h 2 9 , a n d a s m a n y of t h e m as c o u l d m a n a g e it had pressed into the house's c o u r t y a r d , w h e r e B e e t h o v e n ' s b o d y n o w lay i n state o n a n o r n a t e bier. S o m a n y citizens o f V i e n n a w e r e e a g e r t o feel a p a r t o f t h e p r o c e e d i n g s t h a t i t t o o k n i n e t y m i n u t e s for t h e funeral c o r t e g e t o travel t h e f o u r b l o c k s t o t h e T r i n i t y C h u r c h o f t h e M i n o r i t e s i n the
Alsergasse.
Eight
Kapellmeisters,
among
them Johann
H u m m e l , s e r v e d a s pallbearers; t h e city's l e a d i n g m u s i c i a n s , m a n y o f w h o m h a d b e e n B e e t h o v e n ' s close associates, c a r r i e d t o r c h e s ; a choir m a d e u p o f m e m b e r s o f t h e R o y a l C o u r t O p e r a sang the composer's o w n
Miserere,
a d o p t e d for v o i c e s for t h e o c c a s i o n , a n d
b e h i n d t h e coffin w a l k e d G e r h a r d v o n B r e u n i n g ,
his father,
Stephan, J o h a n n van Beethoven, the brother w h o m Beethoven had poorly a t t e m p t e d to love, and J o h a n n a van B e e t h o v e n , the sister-in-law w h o m h e vainly h a d tried t o hate. A t t h e c l o s e o f t h e r e q u i e m m a s s i n s i d e t h e c h u r c h , t h e coffin w a s b o r n e by a hearse h i t c h e d to four black horses, a n d it was followed by as m a n y as t w o h u n d r e d horse-drawn coaches e n r o u t e t o t h e parish c e m e t e r y i n t h e W a h r i n g district, w h e r e actor H e i n r i c h Anschiitz read a florid a n d worshipful o r a t i o n c o m p o s e d for t h e
occasion by beloved Vienna poet
Franz
Grillparzer. " W e w h o stand here at the grave of the deceased
a r e in a s e n s e t h e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of an e n t i r e n a t i o n . . Anschiitz intoned,
c o m e t o m o u r n the passing o f o n e celebrated half o f that w h i c h r e m a i n e d to us from the vanished brilliance of the art of o u r h o m e l a n d . . . [Goethe,] the h e r o of p o e t r y in t h e G e r m a n l a n g u a g e a n d t o n g u e still l i v e s — a n d l o n g m a y h e live. B u t t h e last m a s t e r o ^ r e s o u n d i n g s o n g , t h e g r a c i o u s m o u t h b y w h i c h m u s i c s p o k e . . . has c e a s e d t o b e ; and w e stand w e e p i n g o v e r t h e b r o k e n strings o f a n i n s t r u m e n t n o w stilled. . . . B e c a u s e h e s h u t h i m s e l f off f r o m t h e w o r l d , t h e y c a l l e d h i m hostile;
a n d c a l l o u s , b e c a u s e h e s h u n n e d feelings.
[ B u t ] e x c e s s o f f e e l i n g a v o i d s feelings. H e f l e d t h e w o r l d b e c a u s e h e d i d n o t f i n d , i n t h e w h o l e c o m p a s s o f his l o v i n g n a t u r e , a w e a p o n w i t h w h i c h t o resist it. H e w i t h d r e w f r o m his f e l l o w m e n after h e h a d g i v e n t h e m e v e r y thing and had received nothing in return. He remained a l o n e b e c a u s e h e f o u n d n o s e c o n d self. B u t u n t i l his d e a t h h e p r e s e r v e d a h u m a n h e a r t for all m e n , a father's h e a r t for his o w n p e o p l e , t h e w h o l e w o r l d . T h u s h e w a s , t h u s h e d i e d , t h u s w i l l h e l i v e for all t i m e ! R e t u r n t o y o u r h o m e s , t h e n , distressed b u t c o m p o s e d . A n d w h e n e v e r , d u r i n g y o u r lives, t h e p o w e r o f his w o r k s o v e r w h e l m s y o u like c o m i n g s t o r m ; w h e n y o u r r a p t u r e pours out in the midst of a generation yet u n b o r n , then r e m e m b e r this h o u r a n d think: w e w e r e t h e r e w h e n t h e y buried him, and w h e n he died we wept!
T h e bright spring day had g o n e t o dusk w h e n Anschiitz's words w e r e finished and it was rime to h a m m e r Beethoven's coffin c l o s e d a n d l o w e r i t i n t o t h e e a r t h . H e l o o k e d v e r y diff e r e n t n o w , his v i s a g e a l t e r e d u t t e r l y b e c a u s e d e a t h h a d c l a i m e d h i m , b e c a u s e o f t h e c h a n g e s t h e a u t o p s y h a d w r o u g h t , b u t also b e c a u s e his h e a d a p p e a r e d a s t h o u g h i t h a d b e e n assailed b y scissors—because so m a n y a d o r i n g citizens had snipped k e e p sake l o c k s o f t h e g r e a t B e e t h o v e n ' s hair.
