BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Friday, September 12, 1823.

Nephew Karl gives his uncle a rundown of how things went in Vienna yesterday. He ended up not running to Steiner and Attorney Bach’s office, since he wasn’t able to get any of the money for the bank shares from Franz Salzmann. [Karl does not explain in the Conversation Book why the money was not available.]

Karl reads in the newspaper that there are new regulations about bones in meat, a subject he and his uncle have discussed before, since they don’t feel that there is enough of a price reduction for bone-in meat. The new regulation seemingly makes things worse, with every certain number of pounds of meat requiring a makeweight of bones. The bones can’t be left behind or thrown away until after you leave the market. Karl would like to know the reason why this was instituted, since it seems ridiculous to him.

The new maid starts tomorrow, which will be the last day for the second fill-in. Fish is on the menu this evening.

Karl relates that coming out of Vienna, he had to unlock the wine-carryng box, since they were convinced that he was smuggling.

Conversation Book 42, 5r-7r.

Today, Prince Anton of Saxony writes to Beethoven, acknowledging receipt of his letter of July 25 including the solicitation to subscribe to the Missa Solemnis. His brother the King of Saxony will assuredly subscribe, especially since Archduke Rudolph has already addressed the issue with them. “This new work of which you speak will certainly be a masterwork like the rest of yours, and I am sure it will be much admired by me when I hear it.” He asks that his best wishes be conveyed to his brother-in-law, Rudolph.

Brandenburg Letter 1741, Albrecht Letter 335. The original, in the hand of a scribe and signed by Prince Anton, is held by the Berlin Staatsbibliothek (aut. 35,2).