Schindler, Anton

1796-1864

Austrian musician and writer; the friend and biographer of Beethoven, who has won the name of Beethoven's Boswell. Born at Medl, in Moravia. He early began to study the violin, and kept up his practise in an amateur orchestra after he had begun to study law at the Vienna University. He also wrote for musical papers there, and in 1814 met Beethoven, who took a fancy to him, which ripened into friendship. In 1819 he became a sort of secretary to the composer and in 1822 werj.t to live with him. But Beethoven became irritable, and in 1824 they quarreled and parted; but when the great master returned to Vienna in 1826, in a dying condition, Schindler went to him and stayed with him until his death. Beethoven's papers passed to Schindler and Breuning, and on the death of the latter all came into Schindler's hands. Possessed of these and with his intimate knowledge of the master he wrote a number of articles, one in 1831 on Beethoven and Schubert, and at last published his Biographic Ludwig von Beethoven in 1840 at Minister, where he had become director of the Akademie in 1831. This work has gone through three editions, the later editions having, in addition, his account of Beethoven at Paris, published separately in 1842. An English translation by Moscheles in two volumes, called the Life of Beethoven, including his correspondence with his friends, came out in London in 1841. While in Vienna Schindler was conductor of the Josefstadt Theatre. He went from Minister to be chapelmaster at Aixla-Chapelle in 1835, but in 1842 returned, and later removed to Bockenheim, where he died.