CODA
N E A R T H E E N D O F H I S s i x - m o n t h s o j o u r n i n t h e village o f Heiligenstadt in the a u t u m n of 1802, L u d w i g van Beethoven h a d b e c o m e s o d i s t r a u g h t o v e r his u n r e l e n t i n g deafness t h a t for a r i m e h e h a d c o n s i d e r e d s u m m a r i l y e n d i n g h i s life. B u t a s h e e x p l a i n e d t o his b r o t h e r s i n t h e i m p a s s i o n e d O c t o b e r letter h e c h o s e n e v e r t o m a i l , " o n l y m y art h e l d m e b a c k . A h , i t s e e m e d i m p o s s i b l e t o l e a v e t h e w o r l d u n t i l I h a d p r o d u c e d all t h a t I felt w a s w i t h i n m e , a n d s o I s p a r e d t h i s w r e t c h e d life." B y t h e t i m e his life d i d c o m e t o a c l o s e a q u a r t e r c e n t u r y later, h e h a d c r e ated 138 singular and extraordinary compositions to w h i c h he attached opus n u m b e r s , a n d t w o h u n d r e d m o r e songs, canons,
a n d d a n c e s t h a t h e c o n s i d e r e d lesser w o r k s . I n t h a t t i m e , t h e m a n w h o first a n d f o r e m o s t c o n s i d e r e d h i m s e l f a " t o n e p o e t " set classical m u s i c o n a b o l d a n d i m p a s s i o n e d a n d r e v o l u t i o n ary n e w course, o n e from w h i c h it never w o u l d t u r n back, and he did so despite heartbreaking disappointments, crippling and d e f e a t i n g illnesses, a n d t h e deafness t h a t u l t i m a t e l y r o b b e d h i m o f c o m m u n i t y a s w e l l a s t h e a u r a l p l e a s u r e s o f his m u s i c . H i s w a s a life s h a p e d b y t r e m e n d o u s p a s s i o n a n d e n d u r i n g p a i n , o n e s h a p e d a s w e l l b y his ability t o d r a w f r o m s o m e w h e r e d e e p w i t h i n h i m compositions that r e m a i n profoundly i m p o r t a n t to m i l l i o n s o f p e o p l e a r o u n d t h e w o r l d t w o c e n t u r i e s after t h e y w e r e w r i t t e n . O u t o f this p h y s i c a l l y f l a w e d a n d c o m p r o m i s e d m a n c a m e m u s i c t h a t b y l o n g - s t a n d i n g c o n s e n s u s has cast h i m a s t h e artistic p e e r o f M i c h e l a n g e l o B u o n a r r o t i , L e o n a r d o d a Vinci, and William Shakespeare, music that anchors h i m "at the center of h u m a n consciousness," in the v i e w of British m u sicologist B u r n e t t J a m e s . " T h r o u g h t h e b l e n d i n g o f t h e c o n s c i o u s a n d t h e u n c o n s c i o u s i n his e x t r a o r d i n a r i l y d e e p a n d comprehensive
experience
of the
farthest
mysteries
o f this
life," J a m e s w r o t e i n t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n t o h i s b o o k Beethoven
and Human Destiny, " a n d a b o v e all in his o v e r w h e l m i n g ability to e m b o d y in music t h e essence of that experience, B e e t h o v e n bears witness to the destiny of man." W r i t i n g t o his l i f e l o n g f r i e n d F r a n z W e g e l e r , B e e t h o v e n — w h o p r e v i o u s l y h a d c o n f e s s e d his h e a r i n g loss t o W e g e l e r — n o n e t h e l e s s h a d b e e n b r i e f l y b u o y a n t a b o u t his p r o s p e c t s . H e believed he was learning to c o p e w i t h a w o r l d that was i n c r e a s i n g l y silent; h e w a s n e w l y i n l o v e w i t h a w o m a n w h o fascinated h i m , and he was sure that s o o n he w o u l d travel the
w o r l d . " I w i l l t a k e fate b y t h e t h r o a t , i t shall n o t w h o l l y o v e r c o m e m e , " h e h a d w r i t t e n . " O h , i t w o u l d b e s o lovely t o live a t h o u s a n d lives."
K A R L B E E T H O V E N , T H E C O M P O S E R ' S N E P H E W a n d sole heir, had died n i n e years before F e r d i n a n d Hiller, in
1883,
passed t h e small treasure h e h a d clipped f r o m the master c o m p o s e r ' s h e a d t o his o n l y s o n . A t s e v e n t y - o n e , F e r d i n a n d H i l l e r ' s l o n g c a r e e r n o w w a s i n its d e n o u e m e n t ; h e still c o m p o s e d , m u c h like t h e a g i n g a n d i n f i r m B e e t h o v e n h a d d o n e , b u t — v e r y unlike t h e m a n w h o m h e briefly h a d m e t and t h e n c e f o r t h had hugely revered—already the public was losing interest in H i l l e r ' s c r e a t i o n s , a l r e a d y his i m p a c t o n t h e w o r l d o f m u s i c w a s w a n i n g dramatically. I n t h e d a y s b e f o r e his d e a t h , L u d w i g v a n B e e t h o v e n h a d urged
fifteen-year-old
F e r d i n a n d H i l l e r t o d e v o t e h i s life t o
a r t , a n d t o w o r k ceaselessly t o w a r d its p e r f e c t i o n . H i l l e r h a d t a k e n t h a t a d m o n i t i o n d e e p l y t o h e a r t , a n d b y all b u t t h e m o s t d e m a n d i n g m e a s u r e m e n t s , h e h a d s u c c e e d e d splendidly. W h i l e still a t e e n a g e r , his t a l e n t s h a d a s t o n i s h e d s o m e o f E u r o p e ' s f o r e m o s t m u s i c i a n s ; i n P a r i s i n his t w e n t i e s , h e h a d m o v e d t o the c e n t e r o f a circle o f s o o n - t o - b e r e n o w n e d y o u n g c o m p o s e r s w h o w e r e d e t e r m i n e d t o infuse t h e i r m u s i c w i t h t r a n scendent e m o t i o n in the w a y that the now-deified B e e t h o v e n had done; and in the succeeding decades, Hiller had continued t o b e vitally i m p o r t a n t t o b o t h t h e l e g i o n o f musicians w h o m he
befriended
and
supported
and
the
concertgoing
public
w h o s e a p p r e c i a t i o n o f m u s i c h e n u r t u r e d a t e v e r y t u r n . A s his health d e t e r i o r a t e d in t h e early 1880s a n d it b e c a m e clear that his d a y s t o o w o u l d s o o n b e d o n e , F e r d i n a n d H i l l e r c o n t i n u e d to c o m p o s e , n o t because he h o p e d that posterity s o m e h o w w o u l d c h a n g e its m i n d a n d o n e d a y d e m a n d his m u s i c , b u t simply because t h e j o y of shaping s o u n d into art r e m a i n e d syno n y m o u s w i t h l i v i n g for h i m .
