BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Sunday, May 21, 1826

Nephew Karl is with Uncle Ludwig again today. Karl mentions that someone unidentified [possibly unpaid assistant Karl Holz] does not dare to meet piano maker Conrad Graf.

The housekeeper says that Beethoven can eat the leftover rabbit from last night cold tonight; it is very good cold.

Karl has some barbed comments about Holz, whom he dislikes. Holz has been quarreling with Uncle Ludwig about some unspecified issue. Holz cannot have been at home, Karl says; he was off in the country. [Karl intimates that Holz was prowling for female company.] “Schuppanzigh knows him as well. He is satyr-like in the extreme. And yet he wants to measure himself against Schuppanzigh [a happily married man.] Uncle Ludwig makes a remark about the disastrous premiere of his op.127 quartet. “The performance of the quartet back then by Holz was miserable.” Uncle Ludwig suggests he should write to Holz. “We could write a couple of lines now, which I could deliver while passing by.” But Karl knows his Uncle better: “You will not write to Holz. If he was in the countryside yesterday, he will soon come himself to apologize.”

Karl says he has to go; “It will soon be dark, and I still have something to write. (I shall go to Holz one of these days, if you want it.). Concerning the housekeeper and the maid, I will take care that we shall soon get two honest persons. Also, Frau Schlemmer has given commission to track them down.”

Uncle Ludwig, probably annoyed at Karl’s declarations and wanting to make amends with Holz, pointedly dictates an undated letter to him today. “Best One!”

“Tomorrow, after sufficient Liguorian penances, join us for dinner. I hope you will not refuse, and once you have been loaded [geladen] with an invitation [Einladung], I hope you won’t lack the spark to fire yourself off [loszuschiessen].”

“Your Optime amice [best friend], Beethoven.”

Brandenburg Letter 2158; Anderson Letter 1509. “Liguorian penances” are also mentioned in the letter to Schott’s written yesterday, confirming that this odd phrase was at the moment on Beethoven’s mind. The original of this letter is held by the Bonn Beethovenhaus (H.C. Bodmer Collection Br 156) and can be seen here:

https://www.beethoven.de/de/media/view/5037757084729344/scan/0

Before he leaves, Karl asks for his weekly allowance. Uncle Ludwig suggests that he might have the leftover rabbit put into the soup for tonight’s dinner.

Conversation Book 110, 37r-38v. Tomorrow, Conversation Book 111 will be started, even though Conversation Book 110 is not more than two-thirds filled, probably to hide the comments about Holz in this one from him.