Note 114 — Chapter V

The incident is variously related. Schindler and Fräulein Unger (the latter of whom told it to George Grove in London in 1869) say that it took place at the end of the concert. Thalberg, the pianist, who was present, says that it was after the Scherzo. A note amongst Thayer’s papers reads: “November 23, 1860. I saw Thalberg in Paris. He told me as follows: He was present at Beethoven’s concert in the Kärnthnerthor Theatre 1824. Beethoven was dressed in black dress-coat, white neckerchief, and waistcoat, black satin small-clothes, black silk stockings, shoes with buckles. He saw after the Scherzo of the 9th symphony, how B. stood turning over the leaves of his score utterly deaf to the immense applause, and Unger pulled him by the sleeve and then pointed to the audience when he turned and bowed. Umlauf told the choir and orchestra to pay no attention whatever to Beethoven’s beating of the time but all to watch him. Conradin Kreutzer was at the P. F.” Did Thalberg describe Beethoven’s dress correctly? Evidently not. In a conversation just before the concert Schindler, who is to call for Beethoven, tells him to make himself ready. “We will take everything with us now; also take your green coat, which you can put on when you conduct. The theatre will be dark and no one will notice it.... O, great master, you do not own a black frock coat! The green one will have to do; in a few days the black one will be ready.”