BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Friday, September 13, 1822

Beethoven in Baden tries to sort out the publication rights for the Missa Solemnis today in a series of three letters, but if anything he makes things more complicated.

First, he writes to Nikolaus Simrock in Bonn, who has had 100 friedrichs d’or on deposit for the work for nearly two years at this point and has written Beethoven multiple times, impatiently asking where the manuscript is. Nephew Karl takes Beethoven’s dictation for the response. After noting he has been sick for three and a half years [a major exaggeration, since his earlier letters of 1822 reference an illness of several months], Ludwig says he has been offered 1000 fl. of C.M. by at least four publishers. “As sorry as I am if we must part regarding this work precisely because of this issue, I know that your good-heartedness would not let me suffer a loss in this work, which is perhaps the greatest thing I have ever written. You know that I’m not boastful, and I don’t like to share other people’s letters or even make excerpts from them, otherwise I should be able to give you evidence of this from places near and far.”

Beethoven asks if Simrock would like to match this fee; if he would, Simrock can send the difference to Franz Brentano in Frankfurt, and he will immediately be sent a well-corrected score of the Mass, which may be used directly for engraving. “I hope my dear Simrock, whom I consider to be one of the richest of all these publishers anyway, will not let his old friend move on for the sake of a few hundred guilders. I’ll write to you about everything else in the near future. I am staying here [Baden] until the beginning of October.”

Brandenburg Letter 1494, Anderson Letter 1098. The original of this letter is held by the Beethovenhaus, H.C. Bodmer Br 235, and can be seen here:

https://www.beethoven.de/en/media/view/4580209084858368/scan/0

Next, Beethoven transmits the letter for Simrock to his friend and agent Franz Brentano, with instructions to forward it on to Simrock and try to make the matter quite clear to Simrock that the price for the Mass needs to be increased. Beethoven’s cover letter is again written by nephew Karl. Ludwig apologizes for not paying his debt for so long. [Beethoven had borrowed a large sum from Brentano against the deposit from Simrock.] If Simrock objects, then Beethoven will sell the Mass elsewhere and forward the funds to pay off the debt to Brentano. “I hope that when my health improves, as it seems at the moment, I will no longer so easily fall into the situation of becoming such a nuisance. I shall always be grateful to you for this, and I can hardly wait for the moment when I no longer confess myself to be deeply in debt to you.”

Brandenburg Letter 1495, Anderson Letter 1099. This letter is today lost, and was formerly in the collection of Wilhelm Heyer in Cologne. The text is from a transcription by Georg Kinsky, publlished in Ungedruckte Briefe Beethovens, in Zeitschrift für Musikwissenschaft 2 (1920), p.428.

Finally, Karl once more acts as secretary, writing a letter to Leipzig publisher Carl Friedrich Peters. Beethoven apologizes for the repeated delay in sending him the little things he had promised [the Bagatelles for piano op.119, four marches and three lieder]. Beethoven had wanted to get to Baden by August 15th, but then the Cardinal [Archduke Rudolph] came and Beethoven had to stay in Vienna until the end of August. Living in the country, it took up a lot of time going back and forth to the City to see him. After the Archduke left, Beethoven could only get here to Baden around the first of the month. As soon as he got to Baden, he was approached by Karl Friedrich Hensler about a new work for the grand opening of the Theater in the Josephstadt. [Consecration of the House, op.124.]

So Beethoven was beset from all sides and had little time to take care of his health. The promised pieces would have already been sent, but he has written new trios for some of the marches. Similarly, he has added things here and there on all of the pieces. He regrets that Peters has already sent the money for these pieces, and would not have taken it if it had not been for gossip. [Here Beethoven pastes in Piringer’s letter of July 25, 1822, talking about the fee having been received from Peters.] Beethoven asks that he keep all their dealings secret from Steiner; he’ll say why at a later time. “I hope God will still protect me from the further incessant schemes of this evil Steiner.” He begs Peters not to listen to any gossip, since Steiner will use any means to prevent him from working with others. Beethoven himself write in a postscript that perhaps he will write more in a few days and then adds again, “Beware of false news in regard to me.”

Brandenburg Letter 1496, Anderson Letter 1100. This letter is in the Beethovenhaus, H.C. Bodmer Collection BBR 39), and can be seen here: https://www.beethoven.de/en/media/view/6438938524778496/scan/0

No doubt Beethoven was concerned that Peters would learn about his offering the Mass to others, including the fact he had already sold it to Simrock. Some of this probably also reflects Beethoven’s increasing suspiciousness if not paranoia due to his deafness.