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Fischer, George Alexander

"Beethoven"

Schindler's omission of these names, however, has no
particular significance; he wrote many years after the event, and forgot
or omitted the mention of circumstances of greater importance than
this. It is not like what we know of the character of Czerny, or
Zmeskall, to neglect Beethoven in his extremity. The master's old
friend, Stumpf, of London, sent him a splendid edition of Haendel's works
in forty volumes, with which he occupied himself a good deal. They
afforded him much enjoyment.
Anxiety on account of money, so prevalent all through these latter
years, was increased by his enforced abstinence from work. What he
chiefly desired now was sufficient ready money to carry him through, so
that he would not have to break into the little hoard put by for Karl
many years before. At this juncture the Philharmonic Society of London
sent him one hundred pounds, being an advance payment on account of a
concert they intended giving for his benefit. The initiative in this
matter was taken by Beethoven himself, and it is safe to say that
nothing that was done for him during this period was so appreciated, or
gave him so much pleasure, as this act of kindness from the Society.


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