BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Saturday, April 24, 1824

Beethoven makes a list of letters he needs to write. The first is to the Danish Embassy, about Giuseppe Siboni, who has been acting as intermediary for the King of Denmark’s subscription to the Missa Solemnis. Second, to Karl’s mother Johanna. And finally, to Ferdinand III, the Grand Duke of Tuscany, who has still not paid for his subscription to the Missa Solemnis. [If any of these letters were written about this time, none of them appears to have survived.]

Unpaid assistant Anton Schindler comes to Beethoven’s apartment. The manager of the Josephstadt Theater, Carl Friedrich Hensler, saw the gold medal from the French King and sends his sincere congratulations. He is even happier that what he calls his Overture will also be performed at the Akademie. [The Consecration of the House Overture, op.124, was written in celebration of the reopening of the Josephstadt Theater in November of 1822.]

Schindler has advised violinist Ignaz Schuppanzigh of the change in plans from the Theater an der Wien to the Kärntnertor Theater, and he is “very hellishly” glad that he no longer has anything to do with the Bohemians of the Theater an der Wien’s orchestra. [Schindler had previously observed that the an der Wien orchestra as well as his own Josephstadt Theater orchestra were using large numbers of graduates from the Prague Conservatory.]

Together, Beethoven and Schindler compose the following letter to Louis Antoine Duport, manager of the Kärntnertor Theater. The letter is written as coming from Schindler, not directly from Beethoven, allowing the composer to maintain deniability if things go wrong. The letter confirms that Duport has authorized the Akademie to take place at the Kärntnertor, complete with solo singers, the full orchestra and choral personnel, all for the sum of 400 florins C.M. If the Akademie is successful, Beethoven would like to have a second concert 8, or no more than 10, days later, under the same conditions.

The direction of the Akademie concert is to be under Herrn Michael Umlauf and Ignaz Schuppanzigh. Herr v. Beethoven would like Dlles. Henriette Sontag and Caroline Unger, and Herrn Joseph Preisinger to be the soloists, and he hopes that the theater administration will be in accord with this request. [All three of Unger, Sontag and Umlauf were under contract with the Kärntnertor Theater.] So far as the orchestra is concerned, the Musikverein has agreed to reinforce the Kärntnertor Theater’s orchestra with their best members, so that it will come in all to 24 violins, 10 violas, 12 bass and celli, and double winds. The entire orchestra will need to be on stage, as is done with larger oratorios.

Finally, Schindler notes that the prior arrangement with Count von Palffy fell apart because of the shortage of capable singers in Vienna, and the difficulties over the solo parts. Palffy also wanted Franz Clement to lead the orchestra, while Beethoven has long since desired Herrn Schuppanzigh to have that role, and that plan could not be deviated from. The concert should be held as soon as possible, but not to be delayed beyond the 3rd or 4th of May.

Brandenburg Letter 1818; Albrecht Letter 359. The original is lost, but is known from a copy retained by Schindler, which is now held by the Berlin Staatsbibliothek, aut.35,73. Whether Duport responded to either Schindler or Beethoven is not known. Schindler takes the letter into the City and delivers it to Duport.

When Schindler returns later in the day, he says he saw a rehearsal at the Redoutensaal, where both Sontag and Unger were singing. “Both of them kiss your hands a thousand times.” Sontag’s voice has suffered somewhat recently, so she must be cautious. The Mass by Franz Stockhausen “is really miserable and is going even worse. There is absolutely not a single good idea in it, and absolutely no effect, despite 6 harps and 4 horns.” The performance is tomorrow; “may God have mercy on it.” He told Sontag that Michael Umlauf would be conducting the Akademie, which pleased her, since she is very used to him.

Schindler also spoke to Sonnleither, who candidly says it would be best not to use any singers from the Musikverein chorus. They are hardly in any condition to sing, especially the boys, who cannot produce a high B-natural at all. Beethoven asks what B-natural he means; that would be a soprano’s B-natural. Beethoven tells Schindler that’s unacceptable, and Schindler responds, yes, I have just said those singers are too weak for this work.

