BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO, Monday, May 5, 1823

Conversation Book 32 begins today. As has been the case for several of the recent books, the pages appear to be used out of order. We again follow the chronological order of the German and English editions.

Beethoven appears not to have any visitors today, and makes a shopping list for his upcoming move to the country for “14 shirts, at least.” He also adds two columns of numbers and reaches a total of 300. [Both do in fact add up to 300; one of them is a list of 60 written out five times, confirming that multiplication was not within Beethoven’s skill set.]

Conversation Book 32, 28r.

Today’s Wiener Zeitung at 413 includes an ad from S.A. Steiner & Co. for the Second Divertissement brillant for piano four hands on the popular motif from the Cavatina “Aure filici,” from Rossini’s Otello, op.43, composed by Carl Czerny.

Steiner offers a very flattering blurb for the piece: “This divertissement is a counterpart to the Variations for the pianoforte four hands from [Rossini’s] Corradino that have been published by our publishing house [as Czerny’s op.25], and, like these, bears the stamp of the prolific and popular composer, who is precisely familiar with the manner in which the interest in these creations increases. A favorite theme, which became interesting through the ravishing performance of the celebrated singer Mr. David, is at the bottom of it; it appears multifaceted, is newly formed, and is so exquisitely brilliant that it is particularly suited to players of a lesser degree of virtuosity, and will be performed and listened to with equal pleasure.”

The sixth concert of the London Philharmonic Society’s season opens with Beethoven’s Sinfonia Pastorale, conducted by Sir George Smart (1776-1867). The second act also includes a string quartet by Beethoven, performed by Messrs. Nicolas Mori, William Watts, W. Griesbach, and Robert Lindley. The Harmonicon, Nr.VI, June 1823 at 86 said, “Opinions are much divided concerning the merits of the Pastoral symphony of Beethoven, though very few venture to deny that it is much too long. The andante alone is upwards of a quarter of an hour in performance, and, being a series of repetitions, might be subjected to abridgment without any violation of justice, either to the composer or his hearers. In saying this, we do not mean to undervalue the work, but range ourselves on the side of those who think that it abounds in traits of singular genius, and in beautiful effects; though we certainly never heard it through, without rejoicing, on account of its prolixity, at its termination.”

The Harmonicon reviewer, who did not mention the Beethoven quartet at all, concluded, “The Concert was too long by half an hour, and was, altogether, rather heavy.” The concert also included a Symphony by Haydn, two overtures by Cherubini and Mozart, a piano concerto written and performed by Friedrich Kalkbrenner (1784-1849), plus four opera excerpts, so it was a rather overstuffed evening.