BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Monday, January 16, 1826

Conversation Book 102 begins being used today. This book is comprised of 46 leaves, all of which contain writing. Schindler incorrectly identified this book as belonging to 1825. However, there are sketches for the quartet in C-sharp minor op.131, which puts it in 1826. Brother Johann writes a reference to the Schuppanzigh Quartet concert yesterday, which gives us a fairly firm starting point, and near the end of the book, Holz makes reference to there being the quartet concert “today” being cancelled, which occurred on the 22nd. The conversation book thus covers just about a week’s worth of time.

Unpaid assistant Karl Holz is at Beethoven’s apartment, probably around mid-day dinner time at 2 p.m. since Holz would have had work today. The housekeeper, Theresia Adelmann can get 12 cloths today, and he has instructed her to do so.

Beethoven tells Holz that Barbara Holzmann wrote him a letter; Holz reads it and says that she wants to come again in spring; in winter she wants to stay in bed. “I’m sorry that you must spend your valuable time with such things.” [Holzmann nevertheless starts working for Beethoven again within the next week or so.]

Holz wants to see whether the snow has been swept away. [There was snow in Vienna the morning of January 16, according to the Wiener Zeitung for January 18, 1826.]

Most of the meat that Beethoven wants is still available: Stag, roe, rabbit, pork, pheasant, and partridge. One cannot get the back meat of a roe except in 10 or 15 pound pieces, because one must take the entire back. Beethoven asks why the back meat is important. Holz tells him that back meat is juicier and more tender. Pieces can be cut from both sides. Stag meat is astonishingly inexpensive; it’s announced in the newspaper at between 8 and 20 kreutzers per pound.

The quartet concert took place again yesterday. Holz talked to Brother Johann, who told him the latest news: that Ludwig already has a hall for his Akademie. [Holz is probably being sarcastic, since he knew that Ludwig did not in fact have a hall reserved.]

Holz mentions that Czech composer Jan August Wittasek (1770-1839) has become Court Vice-Kapellmeister. [Although he was named to that post, he turned it down.] He had served as the Cathedral Kapellmeister in Prague. Michael Umlauf (1781-1842), who had conducted the premiere of the Ninth Symphony, and Adalbert Gyrowetz (1763-1850) were in the running and Holz thinks would have deserved it better, but they were passed over. Holz believes the reason for the choice is that when the Emperor was in Prague [May and June of 1824], he heard Wittasek’s Requiem and it pleased him very much. Wittasek learned of this and dedicated a Mass to the Emperor. The Emperor promised not to forget him, and without asking anyone and to the greatest astonishment of the musical administration, the edict came from on high: Wittasek is Vice-Kapellmeister. “It was a bolt from the clear blue; the Viennese Kapellmeisters looked at one another wide-eyed and with doubtful countenances. It cannot be anything excellent if it pleases [Emperor Franz.]”

Beethoven is pleased that his old string quintets are being played. Holz suggests that he write another one. [Beethoven does significant sketch work on a quintet in C major, WoO 62 later this year.] “That is a special feature of chamber music, where otherwise no one achieves anything even tolerable. I asked Seyfried why he doesn’t write quartets. ‘Ah,’ he said, ‘I cannot do that!’ Cherubini himself said that he would have tried to write quartets, if Beethoven had not written such works.”

Beethoven suggests that chamber music represents the soul of mankind particularly well. Holz answers, “That is what I always miss in Mozart. Especially the instrumental music. One specific character in an instrumental piece; an analogous representation of some aspect of the soul, which one doesn’t find in his works this way as in yours. I always ask myself, if I were to hear something like it, what should that represent?”

“Your pieces have their own exclusive character through and through. I would like to explain the differences between Mozart’s instrumental music and yours in this way. A poet could write only one work for one of your pieces, while he could write 3 or 4 analogous works for one of Mozart’s.”

Beethoven probably begins to get annoyed with Holz’s comments about Mozart. Conveniently, the matter is defused by the arrival of Brother Johann at Ludwig’s apartment. He invites Ludwig to take a ride in the Prater. Johann confirms that the quintet op.29 was played very well yesterday.

There is trouble again with the servants. Holz adds that the housekeeper, Theresia Adelmann, definitely wants to leave; he thinks Ludwig should let her go if she pretends to be sick. Johann says that Ludwig should nevertheless stay on good terms with her. She says she wants to leave immediately. Johann appears to depart to take his drive in the Prater at this point.

Holz tells Ludwig to give Adelmann her money; she needs to go. Beethoven doesn’t have the money to pay her right now. Holz answers, “I am coming tomorrow morning to give her the money; then you may not discuss it with her anymore. The maid is also going.” Holz writes that Beethoven will have no servants tomorrow, then crosses it out. Beethoven suggests that he get the “old woman,” Barbara Holzmann back. Holz says “Old Holzmann will surely die.” [Holzmann in fact outlives Beethoven by four years.]

Holz mentions that Wiener Zeitung editor Joseph Bernard told him that the Archduke waited for Beethoven, but in vain.

Beethoven asks whether there are any recommendations for housekeepers. Holz retorts that a housekeeper recommends herself. But he will make inquiries. There are some possibilities and he’ll see where one of them was working earlier.

Conversation Book 102, 1r-6r. Leaf 5 of the book was accidentally bound in upside down when the conversation book was preserved; therefore the correct order with the pages nearby should be 4r, 4v, 5v, 5r, 6r, and 6v.