BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Monday, April 19, 1824
Nephew Karl is with Uncle Ludwig after Mass (Ludwig does not attend) on this Easter Monday holiday, since he has no classes at the University today. With the proposed date of April 29th for the Beethoven’s Akademie benefit concert, alto Caroline Unger would not be able to sing in it as she had hoped to, since she has a probable conflict with an opera. Karl says Schindler and even Unger herself had suggested a dilettante by the name of Wertheimstein would be suitable.
Uncle Ludwig wonders whether it would be better to just postpone the concerts until May. Karl thinks that would be bad, because then the second one would come too late, after everyone has left Vienna for the summer. Karl thinks it is not certain that the opera will be on the 29th anyway; Schindler seems to think it is on the 27th, and then Unger could sing in the concert.
The maid went out without asking today, so Karl scolded her. He also told the housekeeper she should not allow her go out like this. “In the maid’s case, it is stupidity in the highest degree.”
The birds that Brother Johann brought are not capons, in Karl’s opinion, but rather roosters, and they are crowing like crazy.
In the early afternoon, Ludwig picks a fight with Karl about something Schindler claims Karl said. Karl has no idea what he is talking about, and suggests he take it up with Schindler. He only came out to see what time it was. Karl went out by himself because he saw his uncle was dozing. Karl suggests going for a walk, after they do some financial computations.
Karl notes he needs to go to Easter Confession today.
Karl will be studying Greek with Carl Enk von der Burg (1800-1885). At one time he was in a public institute as a senior leader in Salzburg. Ludwig asks what he was doing in Salzburg, and Karl says he was born there. Enk has to move out of his apartment on the 8th, so they can study until then, most likely.
Karl mentions that Johann Nepomuk Zizius (1772-1824) has died. [According to the editors, Zizius was a trial attorney, professor at the University of Vienna, and a violinist member of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde. He died April 5th. He had acted as Beethoven’s attorney in a lawsuit in 1804-1805 with Artaria & Co. about the reprinting of the String Quintet op.29.]
The Mass this morning at St. Stephan’s was quite a spectacle. The Emperor and Empress, Crown Prince, etc., all came into the church.
The meat for today’s dinner will be too tough, since it was slaughtered yesterday. Karl suggests that it would work with rice, or in soup. Tomorrow they will have venison for dinner.
Beethoven makes a note to himself about having small rehearsals with the parts duplicated thus far. He also needs to send the second movement of the Ninth to copyist Peter Gläser for duplication.
Later in the day, unpaid assistant Anton Schindler comes by and agrees that rehearsals with the chorus could begin at Duport’s as soon as Saturday, April 24. But Duport would ask that it be kept to only two rehearsals.
Schindler says that Gläser will be sending someone to Beethoven for work. It would be good if he were sent the Consecration of the House Overture. [This comment suggests that while they have finally located the score of the Overture, they have not turned up the parts, which Ignaz Moscheles had returned to Beethoven last December (except for the trombones, which the theater managed to lose).] Gläser also needs the trombone parts for the Missa Solemnis.
Karl asks whether they have clean napkins and tablecloth. He went out and got some goose, for which he paid 4 florins. They can have it on the vegetables.
Beethoven makes a note that he needs a book of paper, and some goblet glasses.
Conversation Book 62, 23v-28r.
Very likely still this afternoon, Beethoven writes a short undated note to copyist Peter Gläser. In the letter, Beethoven sends Gläser the trombone parts to the Missa Solemnis that he had requested through Schindler. Beethoven will expect the copies back tomorrow, along with the originals. He thinks it best that Gläser concentrate on duplicating parts for the rehearsals, and not to come visit Beethoven as he had planned.
Brandenburg Letter 1815; Anderson Letter 1255. The whereabouts of the original are unknown. The text is from the reproduction in the auction catalog of J.A. Stargardt Nr. 264, Autographen, Berlin 1926, at p.69.
B. Schott’s Sons, publishers in Mainz, write a letter of introduction to Beethoven today. They recommend the bearer of the letter, Kapellmester Christian Rummel, who will be accompanying His Highness, the Duke of Nassau to Vienna. Rummel is a great worshiper of Beethoven’s works. He is coming to Vienna to study compositions, and they see a bright future to him. So they recommend this young man very highly to Beethoven’s friendship and goodwill. Beethoven can show him the right path to walk as a disciple of art. They also mention they are concerned that they have received no response to their two letters of March 24 and April 10, wishing to buy the new quartet, and also to purchase the Ninth Symphony and Missa Solemnis on four semiannual installments.
Brandenburg Letter 1813; Albrecht Letter 357. The original is held by the Berlin Staatsbibliothek (aut.35,72c). Although Rummel does visit Beethoven in May, 1824, Beethoven does not respond to this letter either.