Anecdotes of Great Musicians/Anecdote 173
173—BEETHOVEN PUNISHED.
What would we have done for Beethoven anecdotes without Ries? Here is one that this pupil of the master tells in his enjoyable style:—
"One evening I was to play a sonata of Beethoven's which one does not often hear. As he was present, and as I had not studied this sonata with him, I declared myself willing to play the others, but not this. The company turned to Beethoven, who at length said: 'Now, you will not play so badly that I cannot listen.' In the end I was obliged to play. Beethoven turned, as usual, toward me. When I made a mistake in the left hand, he tapped me on the head with his finger, which the Princess L, who leaned on the piano opposite, laughingly observed. After I had finished Beethoven said:—
"'Well done! You do not need to learn sonatas with me first. The finger tap only proved my attention to you.'
"Later he played, and chose the D minor sonata, Opus 31. The Princess, who expected that even Beethoven would make some mistakes, stood behind his chair while I turned the music. Soon he blundered noticeably. The Princess gave him a few not very soft strokes on the head, with the remark:—
"'If a pupil receives a finger stroke for a false note, then the master must be punished with a full hand for greater mistakes.'
"Every one laughed, Beethoven first. He then began again and played wonderfully, especially the adagio, which was inimitable."