The City
Today, Mödling is the capital of the Austrian district of the same name. It is located approximately 14 km to the South of Vienna. The settlement has history from the New Stone Age and its name has Slavic origin, meaning slowly running water.
In Beethoven’s day Mödling was a small market town with some 300 houses.
The houses he stayed at
Beethoven loved nature and often spent the summers outside the city. One favorite destination was Mödling. He was there briefly in 1799, but between 1818-1821 he stayed there for a part of each summer.
When Beethoven visited in 1818 and 1819, he stayed at the Hafnerhaus (The House of the potter), that is today located at Hauptstrasse 79., 2340 Mödling. The house at the time was owned by Jacob Tuschek. This is a Renaissance building, with beautiful pillar arcades, from the second half of the 16th century.
On the first floor he rented three rooms, today used as a museum. The memorial was established by Prof. Walter Szmolyan and Prof. Karl Matzner in 1970. In 1996 stage designer Leo Tichat renewed the place and set it up as if Beethoven had just left the room.
At later occasions he stayed at The Augustinerhof at Babenbergerstrasse 36. (known today as The Christhof, Achsenaugasse 6.).
Music Beethoven composed in Mödling
Mödling, and nature he loved so much, had to be inspiring for the composer. He worked here on no less than five major pieces:
– Missa Solemnis
– Ninth symphony
– Piano sonata Nr. 29 (“Hammerklavier”)
– the Diabelli Variations
– and the Mödling Dances.
These 11 dances were – supposedly – written for a local band playing at the inn called The Three Ravens. The Ravens building still exists today, but not open for public.
Beethoven’s Broadwood piano
In a comprehensive report this magazine covered the story of Beethoven’s Broadwood piano. This special gift came to Beethoven on ship all the way from London to the port of Trieste. From the port to Vienna, and then from the capital to Mödling, where Beethoven was spending his summer vacation.
Paintings by August von Klöber
In 1818 the artist August von Klöber approached Beethoven. The composer agreed to sit for him, but not more than three-quarters of an hour per session. This gave Klöber free time to enjoy his own stay in Mödling. “You must have a good look at Mödling, for it’s quite lovely here, and as an artist you must certainly be a nature lover.” – Beethoven told him.
Apart from the famous drawing, he made an oil painting that showed Beethoven together with his nephew out in the nature. This artwork is lost.
“Beethoven’s dwelling in Mödling was quite simple, as indeed was everything about him.” – remembered the painter, who spent considerable amount of time with him.
Apart from composing Beethoven spent his days mostly in nature. As he wrote to a friend, “As for me, I am rambling about in the mountains, ravines, and valleys here with a piece of music paper…”
