BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Monday, July 28, 1823

This morning, Beethoven makes a to-do list, including talking to Schindler about getting a cook. He also doesn’t want to pay the copyists more than he is already (60 florins per copy of the Missa Solemnis, which is cutting significantly into his profit margin for the subscriptions, 50 ducats or 225 florins each.)

Conversation Book 36, 22r.

Finding the rest of this page blank after Beethoven’s death, Schindler adds some fraudulent comments about the performance practice of the Larghetto of the Second Symphony.

Beethoven writes another undated note to unpaid assistant Anton Schindler, again about the certified copies of Archduke Rudolph’s testimonial, so it must be near the end of July. One of them needs to be sent to St. Petersburg today, so Schindler needs to get them done immediately.

Beethoven asks whether Schindler’s physician friend Dr. Karl von Smetana, who treated Beethoven’s digestive problems in April, might be able to come out to Hetzendorf to see him; his stomach is giving him trouble again. Schindler can come for dinner as well if he likes.

Brandenburg Letter 1707, Anderson Letter 1382. The original is in the Berlin Staatsbibliothek (aut. 36,17).

Schindler dated this letter to 1825, which is impossible since he and Beethoven were no longer speaking at that time. This note almost certainly dates from the last part of July 1823, since the certified copies of the Archduke’s testimonial were a regular topic of discussion during this time.