BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Friday, September 22, 1826

This morning, or possibly last evening, Stephan von Breuning visits Beethoven. He reports that Lieutenant Field Marshal Joseph Freiherr von Stutterheim (1764-1831) will take Karl into his Archduke Ludwig regiment. “If Karl can go out, he must come with me to see him Tuesday morning [September 26] at 8 o’clock, otherwise at a later day. Stutterheim said: It is a pity when one lets such a young man enlist, for there are no prospects at all at this time. One should write to all barracks from Dante, Lasciate ogni Speranza o voi che entrate. [Abandon all hope, ye who enter here, from Dante’s Inferno. Gerhard von Breuning in his Memories of Beethoven at 85 mentions that Stutterheim also assured his father that “if Karl shaped up well, he would keep a place open for him as an officer in due course.”]

Beethoven asks Breuning how much money Karl will need. Breuning tells him, “The richest cadet only has a monthly allowance of 12 florins silver money, and he absolutely does not want you to give more than that — He said that a cadet, who had 20 florins, had become such a scoundrel that he had to be expelled.”

Breuning tells Beethoven that he and young Gerhard thank him for the Clementi piano method that he sent them.

Unpaid assistant Karl Holz visits Beethoven and tells him that Tobias Haslinger will take care of everything connected with the binding of the Ninth Symphony for King Friedrich Wilhelm III. The binding will cost between 50 and 60 florins. He agrees now that it should remain as it is now, because it will be presented to the King as the original score, and thus will be of greater interest to him.

The bound score is today in the Berlin Staatsbibliothek (Mus. Ms. Autogr. Beeth.30), and can be seen here:

http://resolver.staatsbibliothek-berlin.de/SBB00021F1B00000000

As to how to get the score to the King of Prussia securely, Holz has learned that Samuel Heinrich Spiker, court librarian to Friedrich Wilhelm III is present in Vienna right now. Since he will be leaving soon, he offered to take the score with him and inquire with the ambassador, Prince Hatzfeld, with whom he will be dining the day after tomorrow.

Holz tells Beethoven, “I also told him about the order; he does not think there will be any obstacles to that, and that he only has to tell the king, then it will be settled within a few days. He says it will be easy with the order; the king is very much in favor of you.”

But the title page will require a dedication by Beethoven. “In front of the symphony, as it is now, there must be a beautiful title page, on which you need write no more by hand than is already written on the engraved symphony [as published by Schott’s.] But in your own handwriting. The king will then add it to his library, because your autograph is in it.”

“Spiker will come to you tomorrow morning [September 23] at 9 o’clock together with Tobias, then you can talk about everything. No further petition or anything else will be needed. The order will arrive sooner than you expect.” Spiker will be found to be an educated man. Beethoven asks what he needs to write; Holz tells him to just copy it exactly as it is on the printed copy received from Schott’s. It should not be any nicer than usual, and that way is so much the better. “Spiker says the less you write it more beautiful than usual, the better the king will like it.”

As to Karl being allowed to see his mother, Holz still has the letter for the councilor, Ignaz Czapka. Holz was unable to meet him as he was in a meeting.

Breuning would like to know as soon as possible whether Karl will be able to come with him on Tuesday morning [September 26].

Holz accompanies Beethoven to the hospital to visit Nephew Karl. Ludwig is concerned that Karl will be released to his mother without his knowing about it. Holz assures him that he won’t be discharged from the hospital until Ludwig has been told about it, and in any event he must first go to the magistrate to receive his reprimand.

The nurse is with Karl. He would like a vest and a cap because he is now allowed to walk around outside. The maid can buy the cap from the hat maker for 5 florins. She can use Holz’s cap as a model for Karl’s. He wants a white one, presumably because then he can use it in the military. They discuss what books to leave for Karl, and decide on Cottasch’s complete edition of Goethe. They appear to go to shop for books while Karl is being attended to and will return later.

Beethoven is now convinced that the Grosse Fuge should stand on its own, and that means that the quartet op.130 will require a new Finale. Holz jokes that Beethoven can finish that in an hour. Once the Finale is complete, Mathias Artaria will send it to Pleyel, who will be publishing it simultaneously, and there will need to be at least 12 new plates in the present edition.

While Ludwig frets about Karl’s health, Holz assures him that his life was not in danger; if it had been, he would have died. “It was not as bad as it looked.” Ludwig wonders whether he should allow Karl to stay with his mother Johanna. Holz tells him, “My opinion is that if he has to leave as soon as possible, then you should allow him to go to her for perhaps only one day; during the short time he will still be here she cannot corrupt him more, and you will have then given him the joy that he may have to miss for several years. Whether rightly or wrongly, he cannot decide that himself. I do not think one day will make any difference, she was with him for days, anyway, both before and after the shooting. Thus, in a sense, you have done what he wanted.” Karl has the misfortune of being her son.

They discuss the set of Goethe, and Beethoven extols him and Schiller as being above the level of humans. Holz tells him, “I would say that Goethe has stooped more to the level of human beings; however, Schiller has risen higher above them.” Holz bemoans the lack of German translations of Aeschylus. In his opinion, Aeschylus is the greatest playwright, with his ideas of destiny. His Oresteia trilogy is the most excellent in comparison with Sophocles and Euripides. Sophocles was more pleasing, not so shocking as Aeschylus. Euripides was softer.

They return to the hospital with the books for Karl. Holz takes his leave, and asks whether he should come along tomorrow morning. Ludwig tells him that he should, yes. Ludwig talks to Karl, who needs the white cap as it will be the most appropriate color for the military. What does Johanna think about him entering the military, Ludwig asks. “She won’t do anything about it; she is happy if she sees that I am content.” Uncle Ludwig tells Karl about the conversation with Stephan von Breuning, and Stutterheim’s willingness to accept him into the Archduke Ludwig regiment. Karl asks again where they are based. [Ludwig may still not know the answer to that question; he did not know when Karl asked the same question on September 13.]

Karl is looking forward to speaking with Breuning and getting more details. He asks that Holz retrieve his uncle and Breuning tomorrow. It would be best if Breuning came there right away, and Holz would take pleasure in being of service. Karl asks his uncle how early he needs to be there on the 26th. Uncle Ludwig tells him 8 in the morning. Karl is not disturbed by people seeing his wound; he will get a black bandage and it will look as if he has a toothache. Karl asks for his brown coat with the black pants for the meeting.

Conversation Book 121, 3v-9v.