BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Monday, May 17, 1824

Despite the flareup yesterday between Beethoven and erstwhile unpaid assistant Anton Schindler, the factotum is again running errands for the composer today. He visits Friedrich August Kanne, editor of the Vienna Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung, and Kanne’s opinion is that the Redoutensaal would be the best location for the second Akademie concert. However, the choral conductor Ignaz Dirzka prefers the Kärntnertor Theater, where the first concert was held.

Schindler also speaks to theater manager Louis Antoine Duport about his plan for the concert. There are basically two options available for the Redoutensaal on Sunday, May 23rd. Under the first option, Duport will take care of all of the expenses. He would guarantee Beethoven 500 florins C.M., but the Theater would keep all of the rest of the income. Beethoven would thus have a definite income, rather low, but would bear no risk at all.

The second option would be that Duport provides everything necessary, and then he gets one-third of the net income. It’s up to Beethoven to decide which is better. Duport feels both of the proposals are fair and honest. Duport would prefer the Redoutensaal as a venue over the Kärntnertor Theater, because at the Redoutensaal you would not have the issue of the subscribers with their seats already sold. Beethoven can determine the ticket prices there. Duport believes that if the concert were held a second time in the Theater, “the income would not amount to 600 fl. C.M. because the nobility is too miserly.”

Schindler suggests a possible counterproposal to Duport that Beethoven pay 1000 florins and Duport would provide everything that is needed; the stage setup and lighting alone would be 600 florins already. [That is fairly similar to the arrangement for the first Akademie.] Beethoven, who was never very capable at math, has no idea what to do. Schindler suggests he talk to people who understand such things, and they can help discover the most profitable avenue. Perhaps Beethoven’s attorney Johann Baptist Bach, or his friend publisher Tobias Haslinger would know. [Schindler, probably recognizing that he will be blamed if things do not work out, refrains from giving his own opinion.]

Beethoven doesn’t understand the second option, and asks Schindler to explain it again. “For example: The income is 3000 fl., thus Duport takes from it the expenses for lighting and stage set-up, and then he takes a third from the remaining sum.” Beethoven is still unsure, so Schindler says, “I ask you very nicely, go now, immediately, either to Haslinger or to Bach, to see what they say about it.”

Beethoven, knowing Haslinger is in the City, opts to visit him at the Steiner music shop. Schindler comes along. Violinist Joseph Böhm is there, and mentions he has spoken to Ferdinand Piringer about the concert. Schindler lays out the financial options to Tobias Haslinger. In his opinion, “from my impartial point of view, I am not for the Redoutensaal.” It should be in the Kärntnertor Theater on Friday May 21, or else it should be postponed until the fall.

Brother Johann also stops by Steiner’s shop during this discussion and is brought up to date. He too is in favor of staying with Friday evening May 21. That appears right. Schindler, who seems dubious, says it will be discussed tomorrow morning. Schindler goes to talk to Duport about having the concert on Friday evening at the Kärntnertor.

Beethoven goes with Böhm to a coffee house. Beethoven makes a note: “Dr. Bach. Schuppanzigh. Palffy.” [Bach is as noted above Beethoven’s attorney; Ignaz Schuppanzigh is the concertmaster; Count Palffy owns and manages the Theater an der Wien, which had been considered as a venue for the first Akademie; Beethoven might be thinking of seeing whether that theater had any availability for his second Akademie concert.] Böhm mentions that he had asked Schindler yesterday at Beethoven’s apartment whether Duport had sent to Beethoven on account of the composer’s concern, and Schindler denied it.

Beethoven returns to his apartment. Nephew Karl is there. There is wood to be gotten on the Danube, where people collect it for a few groschen. He sees Böhm’s writing and asks who wrote that. Expecting to be in charge of the ticketing again, Karl asks how the 24 free tickets are to be handled this time. If he comes, Schindler should write down the names of those who should get free tickets.

The mid-day dinner is baked lamb, and Karl finds it rather tough. They also have brown soup with a small dumpling. The housekeeper bought 3 pounds of beef, spinach with pickled tongue, a small roast and some chickens. But the chickens are too small to roast. She really should get 2 large ones.

Uncle Ludwig tells Karl he needs to talk to the printer again about printing up Schiller’s poem An die Freude, to be handed out at the concert. Karl asks whether he should have 500 printed this time as well.

Schindler comes to the apartment after dinner, with the report that Duport is satisfied, and the Akademie can be held on Friday May 21 at the Kärntnertor. But he asks Beethoven to consider his two propositions again.

Schindler enlists Beethoven’s maid to help him carry the choral and solo parts that have been copied so far into the City.

Conversation Book 67, 40r-44v.

This morning composer and pianist Johann Baptist Cramer (1771-1858) and his brother violinist (and later Master of the King’s Music) Franz Cramer, give a concert with orchestra in Almack’s fashionable Assembly Rooms on King Street in London. According to The Harmonicon of June, 1824 (Nr.XVIII) at 123, “Many people have discovered, that to hear Mr. Cramer play is equivalent to several lessons on the piano-forte; the learners therefore, as well as the amateurs, flock in numbers to profit by his performance when he does exhibit his talents in public, and a room full of youth and beauty is the sure result….A fine overture of Beethoven’s, and Haydn’s 10th Grand Symphony commenced each act…”