BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Monday, April 3, 1826
The housekeeper, who was given two weeks’ notice, which were to be up on April 5, is suddenly quite ill. Now she cannot be terminated as Beethoven wanted, or he risks being liable for her medical expenses.
Beethoven writes a short note either to unpaid assistant Karl Holz or Nephew Karl regarding the doctors for her: “Here, you just read this, let me tell you—the best thing to do is to get the district physician, and not to expect Braunhofer to do this—let the district physician of + the Alstergasse + be summoned by my messenger [the maid, the housekeeper’s sister] when you come to see me today, so it can be determined whether she [the sick housekeeper] must go to the hospital, and what approach should be taken with someone who has already given their notice in the first few days?” [The housekeeper was hired March 12; according to his own notes, Beethoven gave her 2 weeks’ notice on March 23; she did not resign.]
“Most urgently yours, the messenger is cooking [for me].”
Brandenburg Letter 2141; Anderson Letter 1071. The original is in the St. Petersburg, at the library of the Rimsky-Korsakov State Conservatory (Inv. Nr.11). The letter is clearly written in haste; it is not only not dated, but there is no addressee and no signature. But the situation Beethoven describes fits the conversation later today, which means the addressee must be Holz or Nephew Karl. The doctor, Georg Dolliner, comes while only Karl is there, so the text of the letter suggests to us that Karl was the recipient. Sieghard Brandenburg on the other hand prefers Holz as the likely recipient.
Today is a holiday, the Feast of the Annunciation. Nephew Karl comes to visit his uncle, who asks him what he did this morning. Karl says he didn’t do anything this morning.
Uncle Ludwig asks if he needs money, but Karl (perhaps sarcastically) says he still has a florin.
Karl reports on the conversation he had with piano maker Conrad Graf on the way home last night. Karl asks his uncle if he likes Graf. Uncle Ludwig just has to pick a day to visit, and Graf will be sure to be in the shop to meet with him.
Doctor Georg Dolliner (1794-1872), the local police surgeon, has been called in to examine the housekeeper. “He says that today he cannot definitely say what will come of it. It might change in a few days.” Karl told her that in case she did not improve, she would have to be brought to the hospital, where she would be treated better than she will be here at the Schwarzspanierhaus. She has a sore throat. “It is said that Vienna is either windy or poisonous.”
Karl resumes the discussion of pianos, and points out Graf was the first to make a piano that had a good effect in the Large Redoutensaal, because of the quadruple stringing that he used. It sounds as if the English piano [Beethoven’s Broadwood] needs a lot of repair. Graf said he will make a sound absorber to fit that piano. [This was a boxlike shape that focused the sound.] Graf has a Broadwood piano himself, which was made only a few years ago. He ordered it directly from Broadwood, and paid 1,100 florins C.M.
Karl remarks, “These piano makers insult each other, and each one thinks he is the best. Leschen is the most modest one in that respect.” Graf says that Matthäus Stein could not make a concert piano. When Karl last visited Stein, he had just made a piano from maple wood; it is completely white and has a beautiful sound.
Uncle Ludwig is still not feeling well himself, but he is reluctant to contact Dr. Braunhofer again since he doesn’t want to owe him money. Karl assures him that Braunhofer would not accept any money from Uncle Ludwig; he said so solemnly before. If Uncle Ludwig were to dedicate a piece to him, he would be in heaven.
Uncle Ludwig wants Karl to run some errands for him, but he begs off, saying he has too much to do. Tomorrow [Tuesday, April 4] he has to deliver many exercises on various subjects. But he promises to come visit his uncle the day after tomorrow [April 5.] As Karl is ready to leave, Uncle Ludwig complains about the sick housekeeper; Karl agrees it would be good to get rid of her.
After Karl departs, Beethoven’s longtime friend Stephan von Breuning, who lives not far away, visits Beethoven, along with his son Gerhard von Breuning. Stephan mentions that he still has the long letters from Franz and Eleonore Wegeler that they wrote to Beethoven late last year with news from the Rhineland. He wonders whether Ferdinand Ries lost any money when the banker Goldschmidt went bankrupt not long ago; he has received letters since then, but no one said anything about that point.
Stephan tells Beethoven, “You are lucky enough to be your own master.”
The pair talk about the bad news in the war for Greek independence, as much of Greece has been taken by the Turks. The forts at Missilonghi have fallen.
The Jubilee has begun in earnest; some are still joining the indulgence processions, so they can earn indulgences. Even the Casus reservati [serious offenses, which typically could only be forgiven by higher church authorities or the pope himself] can now be expunged by a confessor.
