One morning in Baden, during the summer break of Beethoven, Ries showed up at his teacher to practice piano. As he approached the apartment overheard Beethoven playing and improvising on his piano. He was working on the sonata that later became famous as the Appassionata.
When finally entered the room he found the master looking out from his window. “We won’t have a lesson today,” Beethoven said. “Instead let’s take a walk together, the morning is so beautiful.”
They were strolling the hills around Baden, enjoying the fine weather and beautiful scenery. As they were sitting in a meadow, observing the beauties of nature, Ries heard a shepherd from a distance playing a folk instrument. When he called Beethoven’s attention to it, he witnessed that he was clearly not able to hear it. To save the feelings of his Master, he told him that the play had stopped in the meantime, even though he still heard it.
This was the first time Ries got evidence about his suspicion, that Beethoven is losing his hearing.
