BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Saturday, June 4, 1825
Beethoven takes a carriage from Baden into the City early this morning.
Possibly today, Uncle Ludwig writes Nephew Karl a short undated note, “You will find me at the Michaeler House around 1 o’clock. Your faithful father. Bring the tailor’s address with you.”
Brandenburg Letter 1994, Anderson Letter 1362. The dating is somewhat speculative, but this letter seems to date from a time when Ludwig and Karl were no longer living together (roughly the beginning of May, 1825) and possibly the letters of June 14 and 15, 1825 are related to the same tailor. Beethoven does not sign himself as “Your faithful father” much longer as the friction between the two increases. The original letter is in the Bonn Beethovenhaus (H.C. Bodmer Collection Br 18) and can be seen here:
https://www.beethoven.de/en/media/view/5494226913591296/scan/0
He meets with Nephew Karl, and they possibly go to the tailor, if that letter dates from today. They make a reservation for the coachman to Baden tomorrow evening after dinner, at 5 o’clock.
Uncle Ludwig asks about when his attorney, Johann Baptist Bach, is available. Karl says he talked to the scribes for Bach and they said he is mostly at home until 10 or 11 a.m. He can often be found in the office between 1 and 3 p.m.
Uncle Ludwig is thinking of increasing the prices for his string quartets, since the controversy over op.127 has significantly raised interest in his new quartets. Would 60 ducats be too high a price? Karl thinks that one can only judge from what the local publishers will pay; Steiner will certainly pay 60 ducats.
Karl has a couple of sheets of fine paper, because he must write out the directions for the receipt of his pension.
They go to Brother Johann’s apartment, which he has said Ludwig may use when he visits the City. He and Karl get the key from Johann’s brother-in-law, baker Leopold Obermayer, who owns the property. There are still 5 bottles of wine left, Karl notes.
Likely while there, Beethoven writes several letters. The first is to Prince Nikolai Galitzin. This letter no longer survives, but its date and some of its contents are known from Galitzin’s reply. In this letter, Beethoven reports on the status of the other two quartets that Galitzin commissioned [what will eventually be op.132 and op.130], and asks for Galitzin to arrange for payment of the fee for these two quartets. [Beethoven is jumping the gun here; op.132 is not finished and op.130 is barely more than sketches and a few drafts at this point. However, with his health returned he was probably optimistic that the work would go quickly–a common failing of the composer.] Beethoven also reports on his serious illness during the month of April, 1825. Brandenburg Letter 1982. The next letter suggests that Beethoven may be sending a packet of scores to Galitzin as well.
Beethoven also writes a short note to Karl August Reichardt, possibly today. Reichardt seems to have written a note asking to see Beethoven, who responds, “I am extremely busy – a package has to be posted this afternoon. Please forgive me for asking you to come another time. It doesn’t require much trouble, although it isn’t worth the effort to see nor speak to me. Beethoven.”
Brandenburg Letter 1983. The original is held in the Library of Congress (ML31.B4). Reichardt was currently a music teacher and composer in Leipzig, and apparently had contacted Beethoven about meeting him in Vienna. The package Beethoven refers to is likely a packet of scores for Galitzin. Reichardt will briefly visit Beethoven in Baden about June 8.
From there, Ludwig and Karl go to attorney Bach’s office. Bach asks whether Beethoven has moved to Baden already. Beethoven says yes, he is treated too shabbily here, so he is thinking of leaving Vienna altogether. Bach says they won’t let him leave yet. Bach is sympathetic and agrees that the way Beethoven is treated is disgusting. “The professors and the dear Police are nothing but idiots.”
They discuss the sale of the forthcoming quartets. Bach recommends a written contract, with specified dates for delivery and payment. But it is important not to let the scores be very widely circulated before a deal is reached; piracy is all too easily accomplished, and Beethoven needs to keep track of who has had the scores in hand already.
Bach says he will be coming to Baden in August. Beethoven asks whether Bach has heard his latest quartet. He has not; “I am no gourmand of beautiful works.”
After leaving the attorney, Beethoven makes a note of possibly having his complete works published in chronological order, rather than by the type of pieces as had been suggested by Steiner and Leidesdorf.
Beethoven goes to see Dr. Anton Braunhofer, but does not find him at home. He then returns to Johann’s apartment to spend the night. Tomorrow will be spent apartment hunting for the fall with Karl.
Conversation Book 89, 30v-32v.
When Beethoven did not find Braunhofer in, he left him a short note with the canon WoO 190, “Ich war hier, Ich war hier, Doktor ich war hier” [I was here, I was here, Doctor, I was here.] With it he leaves the message, “On the evening of June 4th, when I did not find my esteemed friend Braun-Hofer at home. Beethoven.” [Beethoven did see Braunhofer later after all, according to his letter draft of about June 7, though that visit might be tomorrow rather than today. It’s possible that he did not, as he states, leave behind the note with the canon, but instead enclosed it with a letter–or he may have done both.]
Brandenburg Letter 1981; Anderson Letter 1385. The original is in a private collection, but a facsimile was published in an April 1912 auction catalog. The canon WoO 190 is here performed by Accentus:
Ludwig then stays overnight at Brother Johann’s apartment for apartment hunting tomorrow.