BY T H E T I M E Beethoven's
HE
hair
to
H A D g i v e n his l o n g - c h e r i s h e d l o c k o f his
son,
Ferdinand
Hiller
had
grown
d e e p l y distressed a b o u t t h e rise of r a m p a n t a n t i - S e m i t i s m in E u r o p e , a n d h e c h i l l i n g l y h a d p r e d i c t e d t h a t b e c a u s e o f it, t h e t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y w o u l d b e filled w i t h b l o o d a n d h o r r o r . P a u l H i l l e r a n d his f a m i l y h a d b e g u n t o e x p e r i e n c e p e r s o n a l l y t h e effects o f t h a t e t h n i c h a t r e d o n l y a s h o r t t i m e after his father's d e a t h , a n d a l t h o u g h h e , l i k e his f a t h e r , l o n g h a d d e v o t e d his life t o t h e b e s t o f T e u t o n i c c u l t u r e — t o its m u s i c a l a r t s — i t w a s t h e G e r m a n y characterized by Hitler rather than by Beethoven in w h i c h h e d i e d u n e x p e c t e d l y i n 1 9 3 4 , his w i f e a n d s o n s f o r c e d a s t h e y e u l o g i z e d h i m t o h i d e his J e w i s h h e r i t a g e i n t h e d e s perate h o p e of avoiding death themselves. "Lust-murderers
years
are
here,"
Marcel
Hillaire,
Paul
H i l l e r ' s s o n b o r n E r w i n r e m e m b e r e d his m o t h e r , S o p h i e , d e c l a r i n g t o h e r t w o s o n s s o o n after h e r h u s b a n d ' s d e a t h . " C h e a t c l e v e r l y n o w , o r r u n , o r y o u w i l l d i e . " I n L o s A n g e l e s late i n his life, M a r c e l H i l l a i r e w r o t e a l e n g t h y m a n u s c r i p t — t h e u n published b o o k dedicated to Esther Taylor—in w h i c h he d e -
s c r i b e d his h a p p y c h i l d h o o d i n C o l o g n e , t h e i n s i d i o u s rise o f t h e N a z i s , a n d his a n d his b r o t h e r E d g a r ' s s e p a r a t e d e c i s i o n s t o leave C o l o g n e w h e n i t b e c a m e clear that " a n i m m e n s e Satanic r e a l i t y h a d c o m e t o r e i g n i n o u r l a n d . " E d g a r H i l l e r first h a d fled t o H a m b u r g , w h e r e h e h a d b e e n e m p l o y e d b y a n o p e r a company,
a n d w h e r e h e h a d p r e s u m e d his A r y a n - s o u n d i n g
s u r n a m e w o u l d k e e p h i m safe f r o m s u s p i c i o n , y e t after o n l y a s h o r t t i m e i n t h e n o r t h h e literally h a d b e e n s h o u t e d f r o m t h e stage i n t h e m i d s t o f a p e r f o r m a n c e b e c a u s e , a g a g g l e o f o p eragoers bellowed, a J e w could not be permitted to perform t h e w o r k o f t h e g r e a t p a t r i o t W a g n e r . F o l l o w i n g his e x p u l s i o n f r o m t h e stage, E d g a r H i l l e r n e x t h a d t r a v e l e d u n c e r t a i n l y for a t i m e — a n d p e r h a p s w e n t t o D e n m a r k , o f c o u r s e , a l t h o u g h his b r o t h e r ' s m a n u s c r i p t m a k e s n o m e n t i o n o f his s e v e r a l d e s t i n a t i o n s — b e f o r e h e settled i n Z u r i c h i n 1939, w h e r e h e r e m a i n e d t h r o u g h o u t t h e w a r , his p r o m i s i n g s i n g i n g c a r e e r all b u t a b a n d o n e d before it truly began. F o r his p a r t , M a r c e l — E r w i n — a l r e a d y a n a c t o r , d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e b e s t p l a c e for h i m t o h i d e w a s a m o n g his f e l l o w p e r formers
in
a
traveling theater troupe.
He
dubbed
himself
H a r r y Fiirster, a n d h e p e r f o r m e d i t i n e r a n t r o l e s r a n g i n g f r o m H a m l e t t o c o u n t r y c l o w n s , y e t his h u g e a t t r a c t i o n t o f e m i n i n e c h a r m s a n d his h e a r t y c a r n a l a p p e t i t e s c o n t i n u a l l y g o t h i m i n t o t r o u b l e , a n d o c c a s i o n a l l y v e r y n e a r l y c o s t h i m his life. I t w a s his t r y s t w i t h t h e t r o u p e - m a n a g e r ' s w i f e t h a t l e d t o his d i s missal, a s w e l l a s t h e m a n a g e r ' s s u b s e q u e n t d e t e r m i n a t i o n t o r e v e a l t o G e r m a n a u t h o r i t i e s t h e fact t h a t y o u n g H e r r F i i r s t e r w a s , i n fact, a J e w . B u t a n o t h e r r o m a n c e s o o n l e d — m o s t i m p r o b a b l y b u t p r o p i t i o u s l y — t o his n e w lover's h e l p i n s e c u r i n g
h i m a p o s i t i o n a s a n office c l e r k i n t h e " O r g a n i s a t i o n T o d t , " the Nazi army's construction corps. Posted to Brittany, w h e r e T o d t w o r k e r s w e r e raising the line of defense k n o w n as the A t l a n t i c W a l l , a n d u s i n g his a c t u a l n a m e a g a i n , E r w i n H i l l e r r o s e far e n o u g h u p t h e c l e r i c a l l a d d e r t h a t e v e n t u a l l y h e a n swered
directly
to
Todt
chief Albert
Speer.
