Beethoven seems not to have been present, and
strangely, when we reflect on his intimacy with Czerny, seems to have
been unaware of the existence of this talented youth. During the autumn
of this year, the elder Liszt called on Beethoven, bringing with him the
young Franz. Beethoven held himself aloof at first, receiving his
visitors coldly. He unbent however, on hearing the youth perform, and
stooped and kissed him. During this autumn he also received a visit from
Weber and young Julius Benedict, his pupil. Weber was preparing his
recently completed opera Euryanthe, for a first production in Vienna. He
had produced Fidelio in the foregoing spring season at Dresden, where he
was officially stationed, and had made a success of it with Frau
Schroeder-Devrient. Considerable correspondence must have passed between
the two composers on this matter, and Weber could hardly have omitted
calling when coming to Vienna, although the memory of his former
strictures on Beethoven's music must have embarrassed him. Weber had
stated on hearing the Seventh Symphony for the first time that Beethoven
was now fit for the madhouse, and his criticisms in general had been
adverse.
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