beethoven tore up his dedication of the third symphony to napoleon after Napoleon declared himself king
Yes, the story that Beethoven tore up his dedication of his Third Symphony to Napoleon is largely true, though the specific event he reacted to was Napoleon declaring himself Emperor, not king
. Here is a breakdown of the events:
- Initial admiration: In the early 1800s, Beethoven admired Napoleon, seeing him as a figure who embodied the ideals of the French Revolution—liberty, equality, and opposition to the aristocracy. He began writing his Third Symphony around 1803 with Napoleon in mind and originally titled it "Bonaparte".
- Betrayal of ideals: In May 1804, Napoleon abandoned his republican principles and declared himself Emperor of France.
- Beethoven's outrage: The composer was furious when he heard the news. His student, Ferdinand Ries, recounted that Beethoven exclaimed, "So he is no more than a common mortal! Now he, too, will trample all human rights underfoot and indulge only his ambition; he will now set himself above all others and become a tyrant!".
- Tearing the dedication: In his rage, Beethoven reportedly went to the title page of the symphony's manuscript and violently tore up the dedication to Bonaparte. A surviving copy of the score shows the dedication scratched out so forcefully that it tore a hole in the paper.
- Renamed to Eroica: Beethoven later renamed the work Sinfonia Eroica—"Heroic Symphony"—with the subtitle "composed to celebrate the memory of a great man". The new title honored the memory of the heroic ideal, rather than a specific political figure. The symphony was formally dedicated to his patron, Prince Lobkowitz.
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What is the evidence for and against the claim (beethoven tore up his dedication of the third symphony to napoleon after Napoleon declared himself king)
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For the claim that Beethoven tore up his dedication of the Third Symphony to Napoleon after Napoleon declared himself emperor, there is strong primary and documentary evidence supporting the core of the story, though it is often sensationalized
. The main evidence comes from a contemporary account and the manuscript itself, while nuances and conflicting reports from later years prevent the story from being a simplistic, one-sided narrative. Evidence for the claim
- The manuscript's title page: The most compelling piece of evidence is the surviving manuscript of the Eroica Symphony. The original title, "Sinfonia grande, intitolata Bonaparte," is so forcefully and furiously scratched out that it left erasure marks and, in one spot, a hole in the paper. This physical alteration strongly supports the idea of an enraged, deliberate act by the composer to remove Napoleon's name.
- Ferdinand Ries's account: The story was first recounted by Ferdinand Ries, Beethoven's pupil and secretary, who was present at the time. Ries wrote in his 1838 memoir that when he told Beethoven the news that Napoleon had crowned himself emperor in 1804, Beethoven flew into a rage and declared, "So he is no more than a common mortal! Now he, too, will trample all human rights underfoot and indulge only his ambition; he will now set himself above all others and become a tyrant!". Ries's is the most direct and contemporaneous account of the event.
- Beethoven's political ideals: Beethoven, who grew up in the atmosphere of Enlightenment ideals, strongly believed in liberty and opposed the aristocracy. He initially saw Napoleon as a revolutionary figure who embodied these democratic and anti-monarchical values. When Napoleon betrayed these principles by crowning himself emperor, it was a profound personal and ideological disappointment for Beethoven, making a furious reaction plausible.
- The change in dedication: The published score of the symphony eventually bore a new dedication to Beethoven's patron, Prince Lobkowitz, but also carried the subtitle, "composed to celebrate the memory of a great man". Many scholars interpret this "great man" as the memory of the heroic, republican Napoleon, rather than the tyrannical emperor. This amendment confirms that Beethoven felt the need to alter the work's public message following Napoleon's actions.
Evidence against or qualifying the claim
- The nature of Ries's and Schindler's accounts: Some scholars are cautious about accepting Ries's version of events without question. Ries and another early biographer, Anton Schindler, are known for having exaggerated or embellished stories about Beethoven for dramatic effect. Ries's account of Beethoven's verbal outburst might have been heightened for effect, even if the core action was accurate.
- Later ambiguous remarks by Beethoven: There is conflicting evidence from later in Beethoven's life regarding his view of Napoleon. In conversation books and other reports, Beethoven occasionally made comments that seemed to soften his earlier condemnation of Napoleon or acknowledge his greatness. For example, after Napoleon's death in 1821, Beethoven reportedly remarked, "I already composed the music for that catastrophe," referring to the Eroica's funeral march. This suggests that his feelings were not a simplistic, all-or-nothing rejection.
- Financial motivation: While unlikely to be the primary cause, financial and practical motivations also played a role in the change. The new dedication was made to Prince Lobkowitz, one of Beethoven's most important patrons, who paid the composer handsomely. It is possible that practical considerations influenced the timing or final form of the dedication.
- The "Bonaparte" title lingered: Even after scratching out the dedication and renaming the symphony, Beethoven sometimes still referred to it as the "Bonaparte" symphony in letters to his publisher. In an August 1804 letter, he insisted, "The title of the symphony is really Bonaparte". This suggests that the initial, deeper inspiration of the work was not so easily discarded.
Conclusion: The story is largely true but complex
The core elements of the story are well-supported by evidence: Beethoven was a passionate admirer of republican ideals, he intended to dedicate his Third Symphony to Napoleon, and he angrily withdrew that dedication upon learning Napoleon had crowned himself emperor. The physical evidence on the manuscript itself is a powerful testament to his rage.
However, the event is more nuanced than a simple anecdote suggests. It is not an either/or situation. Instead, it shows a complex arc in Beethoven's view of Napoleon—from admiring hero to perceived tyrant, and later, to a figure worthy of respectful, if critical, memory. The story is an enduring symbol of Beethoven's devotion to artistic and political ideals.
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