Plate 37. Cloister Marienforst near Godesberg not far from Bonn.

Color engraving of the Marienforst cloister at Godesberg near Bonn, and surrounding landscape. According to one anecdote, Beethoven and a friend went to this renovated cloister in 1791 to play the newly repaired organ. "The company begged him to give them the pleasure of letting them hear him play on the instrument. His great good nature led him to grant our wish. The church was locked, but the prior was very obliging and had it unlocked for us. B. now began to play variations on themes given him by the party in a manner that moved us profoundly; but what was more significant, poor laboring folk who were cleaning out the débris left by the work of repair, were so greatly affected by the music that they put down their implements and listened with amazement and obvious pleasure."