The
position
allowed h i m to stockpile surreptitiously an array of forged d o c uments, o n e of w h i c h he employed to m a k e it appear that the T h i r d R e i c h was in desperate n e e d in Brittany of t h e services o f F r a u S o p h i e H i l l e r . B u t a s his m o t h e r w a s a b o u t t o b o a r d a train in C o l o g n e in the a u t u m n of 1942 en r o u t e to j o i n her s o n — t h e t w o o f t h e m h o p i n g t h a t s h e c o u l d find a t least a m o d i c u m of security in F r a n c e — S o p h i e Hiller was stricken by a heart attack a n d died. Todt personnel France
had
begun
and to
the
whole
retreat
into
of the
German
army
G e r m a n y before
in
Erwin
H i l l e r ' s J e w i s h i d e n t i t y w a s d i s c o v e r e d a t last. H e w a s j a i l e d n e a r W e i m a r a n d w a s c o n d e m n e d t o d e a t h for his i n s i d i o u s d e c e i t a s m u c h a s his S e m i t i c a n c e s t r y , b u t b e f o r e his s e n t e n c e could be carried out, he was transferred to a prison in Berlin, w h e r e , i n t h e d a y s b e f o r e t h e w a r h a d c o m m e n c e d six y e a r s b e f o r e , t h e m o t h e r o f a t e e n a g e d girl w h o h a d a d o r e d H i l l e r h a d b r o u g h t s t a t u t o r y r a p e c h a r g e s against h i m . I t w a s w h i l e h e languished in Berlin, waiting to answer the accusation that he h a d h a d his w a y w i t h a n u n d e r a g e d g i r l , t h a t t h e R u s s i a n a r m y c l o s e d i n o n t h e city, l i b e r a t i n g i t a n d E r w i n H i l l e r a s w e l l i n April 1945. I t w a s n o t u n t i l t h r e e y e a r s later, h o w e v e r , t h a t E r w i n H i l l e r
e m i g r a t e d t o t h e U n i t e d States, a n d i n J u n e 1 9 4 8 h e n o w w a s M a r c e l Hillaire a s h e w a l k e d t h e streets o f N e w York, t h e nominally " F r e n c h " actor assuming that prospects in America w o u l d n o t b e b r i g h t for a G e r m a n , r e g a r d l e s s o f his e t h n i c i t y . M a r c e l r e m a i n e d i n N e w Y o r k for six y e a r s , w o r k i n g for a time as a l o w l y busboy, b u t e v e n t u a l l y s e c u r i n g a series of c h a r acter roles in theater a n d on television. E d g a r Hiller, w h o h a d s p e n t t h e p r e c e d i n g d e c a d e i n Z u r i c h , b r i e f l y h a d j o i n e d his b r o t h e r in the beginning, but s o m e h o w America simply was t o o foreign for h i m — i t s musical milieu impossible to b r e a k into, it a p p e a r e d — a n d so he r e t u r n e d to H a m b u r g , t h e city w h e r e h e h a d b e e n b o o e d off a stage a d e c a d e b e f o r e , a n d w h e r e h e w o u l d l i v e u n t i l his d e a t h o n N o v e m b e r 2 0 , 1 9 5 9 , his d e m i s e a t o n l y a g e f i f t y - t h r e e c a u s e d b y a c h r o n i c a n d d e e p d e p r e s s i o n a n d his d e t e r m i n a t i o n s i m p l y t o s t o p e a t i n g . M a r c e l H i l l a i r e h a d l i v e d i n L o s A n g e l e s for f i v e y e a r s w h e n h e l e a r n e d o f his b r o t h e r ' s d e a t h , o n e t h a t h e g u i l t i l y b e l i e v e d h e m i g h t h a v e p r e v e n t e d — h a d h e insisted that E d g a r r e m a i n i n t h e U n i t e d States w i t h h i m , h a d h e a t least r e m a i n e d i n m o r e c o n s t a n t t o u c h a n d s o m e h o w d o n e m o r e t o k e e p his brother's
spirits
bright.
Yet
beginning
in
the
mid-1950s,
M a r c e l H i l l a i r e , t h e d e b o n a i r " F r e n c h m a n , " a t last h a d b e g u n t o b e i n great d e m a n d . H e w o n s u p p o r t i n g roles i n t h e f i l m
Sabrina
in 1954 a n d in episodes o f television's
Twilight Zone
in
1959; a n d in t h e 1960s, he e m e r g e d as H o l l y w o o d ' s c o n s u m m a t e continental character actor, a p p e a r i n g in d o z e n s of films, a m o n g t h e m Seven Thieves, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Take Her, She's Mine, Murderers' Row, a n d W o o d y
Take the Money and Run, as w e l l as n u m e r o u s t e l e v i s i o n s e r i e s t h a t i n c l u d e d Adventures in Paradise, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., I Spy, a n d Mission Impossible. Allen's
H e w o r k e d far less i n t h e y e a r s t h a t f o l l o w e d his n e a r l y fatal injury in the spring of 1 9 7 4 — t h e eight years he spent in the constant c o m p a n y of Esther Taylor—a rime during w h i c h he p l a y e d h o s t w i t h easy b u t e n t h u s i a s t i c a p l o m b t o a l i v i n g r o o m c o n c e r t s e v e r a l e v e n i n g s a w e e k , e a c h p r o g r a m carefully c u l l e d f r o m his o p e r a t i c a n d o r c h e s t r a l r e c o r d c o l l e c t i o n , t h e a u d i e n c e o f t e n s o l e l y t h e t w o o f t h e m a n d t h e i r m e n a g e r i e o f cats and birds. Marcel's favorite composers w e r e the R o m a n t i c s — and R o m a n t i c i s m boldly began with Beethoven, he w o u l d insist t o his " E s t h e r c h e n " b e f o r e r e m i n d i n g h e r a s w e l l t h a t h e m i g h t have possessed to that v e r y day a lock of t h e great B e e t h o v e n ' s h a i r h a d n o t his d e a r b u t s u r e l y m i s g u i d e d f a t h e r chosen to give it to the collective populace of the w h o l e of the R h i n e l a n d instead. Marcel Hillaire developed bladder cancer in 1987 and chose to u n d e r g o e x p e r i m e n t a l surgery at t h e close of that year. W h i l e still h o s p i t a l i z e d t w o w e e k s f o l l o w i n g h i s o p e r a t i o n , a sudden pulmonary embolism
e n d e d his
life
on January
1,
1 9 8 8 . B e c a u s e t h e i r f r i e n d for s o l o n g h a d v e h e m e n t l y o p p o s e d religion of every k i n d — h a u n t e d as he was by the horrors he personally
had
witnessed
being
carried
out
in
religion's
n a m e — E s t h e r Taylor, n o w a wife a n d t h e m o t h e r of a y o u n g son, and Marcel's longtime friend, the actor R i c h a r d Angarola, c h o s e t o h o n o r his life s i m p l y b y g a t h e r i n g t o g e t h e r t h e p e o ple w h o d e e p l y cared a b o u t h i m , briefly r e m e m b e r i n g t h e j o y
h e h a d b r o u g h t t o t h e m , t h e n s c a t t e r i n g his a s h e s i n t o t h e n e a r b y Pacific.