Schindler reports that there is an issue regarding the boxes at the Kärntnertor Theater. The administration cannot give Beethoven all of the boxes, because some of them are subscribed. But 20 or 30 will be at Beethoven’s disposal. Duport suggests that to make up for it the prices of the seats should be raised to 5 florins, and the parterre and galleries to 3 florins and so forth, so Beethoven should lose nothing. We will see. Beethoven asks why they can’t suspend the subscriptions for his Akademie. Schindler says he asked, and it can only be done with the consent of the Emperor. But if the Akademie is repeated twice, Duport can on his own authority give him the entire theater, under the terms of their contract. Beethoven asks how many boxes there are in all, and Schindler says about 60. Duport is pricing the boxes for the Akademie at 25 florins, which would be a little less than for the Italian opera. Beethoven marvels at all the planning that is going into this event, and Schindler describes him as a grand field marshal entering into a grand battle. Such preparations cannot be made in a week, and, extending the metaphor, “The terrain is also not even.”

Copyist Peter Gläser’s maid comes to the door to drop off parts and to pick up what has been proofread today by Beethoven for duplication. Among these materials dropped off may be the second fair copy of the Ninth Symphony score, which is intended to be sent to London in fulfillment of the Philharmonic Society’s commission. Beethoven will immediately begin proofreading it so as to get the score on its way as quickly as possible.

Schindler talks a bit about Countess Stockhammer, whose cook Beethoven recently hired. She looks after everything personally; if the porter goes to the bank, she goes along.

Schindler mentions that he ran into poet Franz Grillparzer yesterday, and he complained crazily about the chicanery and dirty tricks that were being pulled on him. His tragedy Ottokar finally passed the Censor. Court Councillor Anton von Ohms declared that he could not strike out one word, but Count Sedlnitzky would not turn it over to him, thus it could neither be performed nor printed. Can the Emperor intervene, Beethoven asks. The Emperor knows nothing about it; it’s all in Sedlnitzky’s hands. They cannot treat Beethoven in such a manner. Like so many others, he is waiting for Domenico Barbaja, who is expected to arrive in Vienna from Naples any day.

According to Beethoven’s former pupil Carl Czerny, Archduke Karl (1771-1847), the younger brother of Emperor Franz II, wanted to sign the Petition, but was told about it too late and Beethoven had already received it. He is certainly a good friend. Schindler laments that the Archduke did not have a chance to sign, since Schindler would have treasured him the most, being among the highest rank of the nobility. Schindler has read Karl’s writings on fortifications, even if he really did not write everything himself, and he is still active with useful ideas for the general good. Beethoven asks what he has written, and Schindler says he has several published books on the art of war.

Later that evening, Brother Johann stops by Ludwig’s apartment. Ludwig asks him whether he has showed the Petition as published in the Theater-Zeitung to anyone. He has not, except to Schindler. [Count Moritz Lichnowsky may have told Johann that he accused Ludwig of arranging the Petition’s publication.]

Conversation Book 63, 1v-6r.

Beethoven’s friend violinist Ignaz Schuppanzigh will be holding a solo concert in the Augarten Park in the Leopoldstadt district of Vienna the morning of Sunday, May 1. The announcement of this concert in today’s Vienna Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung hopes for the very best. “One can expect nothing other than a very beautiful performance of interesting musical works, with the prudence, taste and serious artistic viewpoint that make Herr Schuppanzigh’s character so invaluable.”

“The orchestra will be appropriately and splendidly performed, and it is to be hoped that both the high nobility and the esteemed public of Vienna, who, regardless of class, are wont to be in the Augarten in this beautiful time of the year, will turn out in large numbers for this promising morning entertainment.”

“Anyone who has ever attended such a morning Akademie will remember with pleasure what a very special impression beautifully executed music makes in such a brilliant venue, which lies in the middle of a paradise teeming with countless happy creatures. The residents of Vienna should not allow themselves to be deprived of this enjoyment, for all countries must envy them for this attractive advantage of their home city.”

“Among the many and colorful rows of people walking in the fresh air, the eye usually falls upon the august monarch [Emperor Franz I] in happy informality alongside his illustrious family, dedicating himself to the joys of the beautiful morning, and thus feels very deeply the unique beauty of the magnificent life in Vienna.” Vienna AMZ Nr.23, April 24, 1824 at 92.