Kim Patrick Clow <[log in to unmask]>wrote:

>I have just finished reading M.  Solomon's biography on Beethoven and he
>mentioned that Archduke Rudolph promised a Kapellmeister position after
>becoming Cardinal/Archbishop. However, Beethoven never received the
>appointment and the Archduke led Beethoven for quite a few years that
>he would receive that appointment..  Solomon has no explanation why the
>position never materialized..  Does anyone on the list know or have heard
>theories?

It's not difficult to explain why it never was materialized.  From about
1817 Beethoven was not only almost stonedeaf, but also an ardent republican
(and he had been so from his days in Bonn), who once called the Emperor a
"rascal" and said that every king or emperor should be thrown from his
trone.  The Habsburg family knew this all too well.  Emperor Franz,
Rudolph's brother, once said that he disliked Beethoven's music, because
"it sounds like the revolution." Rudolph seems to have been the only member
of the family who was interested in Beethoven's music.  Actually I often
feel amazed that Beethoven managed to stay Rudolph's teacher!  Must have
given many a heated family discussion.

>What was the cause of Beethoven's deafness? He seemed to have liver issues
>when he died...but Solomon offers no medical explanations for the cause of
>death or even the deafness. Anyone care to explain more? Thanks

Probably the deafness was caused by one of the most common causes of
deafness worldwide:  otoscleroris, a disease of the bones of the inner
ear.  Also possible is cochlear otosclerosis, which is rare compared to
otosclerosis of the hearing bones, but would fit better to Beethoven's
symptoms.  However, since the bones of both inner ears were removed the day
after his death and never examined, there's room for doubt.  Unfortunately
the bones got lost and stayed lost to this very day.  Without an
examination of these bones every diagnosis is a speculation.  It's not
difficult to fill a whole bookcase with digressions on the cause of
Beethoven's deafness and mysterious bowel troubles as well!  The dernier
cri is lead.  Hypothesis:  Beethoven suffered from lead poisining, which
caused not only liver cirrhosis (the cause of his death, beyond any doubt),
but also deafness.  I find the hypothesis highly unlikely.  Otosclerosis,
cochlear or not, is to be preferred.  But there are other possibilities and
without those lost bones we'll never have certainty.

Joyce Maier (mail to: [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask])
www.ademu.com/Beethoven