WE
LIKELY WILL
NEVER
K N O W w h e t h e r Edgar Hiller did,
i n fact, t r a v e l t o D e n m a r k i n t h e d a y s a n d m o n t h s t h a t f o l l o w e d his m u s i c a l e x p u l s i o n f r o m H a m b u r g , a n d n e i t h e r w i l l w e e v e r b e s u r e o f t h e p a t h t a k e n jpy t h e l o c k o f h a i r b e t w e e n C o l o g n e a n d little G i l l e l e j e . W h a t i s c e r t a i n , h o w e v e r , i s t h a t as t h e t w e n t i e t h c e n t u r y c a m e to a close in t h e small s e a p o r t positioned alongside
the
place
where
the
narrow
0resund
m e e t s t h e o p e n w a t e r s o f t h e Kattegat Sea, t h e events that o c c u r r e d i n t h e a u t u m n o f 1 9 4 3 w e r e s e l d o m o p e n l y discussed, y e t t h e y w e r e far f r o m f o r g o t t e n . I n s i d e a r e c e n t l y c o n s t r u c t e d b u i l d i n g t h a t h o u s e d t h e c o m m u n i t y ' s l i b r a r y a s w e l l a s its m u s e u m , a s e c o n d - s t o r y w i n g f l u s h w i t h p h o t o g r a p h s , artifacts, a n d m a p s m e m o r i a l i z e d t h e r e m a r k a b l e s u c c e s s o f Gilleleje's citizens in saving thirteen h u n d r e d J e w s from c a p t u r e by t h e Nazis. O n the lawn o u t s i d e — f r o m w h i c h vantage point visit o r s c o u l d v i e w t h e d a r k a n d o f t e n - u n s e t t l e d sea a s w e l l a s t h e d i s t a n t c o a s t a l hills o f S w e d e n — s t o o d a s t a t u e o f a s t y l i z e d b r o n z e f i g u r e , o n e h a n d raised i n j u b i l a t i o n , t h e o t h e r h o l d i n g a ram's h o r n w h o s e s o u n d surely is that of freedom. Crafted by Israeli s c u l p t o r G e o r g e W e i l a n d t i t l e d " T h e G r e a t Blast o f t h e Shofar," t h e h o r n ' s s o u n d signifying t h e survival o f t h e J e w i s h p e o p l e , t h e s t a t u e h a d b e e n a gift f r o m t h e Israeli g o v e r n m e n t in
1997, a m o v i n g acknowledgment that there w e r e indeed
pockets of heroism and profound humanity in the midst of the horrors of the Holocaust, and that perhaps o n e of the foremost w a s t h e D a n i s h t o w n o f Gilleleje. O n its s u r f a c e , G i l l e l e j e s e e m e d little c h a n g e d f r o m t h e w a y i t m u s t h a v e a p p e a r e d i n O c t o b e r 1 9 4 3 , b u t a l m o s t all o f t h o s e w h o w e r e a c t i v e i n t h e r e s c u e effort n o w w e r e d e a d . J u l i u s J o r g e n s e n , t h e retired fisherman w h o s e father was caretaker of t h e c h u r c h d u r i n g t h e rescue days, was a w i d o w e r a n d h a d g r o w n i n f i r m , b u t his e y e s r e m a i n e d b r i g h t a s h e s m o k e d his t r a d e m a r k tiny cigars a n d r e m e m b e r e d a distant t i m e that c o n t i n u e d t o m a k e h i m p r o u d . A p h y s i c i a n , D r . Steffen H e r m a n , n o w lived a n d w o r k e d b y c h a n c e i n t h e same h o u s e a n d clinic that K a y a n d M a r t a F r e m m i n g h a d built; t h e small h a r b o r c o n t i n u e d t o p r o t e c t a fleet o f f i s h i n g s c h o o n e r s , a n d t h e loft o f t h e G i l l e l e j e C h u r c h still l o o k e d a l m o s t e x a c t l y a s i t h a d o n t h e m o r n i n g after s c r e a m i n g G e s t a p o a g e n t s h a d f o r c e d t e n d o z e n refugees to descend from it m o r e than fifty years before. M i c h e l e W a s s a r d L a r s e n , o n c e a girl i n Gilleleje, t u r n e d sixty i n J a n u a r y 1 9 9 9 a n d r e t i r e d f r o m t h e l i b r a r y j o b s h e h a d h e l d for m a n y y e a r s . A l t h o u g h t h e D a n i s h island o f Sjaelland h a d b e e n h e r h o m e for m o r e t h a n h a l f a c e n t u r y , s h e still l o n g e d for h e r n a t i v e country, a n d talked o p e n l y a n d often w i t h h e r son T h o m a s a b o u t t h e possibility t h a t s h e w o u l d c h o o s e t o live o u t h e r r e t i r e m e n t y e a r s n e a r h e r sister R o l a n d e i n a q u i e t village i n t h e s o u t h o f France. Michele's adoptive mother, M a r t a F r e m m i n g , ninety years old and entirely u n a w a r e of her s u r r o u n d i n g s , died in h e r sleep o n J u n e 6 , 1 9 9 9 . M i c h e l e s u s p e c t e d t h a t e v e n i f s h e h a d b e e n able t o q u i z h e r m o t h e r a t l e n g t h b e f o r e h e r m e m o r y h a d b e e n s t o l e n b y disease a b o u t h o w h e r father h a d c o m e t o possess
a
much-traveled lock
of Beethoven's
hair,
she
would have
l e a r n e d n o t h i n g m o r e . I f M a r t a h a d h a r b o r e d secrets a b o u t t h e hair, M i c h e l e b e l i e v e d s h e s u r e l y w o u l d h a v e s h a r e d t h e m w i t h h e r on the day w h e n she first had s h o w n her the locket, and Michele n o w strongly suspected that Kay F r e m m i n g had kept t h e details o f t h e g i v i n g h i d d e n f r o m e v e n his w i f e . " W h e n I look back and think that apparendy we w e r e not m e a n t to find the secret of t h e locket, I can't help b u t w o n d e r why," Michele w r o t e as the n e w century d a w n e d , but her son T h o m a s believed there was an answer to that query that m a d e s e n s e t o h i m , a t least. " K e e p i n g t h e l o c k e t o n t h e w a l l i n m y living r o o m o n e day w o u l d have m a d e m e p r o u d , but i t never c o u l d have g i v e n me an e x p e r i e n c e similar to t h o s e I have h a d in t h e years since it w a s sold. I n e v e r w o u l d h a v e truly l e a r n e d a b o u t B e e t h o v e n , his m u s i c a n d h i s life. A n d I n e v e r w o u l d have met and communicated with so many people around the w o r l d o n c e w e b e g a n t o s e a r c h for t h e s e c r e t . " A l t h o u g h the search by n o w had slowed d r a m a t i c a l l y — n e w leads surfacing o n l y occasionally—it n o n e t h e l e s s h a d m o v e d i n t o its s e c o n d c e n t u r y . M i c h e l e W a s s a r d L a r s e n a n d h e r s o n c o n t i n u e d to p u r s u e each hopeful possibility that p r e s e n t e d itself, a n d t h e y s e l d o m w e r e d i s c o u r a g e d b y y e t a n o t h e r d e a d end because they understood that the deepest mysteries were, of course, the most compelling kind.
