BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Monday, February 6, 1826
Beethoven starts drafting a letter of support to Abbé Maximilian Stadler for his efforts regarding the Mozart Requiem in the conversation book, “The shallowness of the old Imperial Composers…” then breaks off.
The finished letter is extant in Prague: “My esteemed reverend Sir!”
“You have truly done very well in securing justice for the memory of Mozart through your truly exemplary and penetrating writing, and both laymen and the profane, as well as everyone that is musical or can be considered musical, must be grateful to you for it.”
“It takes either none or a great deal of skill to bring such a thing to the table as Herr Weber did, considering that, so far as I know, such a person has written a book on tonality, and yet he wants to attribute to Mozart such phrases as [Beethoven quotes a phrase with 16th notes from bar 34 of the Kyrie to Mozart’s Requiem, which Gottfried Weber had described as “inappropriate gargles in the style of Rossini,” and then argued that this figure was intended to be accompaniment, with the vocal line an ascending scale], and then Weber adds in his own work [quoting several phrases from the Agnus Dei of Gottfried Weber’s Requiem]. One is reminded, in light of Herr W’s astonishing knowledge of harmony and melody, of the deceased old imperial composers [Franz Xaver] Sterkel, [Wolfgang Wilhelm Nikolaus] Haueisen, [Christian] Kalkbrenner (the elder), [Johann] Andre (not the other one at all [wordplay by Beethoven, “andere” meaning “other”]), etc.”
“Requiescant in pace—I in particular, thank you again, my esteemed friend, for the joy you have given me by sharing your writing. I have always considered myself among Mozart’s greatest admirers, and will continue to do so until my last breath.—Reverend Sir, your blessings upon me soon.”
“Yours truly, with genuine respect, I remain, Beethoven.”
Brandenburg Letter 2113; Anderson Letter 1468. The original is held at the Prague Museum of National Literature. It was reproduced in facsimile in Johann Aloys Schlosser’s first biography of Beethoven, published in Prague in 1828.
Beethoven starts to make a shopping list:
- Mace.
But he is interrupted by the arrival of violinist Ignaz Schuppanzigh. His visitor asks how things are going with the plans for a projected concert. Beethoven tells him nothing has happened. Schuppanzigh chides him that it really is high time to hold the concert.
Beethoven complains about his health again. Schuppanzigh suggests it’s time to call in Dr. Braunhofer. Beethoven used him last year, and was not impressed. Schuppanzigh reminds Beethoven that he is very skilled. [Braunhofer is an early practitioner of homeopathy.] “He wanted to cure Zmeskall, but Zmeskall had studied homeopathy himself, and devoted himself entirely to it.”
Beethoven is considering going to Dr. Vivenot [whose wife has helped Karl in the incessant search for housekeepers.] He would also be a good choice, Schuppanzigh says. He is one of Vienna’s most skilled physicians. And, he adds, he wouldn’t charge you anything.
Schuppanzigh reminds Beethoven that he has obtained approval of February 28th as the date for the Akademie benefit concert, so now Beethoven needs to make progress in looking for the parts. It would be a shame if Beethoven were to neglect something that could bring him profit. Beethoven doesn’t think a daytime concert will be profitable. Schuppanzigh points out that because it is a holiday [a Norma Day], there would be no operas presented, so Beethoven could use the theater during the evening.
Schuppanzigh is annoyed that unpaid assistant/second violinist Karl Holz is not taking a more active role. Schuppanzigh makes a small joke that Beethoven probably appreciates: “I cannot specify [bestimmen] anything, because I don’t have the parts [Stimmen].” Holz, as a minor civil servant, like all the rest has received a thorough reprimand for their negligence. Therefore, such officials will need to be at least a little more diligent. Schuppanzigh suddenly wonders whether Holz might be there in Beethoven’s apartment, but he is not.
Schuppanzigh asks about the current condition of Beethoven’s stomach. It’s very bad, the composer complains. “Then let Vivenot come.”
Beethoven mentions that until he got ill again he was making good progress on the new quartet in C-sharp minor, op.131. The first movement is an Adagio; the second is an Allegro molto vivace. Schuppanzigh asks what key the second movement is in. Beethoven tells him D major, in 6/8 time.
Schuppanzigh tells Beethoven that he will go visit Holz now, and see about the first violin part of the op.130 quartet. Beethoven asks why he thinks Holz has it. Holz told Schuppanzigh it was still being proofread, and therefore Schuppanzigh believed he had it. [According to Holz this past weekend, he is in fact doing the proofreading, so either Beethoven forgot that point or he’s trying to conceal it from Schuppanzigh for some reason.] Schuppanzigh is a little annoyed at Holz, who he considers to have been very slovenly during the Carneval period. Schuppanzigh takes his leave.
Conversation Book 103, 11v-14v.
Beethoven appears not to have any visitors on February 7th, and entries resume in the conversation books on Ash Wednesday, February 8, 1826.
Sauer & Leidesdorf again advertises in today’s Wiener Zeitung (Nr.29) at 133 the two self-published sets of dances for piano by eminent Viennese composers of the day, for the benefit of disabled actor C.F. Müller. These two volumes include Beethoven’s Waltz WoO 85 and Ecossaise WoO 86, which the composer contributed to the cause last fall. Other composers mentioned in the advertisement besides Beethoven are Carl Czerny, J.N. Hummel, Schubert, and Franz Lachner.