BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Saturday, June 3, 1826

Nephew Karl visits his uncle to straighten out the maid situation for Ludwig. He has arranged for a new maid candidate [Marie Stiegel] to come, and if Uncle Ludwig finds her proper, he can take her on at once; Karl spoke to Frau Schlemmer yesterday, and she confirmed that this woman can begin immediately. Uncle Ludwig asks Karl to speak to the housekeeper, Elise Seidl. Karl agrees to do so before he goes. The maid will come a little later, then the previous maid can leave right away.

After Karl consults with the housekeeper, he tells his uncle that “She says that for the soup you must allow her to use a veal bone and some liver daily. She will buy it tomorrow. She did not dare do it today, probably because the maid told her that it would cost you too much.”

Uncle Ludwig asks what they are offering for the maid’s services; Karl says 10 florins per month.

Seidl wants to know whether Uncle Ludwig would like his asparagus with breadcrumbs and butter.

They need to figure out how much is due to the departing maid. Karl asks his uncle when the last maid started. She has been there 33 days, so at 20 kreutzers per day, she is entitled to 11 florins in pay.

Uncle Ludwig dictates a letter to Karl dated today for publisher Heinrich Albert Probst in Leipzig. “Your excellency!”

“I have always felt somewhat obliged to offer you works of my own composition whenever I was able. I am now freer than usual, since I have been forced to give smaller pieces to those who purchased larger works from me, without which they would not otherwise accept the larger ones. But you, so far as I recall, were unwilling to concern yourself with larger works at all. In this regard, I offer you a completely new quartet for two violins, viola, and cello; however, it should not surprise you if I request a fee of eighty ducats in gold for it; I can assure you on my honor that I have already been paid the same sum for several quartets. I must, however, ask you to write to me promptly on this matter. Should you approve my request, I ask that you transfer the sum to a local exchange house, where I can withdraw it upon delivery of the work. In the opposite case, however, I likewise expect a prompt reply, as other publishers have already made requests of me. The following small pieces are still available, which I could give you: a Serenade-Congratulations-Minuet [WoO 3] and an Entre-Acte [probably WoO 2b, the opening of the second act of the 1805 version of Leonore,] both for full orchestra; together for twenty ducats of gold.”

“Awaiting your prompt reply, I remain your excellency’s humble servant, Beethoven.”

Brandenburg Letter 2159; Anderson Letter 1488. The original is held by the Berlin Staatsbibliothek (aut.32).The letter bears a “VIENNA” postmark and the registration note that it was received June 7th, and responded to on June 9th. That response does not survive and its contents are unknown. However, in any event Probst published none of the offered works, and they all remained unpublished during Beethoven’s lifetime.

Uncle Ludwig would like to see Karl later today. Karl says that he can be with his uncle from 5 until 6 this afternoon. In order for Uncle Ludwig not to have to walk so far, he could wait somewhere in the City and Karl will meet him for an hour. Uncle Ludwig asks why Karl can only stay until 6. “In the evenings either one of my classmates comes to me, or I go to him, and then we study together. Things go much faster then.” On other days when they don’t eat together around 9 o’clock, Karl could come to see his uncle.

Later Beethoven waits for Karl at a coffee house and reads the newspapers. He copies down an ad from yesterday’s Intelligenzblatt for venison at the Auerhahn, the best kind and lowest prices. He also notes down a report probably in the Augsburger Allgemeine Zeitung of May 28, 1826 (Nr.148) at 591 that Graf Rudolph von Lützow has been appointed ambassador to the Russian court at St. Petersburg. [This will be of interest to Beethoven for speedier communications with Prince Nikolai Galitzin, to try to collect the fee for the third quartet written for Galitzin.]

Karl meets up with Ludwig. Someone else came to see him this morning about being a cook. It is easier now to find housekeepers than to find kitchen helpers, he says. “Everyone thinks she is able to take care of a household.” Uncle Ludwig asks whether they are done looking now. Karl says it will still be a few days; they’ll find one suitable for him.

Conversation Book 110 52v-54v.