BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Friday, January 7, 1825

Beethoven receives the letter from Charles Neate inviting him to come to London, and saying the London Philharmonic Society will pay him 300 guineas to cover his expenses. Ludwig shows the letter to Nephew Karl, saying that Brother Johann would surely approve of it as a money-making venture. Karl tells him to read the letter very closely, and to use his own judgment “without paying any attention to your brother’s insatiable quest for money.” His own wishes should be the deciding factor. Uncle Ludwig should also consider what other money-making opportunities there may be in London. “Neate assures you that you will return with a sum that can make the rest of your life quite free of cares.”

[There appears to be a page missing here, since Karl continues mid-sentence, probably after going out and talking the matter over with violinist Ignaz Schuppanzigh.] They are intelligent people, and they will do whatever they can to persuade Uncle Ludwig to do it. Schuppanzigh would happily accompany Ludwig, and is entirely devoted to him. “He asks nothing at all; he told me so, just today.” Ludwig suspects that Schuppanizigh would do this task grudgingly. Karl insists that it would be done with joy; all Uncle Ludwig needs to do is ask.

Ludwig frets about the language barrier; he does not speak English. Karl tells him that everyone there speaks French, and frequently German as well. Another possibility, Karl suggests, is young piano maker Johann Baptist Streicher, son of Beethoven’s longtime friend Nanette Streicher. He has already been to England, knows the language, has acquaintances there, and also would be devoted to Beethoven.

The head-tax needs to be paid today to the landlady, Karl reminds his uncle. Ludwig remarks that tax must raise an enormous amount of money. Karl confirms, it provides an income of over 12 million florins C.M. per year.

Brother Johann comes to visit in the early afternoon or late morning. He has joined a circle of friends who gather at the coffee house from 6 to 8 o’clock daily, and they discuss scientific topics, economics, music, poetry, etc.

Barbara Holzmann is back working for Ludwig as housekeeper again. Johann, however, thinks she should be dismissed as she is too proud. It’s degrading for Ludwig to ask her to do things when she has such an attitude. Karl is in agreement; she has a very big head, and they can let her go on Sunday the 9th. Johann ironically calls her “Madame,” who thinks that housekeeper means the lady of the house.

Holzmann interrupts to let Ludwig know that they have rabbit for tomorrow. They should buy plates, though. The mid-day dinner tomorrow will be the young rabbits with small pastries; in the evening they will have a pullet hen, and then the day after tomorrow, the adult rabbits.

Ludwig shows Johann the letter from Neate. Ludwig has decided to ask for an additional 100 guineas to pay the cost of a traveling companion, which would be quite necessary. Johann thinks that by the time that an answer is received from London about the 100 guineas, the weather will be much improved and very fine. But Ludwig needs to take care to arrive in time for the concerts, which are held in the spring. If he doesn’t, then the Philharmonic Society won’t be able to keep its word or pay Ludwig for taking part in their concerts.

Johann has his own money-making proposal. He suggests a series of 3 musical Akademie benefit concerts in Vienna to raise money for Ludwig. Johann will make all the arrangements, and hopefully also make a profit of his own.

Johann leaves to visit a locksmith. Karl and Ludwig continue to discuss the idea of a trip to London. Karl repeats that Streicher knows the language, is musical, and loves Uncle Ludwig very much. Johann, having returned, is in favor of Ludwig taking the 900 pounds that were offered in the letter, and write the oratorio [probably Der Sieg des Kreuzes, which was still under consideration] there. Ludwig asks where the 900 pounds comes from. Karl points out that they will pay 300 pounds for going there and conducting, they expect 500 pounds from an Akademie concert, and they would give another 100 pounds for the string quartets. Ludwig would like to know what a pound is worth in Austrian money. Karl says it is about 10 florins C.M.

Johann agrees that Streicher should go along. But Schuppanzigh would agree to do it in an instant. Ludwig continues to vacillate, and Karl says they can go visit Streicher sometime, and they can sound him out about the proposition. During the winter, the Missa Solemnis could be performed as an oratorio [probably guessing that a Catholic Mass would not go over well in Protestant England.] If Ludwig writes another oratorio the following summer, then within a year he could have enough money to buy the largest and most beautiful country estate here, and another house in Vienna as well. [Ludwig, remembering Johann’s empty promises of riches from his May 1824 Akademie concerts, is probably very skeptical about these claims.] Johann suggests that if Streicher can’t go, they could advertise in the newspaper for someone to accompany him. [Johann does not appear to approve of Schuppanzigh as a traveling companion for Ludwig, possibly due to the high expense of feeding the prodigious eater.]

Conversation Book 80, 19v, 2r, 7r-10r. [Again, the pages of this Conversation Book have been bound out of order.]

Beethoven goes to a coffee house to read the newspapers, and takes a different conversation book, number 81, with him. On the first page, 1r, he makes note of the periodical, Archiv für Geschichte, Statistik, Literatur, und Kunst [Archive for History, Statistics, Literature and Art], which had suspended publication and now is resuming. Beethoven will use this conversation book again after Conversation Book 80 is full.

Publisher B. Schott’s Sons in Mainz writes today to Beethoven. They have heard that a Mass by Beethoven is being published in Paris, and they are concerned that it is the Missa Solemnis, op.123, which Beethoven recently sold to them. Brandenburg Letter 1921. The letter has since disappeared, but its existence, date and general contents can be derived from later correspondence between Beethoven and Schott.