BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Monday, November 7, 1825

Violinist Ignaz Schuppanzigh visits Beethoven today, as was expected. As usual, he addresses Beethoven in the third person, which is here ignored. Schuppanzigh would like to do the second quartet [op.132] at his concert the Sunday after next [November 20.] This coming Sunday [November 13] Wenzel Würfel will play the piano part for Beethoven’s Piano Trio in D op.70/1. “One cannot give the people everything that is superb all at once.”

Beethoven asks him how Carl Maria von Bocklet did in Linke’s benefit concert yesterday. Schuppanzigh says that he played very well.

Wenzel Würfel did not impress Beethoven when they met in early September. Schuppanzigh tries to reassure him. “Würfel always studies your piano music; he says that it gives him more pleasure than any other. He will give a concert and play your Concerto in C minor on it. As an accompanist, he is very fine and sensitive.”

Beethoven is somewhat surprised that the subscription concerts are branching out from string quartets and including chamber music with piano. Schuppanzigh answers, “A piano piece in between is very good, and people—especially the ladies—enjoy such variety a great deal, only I will never begin to allow girls to play, because that’s when things get messy. [Young Leopoldine Blahetka was a very skilled pianist and quite popular in Vienna at the time.] This masculine style of playing has gotten quite lost.”

Beethoven, who had been burned badly by his Akademie concerts in May of 1824, is curious how Linke made out financially on his benefit concert. “Linke has done quite well for himself. I am very happy for him.”

Conversation Book 98, 12r-13r. Although Linke was also expected to come to visit to express his thanks to Beethoven, there is no indication in the conversation book that he did so.

Nephew Karl’s studies in business at the Polytechnic Institute for the current term begin with classes today. He is too busy to go visit his, uncle, as he had warned would be the case.

In Leipzig this evening, the orchestra at its subscription concert plays two works by Beethoven. These are briefly mentioned in the March 29, 1826 Berliner allgemeine musikalische Zeitung (Nr.13) at 97, which continues a rundown of the concert season in Leipzig this year with the Overtures performed in the city. “From Beethoven, the mighty rumbling overture to Koriolan, which then again carries with it heavenly consolation, suitable for foreshadowing the depiction of the difficult fate that looms over mankind….”

At 98, in the review of Leipzig choral music during the season, this same issue of the Berliner AMZ mentions that Beethoven’s Meeresstille und glückliche Fahrt was “well performed” there. The work “gains the more often that it is heard with a precise performance.”