BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Monday, June 9, 1823

Beethoven today writes to Carl Maria von Weber in Dresden, probably about the performances of Fidelio there, and asking where the 40 ducat honorarium for that is. The letter does not survive, but its existence and date are known from entries in Weber’s diaries. Thayer/Forbes p.863.

Beethoven probably intends to return the French edition of Piano Sonata op.111 to Artaria today. However, he absent-mindedly sends Artaria the original manuscript instead.

Sometime about now, Brother Johann is laid low with a quite debilitating illness, and is confined to his bed. [On July 6, Karl reports that Johann says he has been unable to walk for four weeks.] Neither Karl nor Ludwig appears to be aware Johann is even sick throughout the month of June, as there is no comment on his health made by them in succeeding Conversation Books over the next few weeks, even though they do mention Johann on occasion. On July 3, Schindler will write that at that point Johann has already been seriously ill for well over three weeks, and that he begged Schindler to mention nothing to his brother. This illness will spark some dramatic tensions in the Beethoven family.