“La musica merita d’esser studiata.”

Besides, the couple of hours now appointed for his music lessons are quite insufficient.  I must therefore the more earnestly urge on you their being strictly adhered to.  It is by no means unusual that this point should be attended to in an institute; an intimate friend of mine has also a boy at school, who is to become a professor of music, where every facility for study is afforded him; indeed, I was rather struck by finding the boy quite alone in a distant room practising, neither disturbing others, nor being himself disturbed.

I beg you will allow me to send for Carl to-morrow about half-past ten o’clock, as I wish to see what progress he has made, and to take him with me to some musicians.

I am, with all possible esteem, your friend,

L. VAN BEETHOVEN.

228.

TO CZERNY.

DEAR CZERNY,—­

I beg you will treat Carl with as much patience as possible; for though he does not as yet get on quite as you and I could wish, still I fear he will soon do even less, because (though I do not want him to know it) he is over-fatigued by the injudicious distribution of his lesson hours.  Unluckily it is not easy to alter this; so pray, however strict you may be, show him every indulgence, which will, I am sure, have also a better effect on Carl under such unfavorable circumstances.

With respect to his playing with you, when he has finally acquired the proper mode of fingering, and plays in right time, and gives the notes with tolerable correctness, you must only then first direct his attention to the mode of execution; and when he is sufficiently advanced, do not stop his playing on account of little mistakes, but only point them out at the end of the piece.  Although I have myself given very little instruction, I have always followed this system, which quickly forms a musician; and this is, after all, one of the first objects of art, and less fatiguing both to master and scholar.  In certain passages, like the following,—­

[Music:  Treble clef, sixteenth notes.]

I wish all the fingers to be used; and also in similar ones, such as these,—­

[Music:  Treble clef, sixteenth notes.] &c. [Music:  Treble clef, sixteenth notes.] &c.

so that they may go very smoothly; such passages can indeed be made to sound very perles, or like a pearl, played by fewer fingers, but sometimes we wish for a different kind of jewel.[1] More as to this some other time.  I hope that you will receive these suggestions in the same kindly spirit in which they are offered and intended.  In any event I am, and ever must remain, your debtor.  May my candor serve as a pledge of my wish to discharge this debt at some future day!

Your true friend,

BEETHOVEN.