BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Friday, August 22, 1823

Beethoven writes to Archduke Rudolph today from Baden. He was expecting the Archduke to come back to Baden [he had returned to Vienna on August 5], but was disappointed when he did not. Beethoven says he arrived there on August 13th in a very poor state of health. His catarrh, abdomen and eyes were all giving him trouble. “In short, my constitution was completely shattered.” But he is doing much better now; his eyes have improved, as have his other ailments. Beethoven regrets that his frail health has prevented him from being as much service to the Archduke as he would have liked. Perhaps His Imperial Highness will come to Baden so he can show his zeal.

Brandenburg Letter 1733, Anderson Letter 1232. The original is held by the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna (A 84/136). The Archduke will in fact be back in Baden by Sunday August 24th.

Nephew Karl writes to Uncle Ludwig from Vienna today, asking where the 31 guilders for Schindler are. He also asks for a mythology textbook by A.H. Petiscus and proposes that one of Blöchlinger’s male servants be requested for employment. It also appears Schindler wants to be paid for his trip to Baden. Brandenburg Letter 1734. The letter is not known to exist, but its date and contents are known from Ludwig’s response to Karl tomorrow.