BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Monday, August 11, 1823

Beethoven, likely in Vienna, makes a list of errands and shopping for today in preparation for the move to Baden. He needs a pocket on the gray trousers, and needs to get padlocks, hemp cord, a chest or large knapsack, a pencil, soap and tooth powder. He also needs to get the address of Franz Kirchhoffer, the bookkeeper who helps get Beethoven’s shipments to Ferdinand Ries in London.

The shopping list continues: 8-lined and 12-lined music paper, pencils and letter paper. He also needs to have the maid bring the boots into the city this afternoon, and Karl needs to cut him some more pens.

Nephew Karl comes in the afternoon to help his uncle out. He complains like most students that he has spent the whole year working on math problems that will be of no use in everyday life. He will make an appointment with Blöchlinger’s former servant later. Perhaps he should come back in the evening.

Karl and Uncle Ludwig visit a tailor. He will take new measurements of Ludwig, and keep them for future reference. One of Karl’s items of clothing [possibly a coat] is long enough, but the color is completely faded because the material loses its dye. The tailor has some finer material that will withstand washing better. He wants 14 florins for white trousers, and 15 or 16 for yellow. Karl warns Uncle Ludwig not to pay in advance. The tailor says that if the striped one is not right, it can be sent back. He promises Beethoven will be satisfied; if something isn’t right, he will alter it.

Karl notes that the charge for an apartment in the Managetti House is 1000 fl. If it were lowered to 900 florins, that might be suitable for a place for Karl to live while he is attending the university.

The next conversation book entries are on about August 14, 1823, after Beethoven has moved to Baden.

Undeterred by Artaria’s threats of litigation, the Sauer & Leidesdorf firm issues the third volume in its subscription series of Rossini’s Complete Operas, Il Turco in Italia, reduced for piano by M.J. Leidesdorf. The firm also repeats its offering of Ferdinand Ries’ Piano Concerto Nr. 4 in C minor, op.115, with the new addition of a piano solo version.