The Grand Ducal Kapelle is now in full rehearsal ; none but Beethoven's compositions are to be performed. As often as I can find time, I go in the morning to the theatre to hear the rehearsal. I have now heard the ' Eroica ' and the delicious Pastoral symphonies so often that I know them almost by heart ; still, I go again and again, as I can never hear them enough. Now they are studying the great symphony with chorus, which I am most curious to hear. Such precision I had never heard in an orchestra, and had never thought it possible that such fine nuances could be obtained from such a numerous body ; even the smallest indications were observed. They succeeded admirably in those crescendos which suddenly pass into piano, which are found almost exclusively in Beethoven's works. To be sure, Mangold, the conductor, takes enormous pains, one may say that he is indefatigable ; for instance, at several rehearsals, before taking the whole orchestra together, he takes the first violins with only two of the other stringed instruments, and thoroughly drums their part into the first violinists, then he does the same with the second violins, with the violas, and with the 'cellos and five double-basses; thereby the quartet gets so perfect that you do not hear a single false note. The pizzicato is also something quite exquisite. In Beethoven's 'Eroica' symphony there is a great deal of pizzicato even whole runs in unison, but I was never able to detect one instrument arriving a little late ; each time it came like a spark, and the effect was most extraordinary.