Nephew Karl and unpaid assistant Karl Holz join the group. There was a woman at the apartment today who had been there recently, wanting to be taken on as housekeeper. She said she understands she cannot, but would at least like to be hired as a kitchen maid, in order to learn something. She is still in service elsewhere, but will be leaving it Monday [April 10].
Ludwig invites Karl to dinner tomorrow, but he cannot eat there as he has lessons with the tutor at 2 o’clock.
Holz comments that under the regulations, even if the sick housekeeper had already left her service and did not yet take another one, she would be barred for 6 weeks after that, he believes. But Brother Johann would know the rules better. An applicant has served as a housekeeper in Hungary, and is the wife of an administrator. She could not come until Thursday of next week [April 11.] But she could get a maid right away. In any event, the landlady will recommend someone.
Holz makes reference to the story of the two Tobiases. [In Beethoven’s circle, “the two Tobiases” generally meant Sigmund A. Steiner and his partner Tobias Haslinger; the double reference here is to the apocryphal book of Tobit, which tells the story of the blind father Tobit and his son Tobias, who has adventures with the angel Raphael.]
Holz mentions that Mittag told him that the hour he spent with Beethoven yesterday was the happiest hour of his life.
Carl August von Klein, a composer in Mainz, is a friend of Ignaz von Mosel. Klein has written a string quartet that he wants to dedicate to Beethoven. “Mosel said: Whether he will accept that or not is none of my business; I was only asked to hand it over to him.”
Beethoven wants a particular kind of very smooth paper that he has used before. Holz says he will order some for Beethoven; it won’t cost him anything. He can even have it specially made. His friend, the administrator of the Imperial Paper Factory in Rannersdorf, admires Beethoven and would gladly seize the opportunity to contribute something to him. He will make a special paper that suits Beethoven’s needs.
Holz mentions the two sisters who have recently been working as servants for Beethoven (at least one of them is sick and still in his service). Their third sister is now in Vienna too. Holz saw her Sunday with two chevaliers from the city; “She was dressed up like a lady, I would not have recognized her if she had not called my name.” But she is actually nothing but a clumsy bear in the kitchen.
Holz mentions the piano sonata op.27/2 [“Moonlight,” dedicated to Countess Giulietta Guicciardi] referring to it as the “Guicciardische Sonate.” Unfortunately, Beethoven’s response is not recorded, but given Holz’s abrupt departure immediately thereafter, Beethoven may not have reacted well.
Holz says he has to go; he has an appointment where he is expected elsewhere and it would be an insult not to come as he had already said that he would.
The Breunings, still there, but rather shut out of the conversation by Holz, resume their chat with Beethoven. Stephan mentions a new invention by Paul Meissner, professor at the Polytechnic where Karl is a student, for heating several rooms simultaneously. But if it smokes, one cannot get to the oven because of the frame in front of it.
Stephan’s wife is not at home; she is visiting young Joseph von Vering. [The nephew of Stephan’s first wife, Julie.]
Gerhard wants to know whether Beethoven got his piano back today [he likely saw the loaner from Graf being delivered]; one was seen being carried into the building. Gerhard also comments that his father was offered quarters on the other side, but he didn’t want to take them.
Stephan mentions that he saw Brother Johann in the Prater recently; “he had a siesta in an elegant carriage.”
Beethoven asks when Stephan’s youngest daughter Maria was born; he says 5 years and 2 days ago. [That is, April 1, 1821; she was baptized on April 2.]
Finally, Gerhard asks Beethoven if he goes for many walks. [Nearby is a picture of Beethoven’s walking stick.]
Conversation Book 107, 49v-61r.
The third concert of the London Philharmonic Society’s season is held tonight, conducted by Carl Maria von Weber, whose works pepper the concert. The second act opens with Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony in A major. “Of Beethoven’s symphony in A we have had many occasions to speak: when the exquisite Andante in A minor is excepted, we do not perceive those beauties in this work which many connoisseurs discover.”
“M.Schunke, a piano-forte player of great execution, performed a kind of pasticcio concerto, made up of a movement in A sharp minor, by Hummel, an Adagio, by Beethoven, and a finale by Pixis. His efforts deserved, and met with corresponding applause.” The Harmonicon of May, 1826, Nr. XLI, at 105-106. Ludwig Schuncke (1810-1834) came from a family of prominent horn virtuosi. He had already been touring as a concert pianist for more than five years, from the age of ten, and he would become a close friend of Robert Schumann in 1833. However, Schunke’s life will be cut short at the young age of 23 from tuberculosis.
Here, Schuncke’s Grande Piano Sonata in G minor, op.3 (1832) is played by Tatiana Larionova: