The utter vanity of this kind of thing
must often occur to great minds at such a time. These frenzied people by
their very actions showed their inability to comprehend his work, and
could not confer honor in this manner.
But the enthusiasm of the audience had the practical effect of leading
the manager to make an offer to Beethoven for another concert,
guaranteeing him five hundred florins ($250). It was held on May 23, at
noon. On this occasion all of the Mass but the Kyrie was omitted, some
Italian music being substituted. The house was only half filled at the
second concert and the management lost money. Beethoven's apprehensions
as to the profits from the first concert were well founded. He made less
than two hundred dollars from the undertaking, and was so disappointed
with this pitiful result after all the work of preparation, that he
refused to eat any supper, and would not go to bed, but remained on a
couch with his clothes on for the night. When he learned that the
management lost eight hundred florins on the occasion of the second
concert, it was with difficulty that he could be prevailed on to accept
the amount guaranteed him.
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