BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Friday, December 16, 1825
Happy Beethoven’s birthday! Unfortunately, since the conversation book for this date is missing, we don’t know what Beethoven did for a celebration of his 55th birthday, if anything. In past years, he has invited several friends for a fish dinner on this occasion.
Beethoven today complies with the request of Quebec music teacher Theodor Molt, and writes a canon in C major on the album leaf as he requested. This canon is Freu dich des Lebens, WoO 195. A sketch for this canon appears in the pocket sketchbook Autograph 9/Bundle 1a held by the Berlin Staatsbibliothek at 6r-7r. Additional sketches appear in the Kullak desk sketchbook at 10v. The manuscript, which is held by the Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa (Mus.119), located at McGill University in Montreal, bears the tempo “Muthig u schnell” [Bold and fast] and is inscribed, “A remembrance for The. Molt from L. v. Beethoven, Vienna on the 16th Decemb. 1825“
The manuscript can be seen here:
Molt picks up the canon on the album leaf today, as well as the Höfel engraved portrait signed by Beethoven, “A souvenir for H. v. Molt from L. v. Beethoven.” Beethoven also gives Molt a copy dated today of the canon Das Schöne zu dem Guten, WoO 203, which Beethoven had originally written for Ludwig Rellstab.
It is a shame that the conversation book for this second visit by Molt is lost because it must have been a very interesting discussion. From Thayer’s notebook of 1857: “Circumstance related to me by the son of Mr. Molt. When Mr. Molt called upon Beethoven, December 16, 1825 (B’s birthday), Beethoven showed him some verses he had just written complimentary to a young lady and fell into such enthusiasm talking about her that he passed entirely from his musical conversation. Verses poor enough, Mr. Molt said. Mr. Molt also described the meanness of the rooms in which B. lived.” (TK, III, 211, n. I.) (Thayer/Forbes p.969 note 70) Who that young lady might have been is unknown, and Beethoven’s sudden infatuation with her may explain why this conversation book is missing.
The canon WoO 195 for Molt is here performed by the Kammerchor der Berliner Singakademie:
Our next update will be December 18th.