BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Saturday, February 25, 1826

Beethoven works on his errand list this morning:

• Griffel, Karl.
• Book.
• If not in the Allgemeine Zeitung [probably the Augsburger Allgemeine Zeitung, which Brother Johann liked to read.]

Nephew Karl visits and he distinguishes several similar French words for his uncle, probably in connection with a letter from Luigi Cherubini in French that is discussed today.

“illustre, assumes nothing is more famous.
celèbre, famous.
fameux, much is said about his fame.”

Karl translates the letter from Cherubini (which has not survived) on the fly, and tells his uncle that Cherubini writes that “you have judged his Mass very generously without knowing it [probably the Messe solenelle Nr.2 in D minor], this generosity cannot come close to the admiration that he had in reading through your Grand Mass, dedicated to Louis XVIII [the Missa Solemnis.] One cannot wish for anything more ardently than that more such models in this type of composition may flow from your pen.”

Like Prince Galitzin (who writes in French), Cherubini writes “je vais” but Karl says that here in Vienna that phrase is unknown. [Galitzin in his most recent letter uses “je vais” when he says, “I am going to remit to M. Stieglitz the amount of 75 ducats, to be remitted to you by M. Fries.”] He observes that Galitzin broke off his banking relationship with Heniksten at Uncle Ludwig’s request, and because of that the gentleman misses out on many small percentage points of profit. Karl notes that the French often make frequent mistakes in writing their own language correctly. Uncle Ludwig points out Cherubini is Italian, so French is not his first language. Karl notes that Cherubini did not write the letter himself; he only signed it. His secretary is surely a Frenchman.

Karl asks whether his uncle has made an appointment with the potential housekeeper. He has not done so yet. Karl says that if she pleases him, he should take her on right away. There is also a young woman seeking employment as a maid, and Karl inquires as to whether she is a virgin or has a boyfriend.

Karl, having visited Archduke Rudolph’s treasurer for the semiannual payment of Uncle Ludwig’s annuity, reports that in the future, all that is needed to get the payment is a gulden stamped sheet. The payment must be set at 300 florins C.M. hard money, rather than the paper currency equivalent, 750 florins W.W.

Karl does not have a discussion group tomorrow, but the collections are open then, and students assemble there to see the merchandise samples, such as wood, spices and other stuff. But there isn’t any fabric; that’s up to the individual student.

Unpaid assistant Karl Holz has to give lessons tomorrow morning, so Karl will bring him at 11 a.m. after his lessons are completed.

Conversation Book 105, 7r-8v.

Probably today, Uncle Ludwig finally dictates to Karl the letter for Prince Hatzfeld regarding the dedication of the Ninth Symphony. It had not yet been written yesterday, though Holz had urged it be written soon, and he will have already delivered it to Hatzfeld on Monday February 27th. Ludwig sees Karl both today and tomorrow, so either of them is possible. The fact Holz does not mention the letter tomorrow suggests it has been completed by then.

“Your Excellency!”

“I am about to publish my greatest symph. that I have written to date. I would consider it the highest honor and grace if I were permitted to dedicate it to His Majesty the King of Prussia. I therefore take the liberty of requesting that Your Excellency might be gracious enough to raise this with His Majesty, or to present the matter to him in a favorable manner. Your Excellency will not suffer any dishonor by doing so. I also wish that His Majesty might know that I, too, am one of your subjects from the Rhine, and as such, I wish all the more to show you my respect.”

“Having said this———I now request that you inform me as soon as possible whether Your Excellency will grant me this grace.”

Brandenburg Letter 2129; Anderson Letter 1508. The territories of the Elector of Cologne, including Bonn, had been annexed by Prussia in 1815. The reference to Beethoven being a subject of Prussia makes it clear that he definitely did not consider himself to be Austrian, despite having lived in Vienna more than 30 years. The letter itself does not survive, but we know it will be delivered to Hatzfeld at the Embassy by Holz tomorrow or early Monday morning. The letter survives only in a draft, which is held by the Bonn Beethovenhaus (H.C. Bodmer Collection Br 326), and it can be seen here:

https://www.beethoven.de/de/media/view/4607471725314048/scan/0

A page describing Beethoven’s symptoms, probably written out for Dr. Braunhofer, survives at the Beethovenhaus (H.C. Bodmer Collection Br 279), and bears today’s date. “Because of my health. Nothing so far has been able to bring my lower abdomen into the condition of a healthy person; I always have more bowel movements—especially in the mornings—than other people.”

“Whether I at least tolerate Ga[?]lande, which I’m drinking now, poorly, or whether I drink coffee, I have a kind of pain on the 25th of February. [different pen:] How to keep off the air # (the most penetrating of all bodies) were being held back, which affects my lower abdomen so strongly, causing immediately in me a violent bowel movement—to occur. — Purging, strengthening volti subito (# how the air here at the Schwarzspanier[haus] seems to affect me too strongly)”

[on the reverse:] “External rubbings would be best.—” (Translation by Julia Ronge of the Beethovenhaus.)

Carl Maria von Weber, on his way to London, arrives in Paris. While in Paris, he meets with Luigi Cherubini, Daniel Auber, Gioacchino Rossini and Ferdinando Paer. Hector Berlioz, who idolizes Weber, seeks Weber out but is unable to find him. Rossini sees that Weber, suffering from tuberculosis, is in terrible health, and unsuccessfully tries to convince him not to push on to London to complete and premiere his new opera in English, Oberon. Weber does so anyway.