BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Friday, October 8, 1824

Beethoven writes today from Baden to his former pupil, Carl Czerny. “My dear Czerny! Thank you endlessly for the love you have shown me. Unfortunately, my brother forgot to ask you for the 4-hand piano arrangement of the Overture [Consecration of the House, op.124.] With this in mind, I hope you won’t refuse me in taking this on as well.” [Czerny had just completed the piano solo arrangement of the Overture.]

“I see from the speed with which you have processed this piano reduction that you will have no trouble in completing the other one as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, my brother dragged things out, which means everything has gone head over heels.”

“I owed my brother a sum of money, for which he received this overture and some other works. This is the reason why he comes into play. By the way, I ask you to tell me what kind of fee you are charging for both piano reductions; I will send it to you with pleasure.”

“I have long since informed you of my desire to be able to serve you. So where such a case occurs, do not disregard me, as I am always ready to show you my love, gratitude and respect. As always, your friend, Beethoven.”

Beethoven adds a postscript: “PS Since I thought it would be useful for you to have the piano arrangement you already completed when making the four-handed one, I have enclosed it.”

Brandenburg Letter 1895; Anderson Letter 1317. The original is held by the Vienna Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde (A 84/25). The letter is written in Nephew Karl’s hand, with signature by Beethoven. The piano reductions were meant to be sent to the H.A. Probst publishers in Leipzig, though they did not end up printing the work after all.

Sauer & Leidesdorf advertises in today’s Wiener Zeitung (Nr.232) at 971 the latest and fifteenth volume in the complete collection of the operas of Rossini, arranged for piano by Maximilian J. Leidesdorf, Aureliano in Palmira. The price is 10 florins W.W., but 6 florins for subscribers. The 16th volume, currently at the press, is advertised as La Gazza ladra. “The list of the subscribers will be printed in the 16th release, as several businesses sent in their subscriptions very late, and others have not yet even reached us. We therefore request that our customers send them in as soon as possible, as we will not be able to list by name those which have not been received within fourteen days, but they will be listed only summarily.” The other 14 volumes remain available.