BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Friday, May 13, 1825

Beethoven writes a pair of letters today. The first is to the doctor who most recently treated his intestinal inflammation, Dr. Anton Georg Braunhofer, which begins in the form of a dialogue between doctor and patient. “Dear Friend! Dr.: How are you, patient? Patient: We’re not feeling well. Still very weak, belching, etc. I believe that strengthening medicine is finally necessary, but one that doesn’t constipate. I should be allowed to drink white wine with water, because the Mephitic beer can be only repellent to me. My cathartic state is expressing itself here as follows: I’m spitting up quite a lot of blood, probably only from the trachea, but it often flows from my nose, which was also the case several times this winter. But there’s no doubt that my stomach is terribly weakened, and my whole nature in general is suffering from this. Just by themselves, as far as I know my nature, my strength would hardly be able to be replaced. Dr.: I will help, sometimes a Brownian, sometimes a Stollian, etc. Patient: I would like to be able to be at my writing desk again with some strength. Please consider this. –Finis. [The last word is underlined twice.]”

“As soon as I get to the City, I’ll see you. Just tell Karl when I can see you, but can you tell Karl yourself what should be done next? I only took the last medicine once, and if it has been given up as a lost cause, that would be beneficial. With respect and gratitude, your friend, Beethoven.”

This is followed by the canon WoO 189, “Doktor sperrt das Thor dem Todt.” The lyrics translate as, “Doctor lock the door from death; Notes also help out of need.” The canon is dated May 11, 1825, written at the Baden Helenenthal, at the second Anton’s Bridge to Siechenfeld.

Brandenburg Letter 1967; Anderson Letter 1371. The original is held at the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna as A 16. Braunhofer had prescribed a special diet for Beethoven, and had refused to give him any strengthening medications. Braunhofer had generally prohibited coffee and wine, which would irritate his digestive system, and made him drink chocolate and almond milk instead. John Brown (1735-1788) was an English physician who developed the excitation theory of medicine, that illness resulted from excessive stimulation, and thus the stimuli had to be reduced (or if there was insufficient stimulation, then stimulating medications would be called for. Max Stoll (1742-1787) was a Viennese doctor that practiced something close to homeopathy. While Beethoven favored Brown’s approach, Braunhofer, who had studied both, preferred Stoll’s methods.

The second letter is addressed to violinist and conductor Ferdinand Piringer, whom Brother Johann had enlisted to proofread a copy of the Missa Solemnis. “While I sincerely thank you for taking the trouble to correct a copy of my Mass, I kindly ask you to let me know as soon as you have finished with it, whereupon I will send someone to you, and ask you to hand the Mass to just that person. I ask you to tell [Joseph] Böhm, the brave fiddler, how sorry I am that I cannot give him the quartet again, as I only received it back from Hr. Mayseder with great effort on the very day of my departure here (i.e., on May 7). The consequences of my intestinal inflammation are very hard on me, as I feel so weak that I can hardly walk and even less occupy myself — God forbid!– As always, your friend and servant, Beethoven.”

Brandenburg Letter 1968; Anderson Letter 1370. The copy of the Missa Solemnis being proofread by Piringer is the subscription copy for Prince Radziwill, which is now several years overdue. The original of this letter is at the Bonn Beethovenhaus (H.C. Bodmer Collection Br 185), and can be seen here:

https://www.beethoven.de/en/media/view/5469579740446720/scan/0