In those times the musical life centered about the Court.  Beethoven studied the organ under the court organist, Van den Eeden, an old friend of his grandfather’s.  Van den Eeden was succeeded shortly after by Christian Neefe, and Beethoven, then eleven years of age, was transferred to him.  Neefe had an important bearing on Beethoven’s life.  He was in his best years, thirty-three, when he began teaching him, and was a thorough musician, who had had a varied experience before assuming this post.  He was a university man as well, and it was fortunate for Beethoven in every way that he was brought in childhood under the influence of so cultivated and enthusiastic a musician.  Neefe saw the boy’s talent and became his friend.  On one occasion the Elector took his musicians to Muenster where he had a palace, Neefe’s duties requiring that he go with them.  Beethoven, then under twelve years of age, was left behind as organist.  Frimmel states that Neefe, on assuming the position, reserved the privilege of absenting himself frequently from his post, on condition that he provide a substitute.  After the Muenster episode, the twelve-year-old Beethoven became the regular substitute.  When we consider the important role that church music played in those times, such precocity is remarkable.  This connection with church music bore good fruit in later years.

Neefe was soon after promoted, the Elector giving him charge of the secular as well as the sacred music of the Court, upon which Beethoven received his first appointment, that of cembalist of the orchestra.  The duty of the cembalist is to preside at the piano.  Only a good musician would be capable of filling such a position, as all the accompaniments were played from the score.  He held this for two years, afterward playing viol in the orchestra for several years more.  This work in the orchestra was later of the greatest possible benefit to him in composing.  There was no salary at first, but the post had an important bearing on his life, as he was obliged to attend all the rehearsals as well as the performances of the opera, always taking an active part.  Before he reached the age of fifteen he was appointed second court organist.  During this year he studied the violin with Franz Ries, which enabled him a few years later to play in the band.

It was in Beethoven’s fifteenth year that he played the organ every morning at the six o’clock mass in the Minorite church.  For some years before and during this period he was busy trying his hand at musical composition, but nothing which he composed during his youth amounts to much.  He could improvise in a marvelous manner and he attracted much attention by the exercise of this talent, becoming famous in this connection long before he was known as a composer.

His creative talent unfolded itself slowly.  He had high ideals and worked faithfully toward their attainment.  Failure to reach the level of his aspirations did not dishearten him; rather it spurred him on to greater effort.