BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Monday, November 8, 1824

Probably today, Beethoven, seeking separate lodgings for Karl, copies down in a now-missing conversation book the relevant portions of an advertisement in the Intelligenzblatt supplement Nr.257 to today’s Wiener Zeitung, at 560. He writes, “Food and lodgings for students, either shared or for themselves alone, under supervision, etc. Weihburggaße No. 939, inquire at the porter’s lodge at the stock exchange.” The full advertisement read as follows:

“Students are taken in for room and board in a proper house near the public schools, in shared rooms or in separate rooms, each for himself, under appropriate supervision and care, on reasonable terms, and can also be given, if required, instruction in the French and Italian languages, music and other useful knowledge through qualified instructors. Please inquire about this at Weihburggasse No. 939, at the porter of the Imperial Stock Exchange.”

Prof. Theodore Albrecht, in his Letters to Beethoven Nr.401, thought this might be a letter, possibly to Schindler, directing him to make inquiries. However, further research by our friend Birthe Kibsgaard revealed the source was actually this advertisement, which ran in the October 28 and November 8, 1824 Intelligenzblatt. October 28 can be eliminated since Beethoven was then still ill in Baden, so he probably made the note on November 8th and then tore the page out of the conversation book for reference. This would be about the time that Karl left the University of Vienna but continued his studies with less formal lessons.

On the reverse side, Beethoven made note of a book at Wimmer’s bookshop in the Dorotheergasse for the volume “Archives of All Teachings about Nature, etc.” by Dr. K.W.G. Kastner, volume 1 (1824), for a price of 12 florins C.M. There is no ad for this volume by Wimmer in the Intelligenzblatt, so Beethoven may have seen the book at Wimmer’s.

The original is now held by the Bonn Beethovenhaus, NE 225, and can be seen here:

https://www.beethoven.de/en/media/view/4759961754140672/scan/1