without possessing his spirit and his religious convictions."
(To the organist Freudenberg.)
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"When your piano pupil has the proper fingering, the exact rhythm and plays the notes correctly, pay attention only to the style; do not stop for little faults or make remarks on them until the end of the piece. This method produces musicians, which after all is one of the chief aims of musical art … For the passage work (virtuosity) make him use all the fingers freely. Doubtless by employing fewer fingers a 'pearly' effect is obtained—as it is put—'like a pearl.' But one likes other jewels at times."
(To Czerny.)
(The Baron de Trémont wrote in 1809, "Beethoven's piano playing was not very correct and his manner of fingering was often faulty; the quality of his tone was not beyond reproach. But who could dream of the player? One was completely absorbed by the thoughts which his hands tried to express as well as they could.")
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"Amongst the old masters, only Handel and Sebastian Bach had true genius."
(To the Archduke Rudolph, 1819.)
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