FOR WANT OF A WIFE

Manawatu Times, Volume LII, Issue 6485, 17 December 1927, Page 15

FOR WANT OF A WIFE

BEETHOVEN MUSIC . l6sT.

A wise writer in the 4 ‘ Musical Times’.’ has'been saying a good thing—that Eeethove’fi would'have lived longer, and therefore would have given thc world mord masterpieces; if he had married a practical wife. Much of the bachelor composer’s correspondence is devoted to complaints about his servants. They cooked badly, they stole his clothes,' and if he rang the bell they sheered at him, so that we can almost forgive him for calling one Troglodyte and throwing half a dozen books at another. Of course, servants came and went - with rapidity, as this extract from Beethoven’s notebook shows:—

"April 17; The Kitchcnmakl came, "May I(i: Gave notice to kitchenmaid. . " "May 30: Cook entered on her dut-

ies. "July 1: New kitehenmaid came.

"July ' 28: New-kitchen maid ran away. '• • : "July 30: Woman from Lower Dobling came. "September ’9; A girl entered service. "October 22: The girl left.

"December 12: Kitehenmaid entered service; "December 18: Kitehenmaid gave notice.’’

It is certainly tragic to think of Beethoven wearing out his nerves -in trying to be a housekeeper, and it seems an infinite pity that there was no Frau Beethoven. For want of a shoe; the horse was lost, but ...for want of a wife a whole, world of immortal music may have- been lost.