BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Friday, May 30, 1823 (approximately)

Beethoven, back at his apartment in Vienna, leaves a short undated note to Schindler who is staying there, giving him the proofread copies of the Gloria of the Missa Solemnis that have been done by Wenzel Schlemmer and his workers. They were copied on “ternions,” quires of three sheets folded in two, rather than the usual four sheets. He jokes that “The ternions are completely new instruments to me.” He starts to write a comment that it would have been easier for Schlemmer to write the trumpet parts, but then breaks off and crosses it out.

Beethoven reminds Schindler to get an answer about when the diploma for the Royal Swedish Academy of Music will be available. He wants to pick that up, and he will at the same time deliver the manuscript of the Credo to the Mass for copying. He asks Schindler to stay at home a little later tomorrow so they can talk.

This letter dates almost certainly from the end of May or very beginning of June. Schlemmer had finished copying the Kyrie of the Mass in mid-May before Beethoven left for Hetzendorf.

Brandenburg Letter 1652, Anderson Letter 1195. The original is held by the Berlin Staatsbibliothek (aut. 36,30).