BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Sunday, May 9, 1824

Conversation Book 67 begins being used today. This book is comprised of 51 leaves, far more than normal, with all of them having writing on them. Schindler years later wrote on the book, “Spring 1824, between the 1st and 2nd Akademie,” and this designation is accurate. It covers a period of about ten days in mid-May.

Beethoven makes a note that he needs to visit the shoemaker, possibly to get new shoes or boots since he will shortly be moving to his summer apartment in Penzing where he will want to walk in the countryside.

Beethoven then probably walks to Nephew Karl’s boarding house and gets him, and they head to Zum wilden Mann [At the Sign of the Wild Man] restaurant in the Prater for mid-day dinner. At around 2, there they meet unpaid assistant Anton Schindler, Akademie concertmaster Ignaz Schuppanzigh, and conductor Michael Umlauf, having come by carriage, to celebrate their musical triumph Friday evening.

The first order of business, however, is the second Akademie. If it can’t be held on Friday, May 14, then it could be given mid-day on Sunday, May 16 in the Redoutensaal. All of the Kärntnertor orchestra personnel could play there, since it is part of the Court theater along with the Kärntnertor. That much is resolved. Ticket prices in the Redoutensaal are also low, so many people who went to the first Akademie will likely come to the second, at only 2 to 4 florins per seat.

Schuppanzigh admires Beethoven’s still-fresh haircut from Friday. He asks whether Beethoven has recovered yet. His opinion is that the concert needs to be repeated within the week. Otherwise it would be too late since people are going out into the country for the summer. He suggests that it be given on Friday evening, May 14, at the Landständischer Saal. There the tickets could be priced at 4 florins W.W., and 800 people can get in. [Earlier discussions that Schuppanzigh was not part of had established that only 500 was about the maximum that could be stuffed into this much smaller hall.] The overhead costs would not be very high, since the hall could be had for free. Beethoven mentions that his attorney, Johann Baptist Bach had suggested that he could arrange for the University Hall to be available. Schuppanzigh doesn’t like that idea, since setting up the orchestra platform would by itself cost 400 florins, and getting permission would likely take several weeks.

Conductor Umlauf has red wine brought for the table. Schuppanzigh praises the meals at Benko’s restaurant in the Prater, which is run by Umlauf’s brother-in-law.

Schuppanzigh continues that Beethoven is paying copyist Peter Gläser far too much. The highest rate is 15 kreuzers per folded sheet. Schuppanzigh goes on about the expenses of such concerts; at his March 14 concert, he had to pay far too much for Joseph Melzer to play contrabass in Beethoven’s Septet. Schuppanzigh has already put in a request with Count Dietrichstein to use the Landständischer Saal on Friday.

Having eaten quickly, Karl has to go study since he wants to stay in good standing at least in the second period of classes tomorrow.

The group discusses the Petition to Beethoven that got the ball rolling for the Akademie concerts to be held, and the troubles that followed when it was published.

Umlauf mentions that he had to sue the theater administration. He won the lawsuit, but for several months he was not engaged to conduct, probably in retaliation. Umlauf would rather have a civil business than be First Kapellmeister of the World. Beethoven observes that treatment had to come from the top of the administration where all the decisions are made, and Umlauf agrees.

The Hofkapelle orchestra is, in Umlauf’s opinion, an old people’s home for the poor. [The oldest member was 73, and the average age was 55.] They don’t make enough money to live on there. [Many members of the Kärntnertor Theater who had been dismissed under the Barbaja/Duport regime were dependent on the Hofkapelle payments.]

Schuppanzigh has disdain for the Musikverein. The real benefactors are piano maker Johann Andreas Streicher and another [possibly Archduke Rudolph, Prof. Albrecht suggests.] It is now more detrimental to Art than useful, causing regrets. [This appears to be another instance of Schuppanzigh’s prejudice against amateur musicians taking the places of professionals.]

Beethoven asked how much it cost for the orchestra in Schuppanzigh’s concert in the Augarten on May 1, which included a performance of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. It was 205 florins, with the orchestra filled out with some dilettantes.

Umlauf notes that after the premiere of Fidelio in 1814, he was here at Zum wilden Mann with Beethoven, along with other admirers.

Schindler tries to nail down the second Akademie for Friday, May 14 at the Landständischer Saal, with Umlauf again conducting. Schuppanzigh thinks the tickets should be set at 3 and 4 florins. But if Beethoven wants the concert to come to pass, he should make sure Brother Johann stays out of it. Otherwise he will make a mess out of everything. [Johann’s threatening of Duport back in early March had caused all manner of problems and many delays.] He has caused Schindler a lot of trouble as a result. But Schindler, despite what others do to make trouble, says he could not do it any differently than how he did.

Talk turns to the still-vacant Kapellmeister position at St. Stephan’s in Vienna. Johann Baptist Gänsbacher (1778-1844) is said to have the position, but he doesn’t have it for certain yet. The position carries with it a 350 florins C.M. salary, quarters, plus 7 cords of wood, the incidental income from all funerals, etc.

Schuppanzigh makes a suggestion to Beethoven, calling him “Great Master of Tones.” In the Consecration of the House Overture, it would be effective to have the violoncello play along with the 16th notes in the bassoon. “I believe the effect would not fail.” Beethoven likely reacts poorly to this suggestion as to how to rewrite his Overture, for Schuppanzigh adds, “Once more, pardon me.”

Schuppanzigh notes that in the last Court Concert, they played Handel’s chorus “See, the Conquering Hero Comes” from Judas Maccabeus. They had to alter the horn part because the hornist could not manage the high C.

There is mention of soprano trombones, which Umlauf has never heard of. Schuppanzigh had heard them in Berlin. Umlauf notes that the French trombonists played quite splendidly. Schuppanzigh suggests to Beethoven that he might say a few words to Umlauf so he can prepare for the second concert. Only a simple orchestra, not the double-sized one at the first Akademie, would be necessary, with a few choral singers. Things would probably be alright then, since there would be almost no expenses. Schindler comments that one is lucky that Beethoven’s music is not the kind one would hear being mistreated in a restaurant.

Schuppanzigh reminds Beethoven to write a little letter of thanks to the Kärntnertor Orchestra. They would all enjoy it very much. Beethoven asks Umlauf his thoughts on the Landständischer Saal as the site of the second Akademie. He agrees that since the expenses would be lower, it would be less dangerous than might be the case in the larger halls. The Musikverein is on board; all that is needed is a note to Raphael Kiesewetter, vice president of the Gesellschaft der Musikfruende making the request for their participation. But that shouldn’t be done until the hall is secured for certain.

Discussion turns to the vocal soloists from the Akademie. Umlauf thinks that one of the four Fröhlich sisters would have been a good substitute [probably for alto Caroline Unger, who had struggled with her part to the point Umlauf had to shout at her in a private rehearsal, and Conradin Kreutzer at the piano asked her whether she abused the music of Rossini in this manner.] Umlauf believes that Anton Forti persuaded bass Joseph Preisinger to back out just days before the concert.

Beethoven, increasingly irritated, starts blaming Schindler for the various problems. Schindler reminds him that the problem with Franz Clement at the Theater an der Wien was because Beethoven wanted to have Schuppanzigh act as concertmaster. “Was I also the reason for that? In short was I not the only reason that these great works came to performance? Everyone who means you well must agree with me.” Beethoven gets even angrier at this self-aggrandizing claim, and appears to tell Schindler to get out of his sight. Schindler abruptly leaves with Umlauf, saying “Adieu, Adieu! So, God preserve you.”

Schuppanzigh, left behind with Beethoven, gives a brief word of support of Schindler, “The poor devil can do nothing about it; he really is innocent.” Beethoven cannot be reasoned with, so Schuppanzigh tells the composer to inform him in time what is decided about the concert, and he also leaves.

After Beethoven’s death, Schindler here fills in the remainder of page 10v with a report of the dinner, but much of that description is plainly confusing this dinner with the aftermath of the second Akademie concert, and he gets some other details wrong, such as saying Karl left with Ludwig, when he obviously left much earlier. We therefore disregard this non-contemporary addendum as highly unreliable, as usual with Schindler.

Beethoven walks home alone in a foul mood. But no time is to be lost, so he dutifully writes a short request to the Imperial High Steward’s Office, asking for permission to give an Akademie concert on the evening of May 14th, since it is a holy day [Norma Tag] and no work would be done on that date. Still unsure about the site, Beethoven does not make any mention of the location of the concert in the request.

Brandenburg Letter 1830; Albrecht Letter 364. The original is lost, but its existence is known from a memorandum of it in the Vienna archives (General-Intendanz, Karton 69, Hofoper 1823-1825, Nr.11/1824,) which indicates the date of the letter was May 9, and it was received tomorrow, May 10.

In the evening, Beethoven is met at home by violinist Joseph Böhm [one of Schuppanzigh’s former pupils, now professor of violin at the Musikverein Conservatory, who had performed in the Akademie] Nephew Karl, and Brother Johann. Böhm asks whether anything has been decided about the second concert. It really should be made known tomorrow. The people are already glad, though, that it is to be repeated. Beethoven probably tells him that he has just written a request for May 14th.

Beethoven complains about Schindler. Böhm agrees that he is unreliable. “He talks a lot and does little. I must openly admit that I have not been able to comprehend why you can have placed so much confidence in him.” Beethoven suddenly finds himself coming to Schindler’s defense, and asks who else would do all the endless errands that the unpaid Schindler had done, especially in getting this first concert going? Böhm suggests that he, or Ferdinand Piringer, could serve in that capacity. [As much as Schindler annoys and sometimes infuriates Beethoven, his utility in getting the Akademie accomplished, in particular getting the copying accomplished and collated, quickly arranging for the extra winds after Schuppanzigh forgot to do so, and ferrying Beethoven around on an almost daily basis in the past week, can hardly be disputed.]

Böhm notes that the Parisians are quite delighted with Beethoven. The composer asks how much could be made from a concert of the Ninth Symphony in Paris, and Böhm suggests at least 2,000 florins. Beethoven would like to know who in Paris could arrange such a thing for him. Böhm suggests Gaspare Spontini (1774-1851) and Rodolphe Kreutzer (1766-1831).

Karl says, speaking of the Symphony, the Scherzo is splendid. Ludwig, perhaps thinking back to the incident where Caroline Unger took his sleeve and showed him the wildly applauding audience, agrees it went well. Karl believes Umlauf bears much of the credit. When he walked onto the stage, Umlauf was so worried it would not come together that he made the Sign of the Cross over the orchestra to bless them.

Brother Johann and Böhm leave fairly late, and Karl gets a light supper for the two of them, probably from the restaurant downstairs. The bill comes to 1 lf. 57 kr., to which Karl adds a 14 kr. tip. A grumpy Beethoven goes to bed, irritated at the repeat of the vacillation over the site of his Akademie concerts, which cost so much time for the first concert.

Conversation Book 67, 1r-11v.

Cellist Friedrich Wrantizky today gives a musical Akademie benefit concert in the Imperial Redoutensaal in Vienna. This concert opens with the overture to Fidelio by Beethoven. The overture “was well executed, apart from a few inaccuracies in the French horns.” Wiener Theater-Zeitung of June 1, 1824, Nr.66, at 264.