CHAPTER XIV
NINTH SYMPHONY
We stand to-day before the Beethovenian Symphony as before the
landmark of an entirely new period in the history of universal art,
for through it there came into the world a phenomenon not even
remotely approached by anything the art of any age or any people
has to show us.
--WAGNER.
During the period of his work on the Mass, and for some time before,
Beethoven's thoughts were occupied more or less with that stupendous
work, the Ninth Symphony, sketches for which began to appear already in
1813, shortly after his meeting with Goethe. That Beethoven looked up to
Goethe ever after as to a spiritual mentor, studying his works,
absorbing his thought, is plain. In projecting this symphony he may very
well have designed it as a counterpart to Faust, as has been suggested.
Actually begun in 1817, it had to be laid aside before much had been
accomplished on it, in favor of the Mass in D. This gave him plenty of
time to mature his conception of the work; and this ripening process,
covering a period of ten years from its first inception, was one of the
factors which helped him achieve his wondrous result.
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