BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Sunday, June 5, 1825

Beethoven is still in Vienna, having stayed overnight in Brother Johann’s apartment while Johann is at his estate in Gneixendorf. He and Nephew Karl are going to look at apartments for the fall today. He makes a list of six possibilities. He also makes a note that Steiner’s servant could be used to take letters to the domestic help in the apartments, indicating Beethoven believed himself to still be on good terms with the publisher.

Ludwig and Karl set out by foot heading north along the outer edge of the Glacis. The first place they look at is 380 florins C.M. annually. They may then stop by Zur goldenen Birne [Sign of the Golden Pear], facing the Josephstadt Glacis, where Beethoven had lived in the winter of 1819-1820, since it was one of the places on his list.

They then come to Wickenburg Gasse 12 in suburban Alsergrund. The available apartment has 3 rooms, and is on the 1st floor (second floor American). The landlord wants only 500 florins W.W. annually. But there is no kitchen upstairs. Beethoven inquires about possibly subdividing some apartments to give him more space, but the landlord is only able or willing to offer 3 and 3 rooms.

They next visit the Rothes Haus, a large apartment building owned by Esterhazy, where Stephan von Breuning lived. From there, they go to the Schwarzspanierhaus at Alservorstadt Glacis 200. There they have 4 rooms available looking out over the street on the 2nd floor (3rd floor American). For that, they want 400 florins C.M., or 1000 florins W.W. The building superintendent will hold the apartment for Beethoven, but only for a couple of days. Karl thinks Uncle Ludwig should lock something down.

After a day of apartment hunting, Beethoven returns to Baden with Karl and housekeeper Barbara Holzmann in the carriage reserved yesterday. Frau Holzmann says she is happy that she went into the City.

Karl and Ludwig go to a restaurant in Baden for a late supper to discuss the apartments they looked at. The one in the Schwarzspanierhaus is of particular interest. Karl tells his uncle that a general lived there but is moving out now. It is somewhat off the beaten path, which appeals to Uncle Ludwig. There is a wine cellar. [Gerhard von Breuning later confirmed that the apartment had been occupied by Lieutenant Field Marshal Baron Friedrich von Minutillo (1765-1843), who had been a Major General during the Napoleonic Wars. However, Gerhard mentions that Minutillo occupied the rooms in the early 1820s, not immediately before this visit, as Karl implies.]

Karl remarks that the beer is good there. He will return to Vienna early tomorrow morning to attend classes.

Conversation Book 89, 33r-35r.