BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Friday, August 18, 1826

Given the conversation book comments later today, there is an undated note from Beethoven to unpaid assistant Karl Holz that may date from early this morning. Beethoven writes to Holz inviting him to mid-day dinner. “For Herr v. Holz. Due to a special coincidence, I ask you, when you get out, leave a note saying where I can find you in the morning. In any case, I will see you at noon. Yours, Beethoven.”

Brandenburg Letter 2082; Anderson Letter 1514. This letter is no longer known to exist; a copy that was found in the estate of Otto Jahn was published by Alfred Kalischer in Neue Beethovenbriefe, Berlin-Leipzig 1902, Nr.91, p.86.

In the early evening, Holz visits Beethoven, and they go out for a walk, possibly to a restaurant or coffee house. Uncle Ludwig is worried about Karl’s future, now that he appears to be out of immediate physical danger. Holz warns him that Karl will under no circumstances be able to make it in Vienna any longer; this new incident and his way of life are now common knowledge. “Who would take him in?”

There is no fear of dust today; a thunderstorm came through earlier this afternoon. Holz has to be somewhere at 7 p.m. [Holz does not appear for several days, so he may be taking a coach into the country.]

Beethoven reproaches Holz for not responding to a recent letter (possibly the one noted above). Holz says he doesn’t know how the letter was supposed to reach him. He was in the office until noon, and only received Beethoven’s letter at 4:30 in the afternoon.

Holz points out that a soldier that they passed said, “That is Beethoven.”

Mathias Artaria apparently wrote to Beethoven discouraging such large-scale fugues as the finale to the op.130 quartet [now the Grosse Fuge, op.133], which displeases the composer. Holz tries to calm him down. “He only means not such a long fugue.” But with a piano reduction, it will now be more comprehensible to many people.

Beethoven is thinking better of his promise to write a string quintet for Anton Diabelli. Holz would like him to follow through on the plan. “Anyway, we are not rich in quintets. 2 by you and 5 by Mozart. [Beethoven’s piano quintet op.16 and the string quintet op.29; Mozart’s string quintets K.174, 515, 516, 593, and 614.] Which one by Mozart do you think is the most beautiful?” [Unfortunately Beethoven’s answer is not recorded.] Holz offers that also the one in G minor [K.516] is beautiful.

Beethoven asks Holz who he thinks should be Karl’s new guardians. Perhaps Stephan von Breuning and attorney Johann Baptist Bach?

Beethoven asks when the inquest is scheduled for Karl to be interrogated by the police as to his motives for attempting suicide. Holz tells him in 8 days [August 26.] Once again, Holz was not able to see Karl’s doctor; he had been called away.

Beethoven asks how things stand with War Council Agent Ignaz Dembscher. Holz says that Dembscher and his relatives were very tense towards Holz yesterday, because of the 50 florins that Beethoven is demanding that Dembscher pay violinist Iganz Schuppanzigh, in order to be allowed to have a performance of the op.130 quartet. “I’ll write to him today, and tell him that I won’t be coming to him anymore.” Why not, asks Beethoven. “Stinginess. It upset him that the matter was known, and that he was ridiculed because of it.”

Holz leaves to make his 7 p.m. appointment.

Conversation Book 118, 18v-21r.

There is no indication in the conversation books that Holz visits Beethoven over the next three days; the next entry is from about August 22. As noted above, this may mean he is catching a carriage to the country.