BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Sunday, July 9, 1826

Nephew Karl visits Uncle Ludwig today. Karl made an effort to visit someone (possibly publisher Mathias Artaria), but he was not at home. So Karl says he will try again this afternoon. He will combine that with another errand.

Uncle Ludwig would like chicken for dinner, but they are out of chickens at the moment; one chicken died and the others have all been eaten. The maid, Marie Stiegel, who has been acting as a housekeeper for several weeks, says that if Ludwig is not satisfied with her cooking and her shopping, then he should take a housekeeper. She wants to learn how to cook, until she is properly capable to stay with him as a housekeeper. She is not afraid of the work; she does what she can, and if Ludwig is dissatisfied with her, it is only because she is inexperienced. Karl thinks she would do well as an addition to a proper housekeeper. She doesn’t want to give up her position; if she can’t be a housekeeper, she would like to stay on at least as a kitchen maid. She says she is very satisfied because she does not miss anything, and that is how it is. Karl points out that the goose they had the other day was excellent.

Uncle Ludwig would also like some asparagus. But they are out of season; Stiegel says they are very expensive now and not any good.

Uncle Ludwig is getting more worried that he will not get the promised payment for the third quartet from Prince Nikolai Galitzin. Karl suggests that they contact Alexander Thal, who visited Beethoven last year with a letter of introduction from Galitzin, since he is likely in contact with the Prince.

Karl is going now and will take care of both errands. He has to go home soon because he needs to write something for his upcoming examination. “We’ll see each other tomorrow.”

Conversation Book 114, 10r-11r.