BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Monday, January 2, 1826

Beethoven begins using Conversation Book 101 today. This book is comprised of 48 leaves, all of which bear writing. Schindler identified this book as belonging to Autumn 1825, but there is mention of the first rehearsal of the quartet op.130, which occurs tomorrow, and there is also reference to the Schuppanzigh Quartet’s subscription concert on January 8th, so this conversation book is used over the next week.

Unpaid assistant Karl Holz meets with Beethoven today a little after noon, after running errands all morning. He understands Prince Andreas Razoumovsky is going to return to Vienna next year. Holz says that they have to rehearse often, because Schuppanzigh doesn’t hear. Beethoven is surprised; is Schuppanzigh going deaf. No, Holz clarifies, he doesn’t hear with his inner ear. Holz asks whether he can take the first violin part to the quartet to Schuppanzigh [who has asked twice for it, but been rebuffed by Beethoven both times.]

The subject of Nephew Karl’s mother Johanna comes up. Holz says that if Ludwig continues to support her, in the end it will be much the same as if they were married. She “lives in a building that teems with such people.” Holz thinks Ludwig does enough for her son without taking care of her as well. She was lying in bed at 11:30 and said she was indisposed. She is very beautifully outfitted, so it would rather have been something to complain about if Ludwig had given Karl poor clothing.

Anton Halm, who played the piano part recently in the Trio op.70/2, asked what Beethoven thought of his playing. [Ludwig apparently did not attend the concert on December 11 where it was played.] The Septet, which was played at that same concert, was difficult, Holz says, because other than Joseph Friedlowsky on the clarinet, none of them could perform well.

Beethoven’s stomach is bothering him again. Holz suggests that if he can tolerate sugar water, he could use that to help his digestion, especially if it is drunk before going to sleep. Beethoven asks how long Holz can stay; he says only until 1 o’clock. Beethoven has an errand to run with his attorney Johann Baptist Bach. Holz asks if he should go to Bach for him. [Reading between the lines, Beethoven probably has Holz go to deal with Bach about the payments for Johanna.]

Violist Franz Weiss will be coming to the rehearsal at Beethoven’s apartment on the day after tomorrow, as he has lessons to give. Beethoven asks what Weiss gives lessons in besides viola. Piano, violin, generalbass, is the answer. The quartets Weiss writes are full of pizzicato. Beethoven’s quartet in E-flat op.74 written for Prince Lobkowitz confuses Weiss.

Holz promises to get the Cherubini mass for Beethoven tomorrow. He asks whether Beethoven has music stands for the rehearsal, or whether they must be brought. [Beethoven does own a set of music stands.] Beethoven asks what time the rehearsal will be. Holz says at 12:30 at the latest, since Weiss concludes his lesson at noon. Holz expects that everything will go smoothly, except for the Grosse Fuge that is currently the final movement of the new quartet. Holz asks Beethoven the question many have asked since about the fugue: Why does Beethoven notate the theme of the fugue at the Allegro from bar 26 forward as two tied eighth notes, rather than as quarter notes? Unfortunately, Beethoven regrettably does not give his response in writing. Holz thinks the Cantilene is the easiest. [Holz may here be referring back again to the op.74 quartet second movement.]

Beethoven would like to see Holz again today; he has time from 5 to 7. The Steiner music shop comes up, possibly in connection with the payments for Johanna. Holz says, “In the end, Steiner retains the musical materials and Tobias [Haslinger] becomes a beer-house proprietor. Steiner is just a Jew.” [The “beer-house proprietor” is probably a comment about what appears to have been a wild New Year’s Eve party at the music shop.]

Holz takes his leave. Not long afterwards, Nephew Karl comes by. He stopped at banker Samuel Biedermann to deliver the score of the new quartet for Maurice Schlesinger in Paris. But Biedermann says that he received a verbal instruction from Schlesinger [back in September 1825] to pay Beethoven upon delivery of the quartet. But Schlesinger has not mentioned it since, and there are other obligations, so Biedermann’s “sense of security demands that he not hurry into it unduly. Therefore he is awaiting a reply from Schlesinger. If this is positive, you will receive the money immediately.” Ludwig is no doubt unhappy to hear that news. Karl did not give Biedermann the score, as a result.

Later in the day, Beethoven reads the newspapers and makes a note of the statutory price of beef per pound at 15 kreutzers W.W., or 6 kreutzers hard money.

Holz rejoins Beethoven later in the day, probably after 5 p.m. Beethoven complains about his housekeeper again, and Holz suggests he would be better off without one. Instead of having his dinner specially cooked, he could just eat at Widtmann’s restaurant in the Singerstrasse. While it’s expensive, everything is arranged the best. He could have some sent to his apartment. “I have also told Karl about it; he wants to take you there sometime. Many are of the opinion that this is the best for you.” Considering the premium he pays for a housekeeper [nearly double the going rate, or more], he could eat there as if it were for a princely banquet. Holz usually doesn’t eat breakfast at all.

They discuss the situation with Biedermann and Schlesinger. Holz is similarly displeased. Biedermann needs to demand an immediate reply. “If the reply were not to follow soon, you can threaten him with giving the Quartet to another, since your contractual obligation has expired already anyway.” If Biedermann had anticipated this matter, he could have gotten confirmation from Schlesinger long ago rather than waiting until Beethoven delivered the manuscript. [As Professor Albrecht notes, this is the start of the somewhat anti-Semitic Holz maneuvering to have the quartet published by his friend Mathias Artaria, rather than Maurice Schlesinger, to whom it had been promised.]

Plans are still under way for the Akademie benefit concerts; poet Ignaz Castelli wants to take over handling the ticket subscription lists.

Conversation Book 101, 1r-9v.

In today’s Wiener Zeitung (Nr.1) at 4, Anton Diabelli repeats his advertisement of the arrangement of Beethoven’s Septet op.20 as a sonata for piano solo and piano four hands by Carl Czerny.

The musical supplement to the January, 1826 issue of The Harmonicon includes at pages 30-33 a “Divertimento for Piano-forte, ‘The Post-Horn'” by Beethoven. This is actually the last of the Twelve German Dances, WoO 8, together with the Coda. Beethoven’s piano arrangement of this dance is catalogued as Hess 100/12, and is performed here by Michael Cortez: