BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Sunday, April 17, 1825

Nephew Karl is discussing the quartet op.127 with his uncle. There is no doubt that Schott’s wanted the score very badly, but it’s not clear what their agent in Vienna Fries might have written to them about all the delays in getting the score. They are going to arrange for it to be performed in Mainz [where Schott’s is based]. Uncle Ludwig asks Karl how someone [most likely Joseph Mayseder, whose quartet last performed the quartet in concert] did. Karl says he likes Uncle Ludwig very much. “He acquitted himself quite well in the Quartet.” So did someone they have nicknamed Goethe. [Most likely Merk, the cellist of the Mayseder Quartet.]

[Former unpaid assistant Anton Schindler here enters several fraudulent entries after Beethoven’s death to make it look like he was consulted about Beethoven’s living and working arrangements.]

Uncle Ludwig is again not feeling well, and wants Karl to visit Dr. Staudenheim. Karl says he will go there, and then to the housekeeper. Before he leaves, Karl makes a note about the pronunciation of the word Muskatnuss [nutmeg.] In Vienna, they pronounce it Muschketnuss. Similarly, the spice mace, Muskatblüthe, is pronounced Muschkablieh in Vienna.

Karl leaves and returns later this evening. He wasn’t able to find Staudenheim; he went there twice, after mid-day dinner and then again after the Schuppanzigh Quartet concert at the last of his subscription concerts of the season, held at 4:30 at the Musikverein. Staudenheim’s wife told Karl that she already told the doctor about Ludwig’s condition, as Karl had described it. He replied that as soon as he possibly can, he will come to examine Ludwig personally. She told him about Karl’s suggestion for a bath yesterday, and he thought it was good. [Karl seems to be reproving his Uncle for refusing to come along.] Karl waited a while for the doctor to return, but he never did.

Ludwig continues to complain about his illness. Karl tells him, “If you don’t feel better, I’ll go there once more and ask him to prescribe something.”

Uncle Ludwig asks whether Mayseder attended the Schuppanzigh concert today. Karl tells him No, he had to do something at soprano Henriette Sontag’s farewell concert this afternoon at the large Redoutensaal. [Sontag, who sang in the premiere performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony last May, holds her farewell concert today at noon, with members of the Imperial and Royal Court orchestra. She is leaving for Berlin, where she will be a court singer at the newly opened Royal City Theater.]

Since it’s late, and possibly to summon a doctor if needed, Karl probably spends the night with his Uncle, because there are entries early in the morning tomorrow.

Conversation Book 87, 11r-13r.