BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Sunday, September 24, 1826

Stephan von Breuning stops by Beethoven’s apartment this morning and invites him to dinner at 1 o’clock, since it is son Gerhard’s name day. Beethoven agrees to attend. After that, they can go for a long walk.

Uncle Ludwig goes to visit Nephew Karl at the hospital. Ludwig is still concerned about Karl’s future in the military, and whether he will be able to be promoted. Karl does not think it will be very difficult to be promoted, especially by the adjutancy, where writing, languages, etc. are used. Breuning said so.

Karl got a shave yesterday. The barber comes twice a week. Uncle Ludwig asks how much that cost, and Karl tells him 12 kreutzers. Uncle Ludwig asks if he needs more chocolate. Karl says he still has enough since he rarely drinks chocolate now, only on a Kipfel [a crescent-shaped pastry.] Karl is drinking 1/2 a measure of wine daily now.

Gerhard von Breuning recounts Beethoven’s visit on his name day this afternoon in his Memories of Beethoven, 79-81. “On September 24, 1826, my saint’s day, Beethoven was once more our dinner guest, as was my tutor Waniek. Before dinner Beethoven showed us the gold medal he had received from Louis XVIII (now in the Archives of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna). During the meal he told us that the Vienna city authorities had given him the freedom of the city, and that someone had remarked that he had been given honorary but not genuine citizenship; Beethoven had replied, ