BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Sunday, April 16, 1826
Beethoven makes a cryptic note to himself in the conversation book either this morning or last night, together with the beginning of a shopping list: “That I will give the gentleman something to do, he can rely on that”
- soap + paper
Unpaid assistant Karl Holz visits Beethoven today. He sees the note from Karl about his allowance yesterday after Holz left, and asks Beethoven whether he went to see Karl yesterday. No, Beethoven tells him, but he starts a rant about the current housekeeper [possibly still Frau Bruckl] not knowing what she is doing. “What do you actually have against the housekeeper?” Holz asks. “Does she know how everything has to be done?” Beethoven wants a new woman. Holz tries to talk him out of it. “It will be difficult to find a perfect one. At least she is honest and a good cook; you will have to endure something, otherwise it will be even worse.”
Holz has gotten the exact title of Franz Sartori, Head Censor, so that they can address him properly in writing. He needs to reflect on what is going on with Haslinger and make some inquiries. He might be able to stop Haslinger from printing the works with the offensive title pages, but it is somewhat uncertain.
The housekeeper is making baked liver for dinner. Beethoven wants someone else, possibly Barbara Holzmann. Holz tells him that if he wants her to come, she will. If it had really been necessary, they could have had her there long ago. But Holz thinks the current housekeeper’s cooking is quite alright. They are out of flour, so the sauce is made with crumble.
Holz changes the subject to the proposed oratorio with poet Christoph Kuffner. He has moved on from the idea of The Elements, and now wants to do the Biblical story of Saul. Holz thinks Kuffner has a completely different tendency than in the works by Händel [who also wrote an oratorio on Saul.] Ignaz von Mosel regularly performs Handel oratorios, so he may ask why Beethoven is venturing onto a subject that Handel has already covered. Holz asks what he should tell Mosel. Kuffner intends to depict the victory of noble forces over wild desires. Being conscious of what is in Handel’s version would be good, since in that way they can avoid chance coincidences. Kuffner thinks he will have the libretto finished in six weeks, but Beethoven might be able to get some of it earlier. He has finalized some parts.
The subject of Tobias Haslinger printing the problematic title pages comes up again. Holz suggests that he would be compromised if the subject were raised in the foreign newspapers. Holz says, “I still see Tobias crawl to the cross [eat crow] and ask the one that he needs no longer.” [The latter is a reference to Haslinger’s comment related to Beethoven yesterday that he could do without Beethoven.] The composer makes a remark about himself, to which Holz responds, “I know that, otherwise you would not have been the great Beethoven.” He thinks it would be a good idea if the decree that Beethoven’s works may not be engraved without his permission were to be published in the newspapers.
“It would also be good if you talked to him [Sartori] about the limitation period of your works. Der glorreiche Augenblick [op.136] for example ought to be in your possession again now.” It is not good to lose control over your creative works; as an example Holz mentions Friedrich August Kanne wrote a lengthy poem, The Ocean eight years ago and sold it to Wallishausser. But he still has not published it, so Kanne has made some additions to it and will have it printed abroad. [An excerpt of the poem was printed, but otherwise it is believed to be lost.] Beethoven could include a preface to the work, saying it is the same one sold to Steiner years ago, but since Steiner did not publish it, Beethoven would be asserting his superior rights, out of a duty toward himself and the public. He therefore would be compelled to transfer it to a new, fair-minded publisher. Haslinger would not need to be threatened first, but Beethoven could play the publishers off each other. Too often the publishers take advantage of him. “They do not behave like that towards other authors as they do towards you, because they know that you are least familiar with the business of life.”
Der glorreiche Augenblick, [The Glorious Moment] op.136, is here performed by the Orchestra Radio-Symphonique & Chorale Sainte Hedwige de Berlin, conducted by Hermann Scherchen:
Holz takes care of some household matters. The water carrier has been ordered for today, but he has not yet come and tomorrow is laundry day. The water in the house is not suitable for washing; they need to fetch water from the Danube.
Holz mentions that the wind was piercing early this morning. [The Wiener Zeitung weather reports indicate it was stormy in Vienna at 8 a.m. today.]
Beethoven declares that he will talk to Piringer about doing the Akademie benefit concert. Holz tells him not to do that; he’ll go to Piringer himself. “Anyway, he knows that you want it; you have talked to him already.”
Karl’s mother Johanna will still need to have it confirmed that she remains a widow for her to collect on her pension. If she marries, she will lose the pension.
Nephew Karl mentioned that he needs black neckties. Holz knows a place that has inexpensive ones, if Beethoven wants to buy some.
The maid is sent to get wine. They need soap; Holz recommends getting more since it will keep better for a longer time. Dried-out soap is more for household uses. The longer it is left, the drier it will become, and that will save money. If fresh soap is used, it will be smeared, and that is unnecessary. Holz asks for the cellar key, probably to check on how much firewood is still on hand. Holz then departs.
Beethoven makes a shopping list:
ruler by Karl
Handkerchief
Neck[tie]
Pillowcase
sheets
Napkins
Shirts 12
the latter best bought in better quality
- bed cover one or 2
Nephew Karl comes to see his Uncle for a short visit this afternoon. The housekeeper complains that she can hardly get away from the stove because she needs to take care of the baking, etc.
Karl agrees that his Uncle could raise the price on his new quartets to 100 ducats, rather than the 80 he has been asking for.
Beethoven complains about Holz, and Karl defends him and his dedication. “He means well; thus he said that he knew very well that the Steiners did not like him, because he always comes to you. He does not care, if he can only serve you.”
Karl heard the poem by Ignaz Castelli in commemoration of the Emperor’s return to health. “It is very pretty; he even tried to add Distichon in the Austrian dialect.”
Karl sees the remarks about the proposed oratorio, and asks whether Kuffner has already begun to write. He also asks what the subject will be. Nephew Karl departs not long afterwards.
Conversation Book 108, 34r-42r.