BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Saturday, March 4, 1826

Brother Johann comes to Ludwig’s apartment, probably this morning. He is looking for a copy of the Consecration of the House Overture that Schott published, and which Ludwig gave him a few days ago. There was something in it about Vienna. [Schott included a notice announcing the publication of the string quartet op.127: “This is the work, as one read in the public journals, that frightened the most excellent Quartet Society in Vienna from its apparent difficulties at first, was put aside for a while, but later, after several rehearsals, was acknowledged and praised as the most superb of all of Beethoven’s works.”]

Ludwig has Johann test the servants’ bell; it seems to be working currently.

Nephew Karl comes in for criticism by Ludwig, and Johann defends him. “He behaves correctly in discussion sessions and also at home.” He recommends that Ludwig encourage him diligently to take the honorary examination. Ludwig asks where he heard this. Johann is vague in his response: “I learned it from someone else.” The vice-superintendent of the Polytechnic Institute is quite satisfied with Karl; he told Johann so a week ago. In any event, his studies there come to an end in August.

Ludwig has questions for Brother Johann about the procedures for getting loans from the Austrian National Bank, using his bank shares as security. At current rates, Ludwig could borrow 700 florins on one bank share [roughly 2/3 of the value.]

Ludwig is still considering moving again, but he would need to give 3 months notice; he could leave when that time is over. Ludwig mentions that Karl complained about having to walk half an hour longer at another location. Johann says it is not a difficult half hour walk, at least in the long days of summer [i.e., until Karl’s classes conclude].

Beethoven needs to have copyist Wenzel Rampl make copies of the opera Fidelio, the Ninth Symphony, and the Missa Solemnis. Johann notes that there is a very fine copyist right there in the Schwarzspanierhaus. Ludwig insists he wants Rampl. [Given how difficult it is usually to read Beethoven’s handwriting, he’s probably right in that insistence.] Johann asks where Rampl lives. He then either takes Ludwig to Rampl, or picks up Rampl and brings him to Ludwig’s apartment.

Ludwig tells Rampl that he needs a copy made of these three works. He doesn’t own a copy of Fidelio himself, so he asks Rampl, who has one that he could borrow for this purpose? Rampl considers it, and he has two suggestions. Figini, a court councilor, has a copy. Steiner also has a copy. [Rampl does not mention them, but the Kärntnertor Theater and Archduke Rudolph also had copies of the opera.] Rampl asks how long he has to make the copy. Beethoven asks him in return how long it would take him. Rampl speculates 8 to 10 days. Beethoven suggests that Rampl borrow it from Figini. Rampl asks that Beethoven give him a note to Figini, so he knows that this request is coming from Beethoven himself.

Johann then returns whomever he transported back, and goes on his way. Later in the day, unpaid assistant Karl Holz comes to Beethoven’s apartment. He asks whether violinist Ignaz Schuppanzigh has been there. He said he didn’t totally understand it. [This may be a reference to the Grosse Fuge, currently the Finale of the op.130 string quartet, which Schuppanzigh and his quartet have been rehearsing for the premiere later this month.]

The letter for Adolph Schlesinger in Berlin didn’t get to the post office until late today, and today was a post day, so it will have to wait for the next post day. Holz tried to find a courier, but again that was too late.

Holz left behind the letter that Beethoven wrote to Mathias Artaria yesterday regarding a large-format engraving of the Handel monument in Westminster Abbey. Artaria wasn’t available.

Holz asks whether Beethoven has found more errors in Artaria’s proof of the op.130 quartet, and whether he has already fixed the score.

They then discuss the matter of Beethoven’s annuities with Lobkowitz and Kinsky; Archduke Rudolph’s payments fall on September 1 and March 1; Beethoven would like to get all three of them on the same schedule. Holz asks whether Beethoven withdraws the amounts when he needs them, or right away when they come due. [In Beethoven’s case, these are probably the same thing; he always needs money.] Holz proposes that the way to do this with Lobkowitz, who similarly pays 600 florins every 6 months, is collect the next semiannual payment of 600 florins due from the Lobkowitz heirs on April 1; then inform them that you’d like the next payment on September 1, for 500 florins, for the 5 months from April to September. Then you would go back to collecting 600 florins, but now Lobkowitz and the Archduke would both be payable on March 1 and September 1.

The Kinsky arrangement is for his share of the annuity to be paid quarterly, amounting to 700 florins W.W. annually. Beethoven would collect the normal 175 florins on April 1, then arrange to go to semiannual payments. To get on the same schedule, then on September 1, he should collect the amount for 5 months, which is 291 florins 40 kreutzers; and then go to semiannual payments, again on March 1 and September 1.

Holz then departs for the day, and will return tomorrow morning.

Conversation Book 105, 52v-57v. Later tonight, Holz attends a get-together at the home of Dr. Vivenot and his wife, where Holz and others perform an arrangement of Beethoven’s Consecration of the House Overture, op.124, for piano quintet with strings.

Carl Maria von Weber has recovered sufficiently from his seizure yesterday in Calais to cross the English Channel today, and arrives in Dover.