n; and everybody then saw in the two sonatas (op. 14) the
picture of a contest between two principles, or a dialogue between two
persons, because it was so obvious."

(In answer to Schindler's question why he had not indicated the poetical
conceits underlying his sonatas by superscriptions or titles.)

83. "This sonata has a clean face (literally: 'has washed itself'), my
dear brother!"

(January, 1801, to Hofmeister, publisher in Leipzig to whom he offers
the sonata, op. 22, for 20 ducats.)

84. "They are incessantly talking about the C-sharp minor sonata (op.
27, No. 2); on my word I have written better ones. The F-sharp major
sonata (op. 78) is a different thing!"

(A remark to Czerny.)

[The C-sharp minor sonata is that popularly known as the "Moonlight
Sonata," a title which is wholly without warrant. Its origin is due to
Rellstab, who, in describing the first movement, drew a picture of a
small boat in the moonlight on Lake Lucerne. In Vienna a tradition that
Beethoven had composed it in an arbor gave rise to the title "Arbor
sonata." Titles of this character work much mischief in the amateur mind
by giving rise to fantastic conceptions of the contents of the music. H.
E. K.]

85. "The thing which my brother can have from me is 1, a Septett per il
Violino, Viola, Violoncello, Contrabasso, Clarinetto, Cornto, Fagotto,
tutti obligati; for I can not write anything that is not obligato,
having come into the world with obligato accompaniment."

(December 15, 1800, to Hofmeister, publisher, in Leipzig.)

86. "I am but little satisfied with my works thus far; from today I
shall adopt a new course."

(Reported by Carl Czerny in his autobiography in 1842. Concerning the
time at which the remark was made, Czerny says: "It was said about 1803,
when B. had composed op. 28 (the pianoforte sonata in D) to his friend
Krumpholz (a violinist). Shortly afterward there appeared the sonatas
(now op. 31) in which a partial fulfillment of his resolution may be
observed.")

87. "Read Shakespeare's 'Tempest.'"

(An answer to Schindler's question as to what poetical conceit underlay
the sonatas in F minor. Beethoven used playfully to call the little son
of Breuning, the friend of his youth, A&Z, because he employed him often
as a messenger.)

["Schindler relates that when once he asked Beethoven to tell him what
the F minor and D minor (op. 31, No. 2) meant, h