BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Friday, January 21, 1825
Nephew Karl is at Beethoven’s apartment this morning. He notes that the flour, which was out there, is used up.
They seem to be having an issue with former housekeeper Barbara Holzmann, perhaps gossiping about them. Karl says, “Even if she hadn’t given us any evidence that she is against us, when she told the maid in Baden that she is too good for us and ought to look for another job, that would have been enough.”
Brother Johann comes to visit, probably in time for mid-day dinner. The current housekeeper forgot to cook the liver, so she will make it tomorrow. Ludwig had told her to make the poultry for dinner, since otherwise it would go bad. But she can’t believe that they weren’t fresh. She gave some to Brother Johann to take along, since he had asked for it.
Ludwig is complaining about the Wiener Zeitung being useless [never mind that he religiously reads it every day, including the advertisements.] Karl (possibly writing for Johann) thinks the idea that there is nothing useful in that newspaper is prejudiced. “Even if an unsuitable item appears sometimes, it can prove to be just as beneficial if the person reads the Zeitung more thoroughly and finds the advertisement applicable to his needs. Ludwig thinks its editor, Joseph Carl Bernard, is difficult. Karl writes that he is nonetheless terribly submissive.
Karl then departs for a while, whether to attend class or to run errands, and Johann writes on his own behalf.
The struggle over the premiere of the op.127 Quartet comes up again. Ludwig wonders where cellist Joseph Linke got the idea in the first place that he would get it for his upcoming benefit Akademie. Johann reminds him that he got it from him, since Ludwig had expressly told him to tell Linke he could have it. “Everyone scrambles to get one Quartet; if only you had three, then you could also send them to London for 100 Guineas.
Johann then makes a curious comment, “I myself will enclose that in the book of the Symphony.” [The score has already been sent off to the publisher, and Ludwig has made corrections in a letter to Schott so it is unclear what Johann might be enclosing. This might relate to a proposed dedication of the work.]
Johann waits around for Karl to return, since he wants to go with him to the Fries bankers about the bills of exchange, and he needs him today.
Ludwig is still bothered by the pirated transcription of the piano four hands version of the Consecration of the House Overture that was published in Berlin. Johann tells Ludwig that he must place a notice in all the local newspapers that Schott is the only legitimate owner of the work. Karl can write it up for him, and the power of attorney can be administered by him.
The English trip comes up, and Ludwig appears to suggest that he might profitably renew contact with George Thomson in Scotland if he goes. Johann agrees, “I remember that this was also the case with Haydn.”
In any event, once it becomes known that Ludwig is writing an oratorio, then he will see how many inquiries come as a result. [Der Sieg des Kreuzes thus appears still not to be entirely off the table, though Ludwig will not set it to music.]
When Karl returns, he and Johann depart for the Fries banking house and to run other errands. After they come back, Johann tells Ludwig that the bank manager sends word everything is quite in order, but Ludwig should come along with Johann, merely to sign his name. Ludwig asks whether the scores went off to Schott already, and Johann tells him they went with the first postal carriage after they were delivered. The bills of exchange are valid for a very short time, namely 1, 2 and 3 months.
Johann says that a new room will be broken out by making a hole to create a doorway. [This may refer to Beethoven’s next apartment in the Krugerstrasse, as frequent contributor Birthe Kibsgaard suggests.]
Johann and Ludwig go out, perhaps to a coffee house. Johann complains that his feet don’t work right anymore. [Johann often suffered from gout in his feet.] He’ll see to it that they get a horse-drawn carriage.
They run into Vincenz Hauschka, of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, which had commissioned the oratorio Der Sieg des Kreuzes. Johann writes, “You need only send word to Hauschka when you have begun work on the oratorio; he just told me that he will give you as much money as you need. In the meantime, one writes to London about this new oratorio, and it will rain gold.” Ludwig brings up the possibility again of renewing his arrangements with Thomson in Scotland. Johann writes out Thomson’s address, and then adds, “But I believe that with an oratorio, it would be grander and bring in even more money.” [It’s interesting that Beethoven seems to be seriously considering the often-disregarded piecework folk songs for Thomson again, but they would be a useful way to easily earn money, as the quartets are taking him far longer to complete than he had anticipated. ]
Conversation Book 81, 28r-31v. This concludes Conversation Book 81. Conversation Books 82 and 83 are both used over the next few days.
T. Weigl’s Art and Music Shop advertises today another new work by Beethoven’s former pupil Carl Czerny, his op.80, Introduction, Seven Variations and Finale for pianoforte and flute or violin, on a favorite theme in today’s Wiener Zeitung (Nr.16) at 70. Weigl also offers a large number of other Czerny compositions that we have previously covered.
This intriguing work is performed here by Kazunori Seo on flute, and Makoto Ueno on piano: