BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Monday, June 26, 1826 (approximately)

Beethoven likely regrets the blowup with Nephew Karl yesterday; there are two undated letters that may be written to Karl today in response to that incident. These are as follows:

“My dear son! Nothing further—Just come into my arms, you will not hear a harsh word. Oh God, do not go into your misery, you will be received lovingly as always. Whatever needs to be considered, what to do for the future, all this we will discuss lovingly, on my word of honor, without reproaches, since they would no longer bear any fruit anyway. You may expect only the most loving care and help from me. Just come—Just come—Come to the faithful heart of your father. Beethoven.”

“Come home immediately after you receive this.”

“For God’s sake, come home today. Who knows what danger could be brought to you. Hurry, hurry.”

[In French] If you don’t show up, it will surely kill me. When you read the letter, come home and kiss me your father. I promise you, rest assured, that all this will remain between us.”

Brandenburg Letter 2074; Anderson Letter 1445. The original letter is held by the Biblioteka Jagiellonska in Krakow, Mus. ep. autogr. Beethoven 37. This letter was written at some point after Beethoven moving in to the Schwarzspanierhaus on October 15, 1825, while Karl will living in the household of Matthias Schlemmer, so no later than August of 1826. It may be part of the same argument as similarly undated Brandenburg letter 2075:

“Just for the sake of you at least following me, everything is forgiven and forgotten. I will discuss this with you today, quite calmly. Do not think that any thought other than for your well-being rules me, and judge my actions accordingly. Do not take a step that would make you unhappy and rob me of my life sooner. I only got to sleep around 3 o’clock, for I coughed all night.”

“I embrace you warmly and am convinced that you will soon no longer misunderstand me; that is how I judge your actions yesterday. I will certainly expect you today at 1 o’clock. Just don’t cause me any more grief or anxiety. In the meantime, farewell. Your true and faithful father.”

“We will be alone, as I am not letting Holz come, all the more so since I wish that nothing from yesterday might be heard.—Don’t let my poor flesh bleed any more.”

Brandenburg Letter 2075; Anderson Letter 1489. The original is held at the Bonn Beethovenhaus, H.C. Bodmer Collection Br 22, and can be seen here:

https://www.beethoven.de/de/media/view/4792003954999296/scan/0

Karl apparently does not come today despite his uncle’s pleas.