THE
LOCK
purchased
OF
from
HAIR
THAT
Ira B r i l l i a n t a n d C h e G u e v a r a
M i c h e l e Wassard Larsen
h a d a c h i e v e d real
n o t o r i e t y in the years since it h a d traveled to A m e r i c a , a n d it w a s n ' t s u r p r i s i n g t h e r e f o r e t h a t its m o n e t a r y v a l u e h a d i n creased dramatically as well. A l t h o u g h n o n e of the 5 8 2 strands o f h a i r f r o m t h e g r e a t c o m p o s e r ' s h e a d w e r e for s a l e — o r p r o b ably e v e r w o u l d b e — i t w a s i l l u s t r a t i v e o f t h e i r c r e s c e n d o i n g w o r t h w h e n , in the s u m m e r of 1998, a B e e t h o v e n enthusiast in M i c h i g a n p a i d $ 3 , 7 0 0 for two s t r a n d s o f p u r p o r t e d B e e t h o v e n hair that h a d b e e n wrongly, if n o t fraudulently, g u a r a n t e e d by R & R Enterprises of Bedford, N e w Hampshire, as having been culled
from
the
now
renowned
Guevara lock.
When
Ira
B r i l l i a n t c r i e d foul after b e i n g c o n t a c t e d b y t h e s u s p i c i o u s b u y e r , t h e M i c h i g a n m a n a t last s u c c e e d e d i n g e t t i n g his m o n e y returned, and the auction house in the end apologized p r o fusely for w h a t i t c l a i m e d w a s its u n f o r t u n a t e " t e x t u a l e r r o r . " T h e b o n a fide relic, o n t h e o t h e r h a n d — t h e o n e c u r r e n d y i n safe r e p o s e in S a n J o s e as w e l l as its c o m p a n i o n s t r a n d s in N o g a l e s — h a d b e e n responsible d u r i n g t h e p r e c e d i n g f i v e years for s e t t i n g i n m o t i o n a n u n l i k e l y b u t i n s p i r i t i n g a d v e n t u r e . B r i l l i a n t r e m a i n e d q u i c k t o a d m i t t h a t h a d i t n o t b e e n for t h e s u d d e n enthusiasm of C h e G u e v a r a as well as the insistence of B e e t h o v e n C e n t e r director William M e r e d i t h , curator Patricia Stroh, and board president T o m Wendel, he might never have p u r s u e d t h e l o c k o f hair, a n d t h e r e f o r e m i g h t n e v e r h a v e h a d t h e p r o f o u n d e x p e r i e n c e o f h o l d i n g i t i n his h a n d s . A t t h e t i m e o f t h e S o t h e b y ' s a u c t i o n , Brilliant's a t t e n t i o n h a d b e e n f i x e d o n t h e O p u s 1 f i r s t edition—that w a s t h e t r e a s u r e h e l o n g e d t o o b t a i n for t h e c e n t e r . Y e t b e g i n n i n g w i t h t h e d a y s d u r i n g w h i c h t h e s t o r i e d l o c k e t w i t h a coil o f h a i r i n s i d e h a d sat u n o p e n e d o n his d e s k , a n d i n t h e m o n t h s a n d y e a r s t h a t h a d f o l l o w e d , its s i n g u l a r
t r i p t h r o u g h t i m e , t h e s t i l l - m y s t e r i o u s r o l e i t p l a y e d i n t h e salvation of o n e or perhaps m a n y J e w i s h refugees, and t h e arresting e x p l a n a t i o n i t lately h a d offered a b o u t t h e c o m p o s e r ' s m e d i c a l t o r m e n t s all c o m b i n e d t o m a k e h i m e n o r m o u s l y grateful t h a t his friends h a d pressed h i m into action in D e c e m b e r 1994, a n d that h e a l o n e h a d b e g u n t o p u r s u e his u n c o m m o n p a s s i o n t w e n t y y e a r s b e f o r e . " M y o r i g i n a l h o p e s for a m e a n i n g f u l life h a v e b e e n reified," h e w r o t e j u s t days b e f o r e t h e c e n t u r y t u r n e d , n i n e m o n t h s p r i o r t o his s e v e n t y - e i g h t h b i r t h d a y , " a n d I'll c a r r y w i t h m e f o r e v e r t h e satisfaction o f k n o w i n g t h a t I a m r e s p o n s i b l e for b r i n g i n g s o m a n y p e o p l e i n t o this g r a n d a d v e n t u r e . " A n d t h e r e h a d b e e n o n e m o r e satisfaction for Ira B r i l l i a n t along the w a y : w i t h the help of antiquarian music dealer Albi R o s e n t h a l i n L o n d o n , h e h a d b e e n a b l e a t last t o p u r c h a s e a fine f i r s t e d i t i o n o f t h e O p u s 1 P i a n o T r i o s , w h i c h h e h a d p r e s e n t e d t o t h e B e e t h o v e n C e n t e r t h a t b o r e his n a m e a t a gala c e l e b r a t i o n i n O c t o b e r 1 9 9 7 , t h e o c c a s i o n m a r k i n g his a n d h i s w i f e I r m a ' s f i f t i e t h w e d d i n g a n n i v e r s a r y , b y n o w fully h a l f o f their years t o g e t h e r shared rather intimately w i t h L u d w i g van B e e t h o v e n as well. F o r C h e G u e v a r a , b e i n g t h e s t e w a r d o f a l o c k o f h a i r for t h e s e f i v e y e a r s h a d c o n n e c t e d h i m t o t h e c o m p o s e r a n d his m u s i c even m o r e profoundly and intimately than he had been before that time. For three decades, B e e t h o v e n had taught h i m an e n o r m o u s a m o u n t a b o u t s u f f e r i n g , y e t t h e c o m p o s e r also h a d d e m o n s t r a t e d t o h i m a t least a s m u c h a b o u t t h e w a y i n w h i c h suffering c o u l d b e o v e r c o m e , a n d t h e physician r e m a i n e d ast o u n d e d to think that something of the master remained very literally a l o n g s i d e h i m e a c h d a y a s h e d i d h i s w o r k .
