Beethoven, As Revealed in His Own Words

regards me, great heavens! my dominion is in the air; the tones whirl like the wind, and often there is a like whirl in my soul.”

O God! send your glance into beautiful nature and comfort your moody thoughts touching that which must be.”

Many assert that every minor piece must end in the minor. Nego! On the contrary I find that in the soft scales the major third at the close has a glorious and uncommonly quieting effect. Joy follows sorrow, sunshine—rain. It affects me as if I were looking up to the silvery glistering of the evening star.”

How happy I am to be able to wander among bushes and herbs, under trees and over rocks; no man can love the country as I love it. Woods, trees and rocks send back the echo that man desires.”

6. "Truth exists for the wise; beauty for the susceptible heart. They belong together--are complementary."
(Written in the autograph book of his friend, Lenz von Breuning, in 1797.)

"Pure church music ought to be performed by voices only, except a 'Gloria,' or some similar text. For this reason I prefer Palestrina; but it is folly to imitate him without having his genius and religious views; it would be difficult, if not impossible, too, for the singers of today to sing his long notes in a sustained and pure manner."
(To Freudenberg, in 1824.)