BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Sunday, August 13, 1826 (approximately)

Unpaid assistant Karl Holz visits Beethoven for dinner today; he has an appetite.

Beethoven inquires into Karl’s condition at the hospital, and whether he is in contact with his mother. Holz tells him that she sent for chocolate and at another time wine for him. [Although this comment makes it sound as if she apparently is unable to visit him either, it will come out in a few days that they have been talking about things they can do when they are back together.]

Beethoven is still trying to get his pension from Prince Kinsky’s heirs on the same schedule as the payments from Archduke Rudolph. Holz suggests that Beethoven make the receipt out for October 1, but send it a month early. That should help it go smoothly.

Poet Christoph Kuffner would like to speak to Beethoven about the proposed oratorio on Saul and David. Since they will be in the city tomorrow, Holz will make an arrangement with him to meet at a coffeehouse. Beethoven asks what Kuffner wants to talk about. Mainly, Kuffner wants a little reassurance that he is on the right track. “He doubts too much whether you will take kindly to his work. He only wants to talk to you for a couple of minutes, then everything will be fine.” This annoys Beethoven. Holz answers, “Do not blame him; but as he holds such high admiration for your genius, and takes every word from you to be an oracle, then you might give him the pleasure of soothing him.”

Beethoven returns to the subject of Karl’s mother Johanna. Where did Holz hear that she had sent him wine and chocolate? She told him that herself. Holz does not trust her. “When we found him wounded at his mother’s, she said to him: Do tell the reason to your uncle now, if you have something on your mind. You see, now is the time to do so, now he is weak, now he will certainly do whatever you want. However, Karl stubbornly said: I do not know of anything.” What a thing for her to do, Beethoven sighs. Holz continues, “In this moment of her utmost pain, she was still ruthless enough to abuse you.”

Why did Karl shoot himself, Ludwig asks in anguish. Holz answers, “Who could possibly find one single clue given his constant silence, his reticence. Breuning also said that he could have taken his uncle as a good example of early independent work.” Beethoven asks about Johanna’s demeanor when she speaks to Holz. “She does not look me in the eyes, not that I met her with contempt, but I talk to her very coldly and indifferently; that is what she can stand the least,” Holz says rather cruelly.

Holz then writes, “Thus, he is running after her.” [Does he mean Karl and his mother? Or is this another reference to the “theater princess” with whom he appears to have had an infatuation, and who possibly got pregnant and had an abortion? Are they speaking hypothetically? Unfortunately, we cannot be sure.] “We will see what the priest will make of him; much depends on him.” Holz concludes with a cryptic comment, “It was such a Freemason order.”

Conversation Book 117, 33v-36r.

Stieglitz & Co. in St. Petersburg today responds to Beethoven’s letter (Brandenburg Letter 2179, now lost) of August 2 asking for their assistance in getting Prince Nikolai Galitzin to pay the 50 ducats due for each of the quartets op.130 and 132, and the 25 ducats for the dedication of the Consecration of the House Overture. They inform him that the Prince is not presently in the City, but is said to be staying near the town of Koslow [now Michurinsk] in the Tambov Governate. “As soon as he returns here, we will remind him of the subject of your letter and will not fail to inform you of the outcome.”

Brandenburg Letter 2185; Albrecht Letter 434. The whereabouts of this letter are unknown; the text is derived from TDR V, page 569. When Thayer copied it, the letter was then presumably in the possession of Caroline, Nephew Karl’s widow. Galitzin does not respond until November of 1826.