I n t h e first d a y s o f t h e n e w c e n t u r y , C h e G u e v a r a a n d n e u roscientist William Walsh had b e g u n w o r k o n the paper they h o p e d to c o m p l e t e in time to present at o n e of the several scientific c o n f e r e n c e s that w o u l d w e l c o m e i t that a u t u m n , a n d B e e t h o v e n C e n t e r director William M e r e d i t h increasingly was busy planning the " B e e t h o v e n Treasures in A m e r i c a " exhibition initiated by the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., w h e r e the Guevara lock of the composer's hair w o u l d be displayed
outside
San J o s e
for t h e f i r s t t i m e .
Meredith,
the
B e e t h o v e n C e n t e r ' s o n l y p e r m a n e n t d i r e c t o r s i n c e its i n c e p t i o n i n 1 9 8 3 , l o n g a g o h a d t u r n e d his p a s s i o n for B e e t h o v e n ' s m u s i c i n t o his a c a d e m i c c o n c e n t r a t i o n a n d s u b s e q u e n t l y i n t o t h e l o c u s o f his c a r e e r , a n d h e c o u l d n o t h e l p b u t b e a s t o u n d e d by t h e m i r a c u l o u s possibility that w h a t h a d b e g u n as a simple sentimental a c t — F e r d i n a n d Hiller's i n n o c e n t s n i p p i n g of a bit of hair from the head of that m a n of g e n i u s — h a d , in the end, resulted in the resolution of some of the fundamental questions a b o u t L u d w i g v a n B e e t h o v e n ' s life.
IN T H E
SUN-SOAKED JULY
O F 2 0 0 0 , Bill M e r e d i t h a n d
m e m b e r s of the American Beethoven Society hosted a gathering in San Jose to w h i c h w e r e invited the people w h o had played
key
roles
in
the
selling
and
subsequent
buying
of
Beethoven's hair back in 1994, e v e r y o n e w h o had struggled— s o far still i n v a i n — t o d e t e r m i n e p r e c i s e l y h o w t h e h a i r h a d fled
from
G e r m a n y a n d u l t i m a t e l y h a d b e e n m a d e a gift i n
G i l l e l e j e , a s w e l l a s t h o s e p e o p l e w h o successfully h a d u n r a v e l e d t h e hair's f o r e n s i c s e c r e t s . M i c h e l e W a s s a r d L a r s e n a n d h e r son T h o m a s flew f r o m D e n m a r k f o r t h e simple b u t n o n e t h e less a u g u s t o c c a s i o n ; Ira B r i l l i a n t a n d C h e G u e v a r a a t t e n d e d , t o b e s u r e ; s o d i d Bill W a l s h , t h e f o r e n s i c p r o j e c t ' s c h i e f scientist; so t o o E s t h e r Taylor, M a r c e l Hillaire's friend a n d heir, t h e sole l i v i n g t i e t o F e r d i n a n d H i l l e r ' s family. T h e f a r - f l u n g g r o u p m e t s i m p l y t o c o n n e c t faces w i t h n a m e s a t l o n g last, t o c e l e b r a t e t h e h u g e i m p r o b a b i l i t i e s a n d little m i r acles t h a t a t least b r i e f l y h a d l i n k e d t h e i r lives, a n d c o l l e c t i v e l y , of course, they v i e w e d once m o r e the bit of b r o w n and gray hair that
they
continued
to
cherish
in
their
separate
yet
nonetheless similar ways. Like t h e b o n e s of ancient C h r i s t i a n m a r t y r s t h a t w e r e c o n s i d e r e d t o b e s a c r a m e n t a l , like t h e v e n erated bodies of deceased T i b e t a n Buddhist Dalai Lamas, the long-treasured lock of Beethoven's hair was a true relic—a physical r e m n a n t of a o n c e - l i v i n g h u m a n b e i n g that kept t h e s p i r i t o f t h a t p e r s o n p r e s e n t a n d s o m e h o w w o n d e r f u l l y alive. A n d i n L u d w i g v a n B e e t h o v e n ' s case, h o w f i t t i n g i t s e e m e d t h a t it w a s his
hair
that had survived. T h e wild m a n e that had
f r a m e d his d a r k face i n his w a n i n g y e a r s h a d c h a r a c t e r i z e d h i s u n r u l y t e m p e r a m e n t a s m u c h a s his a r r e s t i n g p e r s o n a l p r e s e n c e ; i t w a s s y m b o l i c o f his e n d u r i n g e c c e n t r i c i t y a s w e l l a s h i s c e r t a i n g e n i u s ; i t e c h o e d his a r t i s t r y ; i t p o i n t e d i n d e e d t o h i s pain; and w h e n Ferdinand Hiller and so m a n y others clipped his h a i r a s k e e p s a k e s i n t h e last d a y s o f M a r c h 1 8 2 7 , t h e y d i d s o b e c a u s e t h e y b e l i e v e d his m u s i c l o n g s i n c e h a d p r o v e n t h a t it w o u l d survive t h r o u g h t h e ages.
In
each
succeeding
era
that
has
followed
his
death,
B e e t h o v e n ' s m u s i c has s e e m e d fresh a n d vital a n d r e f l e c t i v e o f s o m e t h i n g essential a b o u t t h e
human experience.
"Perhaps
t h a t s h a r e d e x p e r i e n c e i s s u f f e r i n g , " Bill M e r e d i t h o b s e r v e d , " p e r h a p s i t i s h o p e , b u t w h a t e v e r i t is, s o m e h o w B e e t h o v e n c a p t u r e d i n his m u s i c s o m e t h i n g i m p o s s i b l e t o c o d i f y t h a t has t r a n s f o r m e d p e o p l e for n e a r l y t w o c e n t u r i e s . " I t w a s h i s m u s i c ' s a b i l i t y literally t o c h a n g e t h e lives o f t h e p e o p l e w h o h e a r d i t t h a t h a d l e d F e r d i n a n d H i l l e r t o clip t h e l o c k , t h e n t r e a s u r e i t t h r o u g h o u t his life, t h a t h a d m a d e i t a p r o f o u n d k i n d o f gift i n a
rime
o f t e r r i b l e crisis,
that had
b r o u g h t it to A m e r i c a w i t h the most eager anticipation, that h a d s t i r r e d t h e e x a m i n a t i o n o f its c h e m i c a l s e c r e t s . A n d i t w a s the transforming m i g h t of Beethoven's music as well that d r e w an o t h e r w i s e entirely disparate g r o u p to California that s u m m e r t o h o n o r t h e relic t o g e t h e r . By the t i m e of the s u m m e r gathering, Brilliant, Guevara, a n d M e r e d i t h h a d s u c c e e d e d i n l o c a t i n g t h e B e e t h o v e n skull fragments that had b e e n studied in V i e n n a in the 1980s, and their c u r r e n t o w n e r had allowed testing of the b o n e to begin, b o t h t o verify t h e d r a m a t i c lead f i n d i n g a n d , via D N A c o m parison, t o a t t e m p t t o p r o v e that b o t h hair a n d b o n e h a d c o m e from the same person. I n S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 0 , a n d a g a i n six m o n t h s later, A r g o n n e N a t i o n a l L a b o r a t o r y physicists K e n K e m n e r , D e r r i c k M a n c i n i , and Francesco DeCarlo, w o r k i n g in collaboration with Dr. Walsh, performed nondestructive synchrotron X-ray b e a m exp e r i m e n t s i n v o l v i n g s i d e - b y - s i d e t e s t i n g o f six B e e t h o v e n h a i r s , a c o n t r o l hair of k n o w n lead c o m p o s i t i o n ,
a n d a glass f i l m
w h o s e l e a d c o m p o s i t i o n also h a d b e e n specifically a s c e r t a i n e d . T h e r e s e a r c h t e a m a t t h e s u b u r b a n C h i c a g o n u c l e a r r e s e a r c h facility f o u n d e l e v a t e d l e a d levels t h a t a v e r a g e d a b o u t 6 0 p a r t s p e r million in t h e B e e t h o v e n hairs t h e y e x a m i n e d , an e v e n h i g h e r c o n c e n t r a t i o n o f lead t h a n had b e e n d e t e r m i n e d b y D r . W a l t e r M c C r o n e m o r e t h a n t w o years before. B e e t h o v e n ' s lifelong illnesses n o w a p p e a r e d a l m o s t c e r t a i n l y t o h a v e b e e n t h e d i r e c t result o f — o r w e r e
dramatically exacerbated b y — t h e severe
lead toxicity. In the spring of 2 0 0 1 , the o w n e r of the flake of Beethoven's skull b o n e w a s n o t y e t r e a d y t o p u b l i c i z e t h e r e s u l t s o f s i m i l a r tests p e r f o r m e d o n it, b u t t h e A r g o n n e scientists w h o h a d d o n e t h e i n v e s t i g a t i o n d i d assert t h a t t h e b o n e t e s t i n g h a d m a d e t h e m all t h e m o r e c o n f i d e n t o f t h e a c c u r a c y o f b o t h t h e i r o w n a n d M c C r o n e ' s l e a d f i n d i n g s i n t h e hair. A l t h o u g h D N A c o m p a r i son of b o t h hair and b o n e had yet to be c o m p l e t e d , it n o w a p peared incontestable that b o t h hair a n d b o n e h a d c o m e f r o m the same singular and truly remarkable h u m a n being. For the first t i m e in the 170 years since Ferdinand Hiller h a d insisted t o his c o m r a d e c o m p o s e r s i n P a r i s t h a t t h e l o c k o f h a i r t h e y d e l i g h t e d i n h a d c o m e f r o m t h e master's h e a d ; i n t h e e i g h t y n i n e years s i n c e P a u l H i l l e r h a d h o p e d a C o l o g n e f r a m e m a k e r could r e n e w the locket in w h i c h the hair was harbored; in the f i f t y - s e v e n y e a r s s i n c e K a y F r e m m i n g h a d n o d d e d i n assent a s t h e h a i r w a s p r e s s e d i n t o his h u g e h a n d s ; s i n c e C h e G u e v a r a f i r s t h a d e x p o s e d t h e hair to forensic i n q u i r y five years before, finally it w a s unassailably c e r t a i n t h a t t h e t r e a s u r e d l o c k t h a t h a d m a d e t h a t improbable j o u r n e y and along the way had transformed so many lives, w a s , q u i t e w o n d e r f u l l y , Beethoven's hair.
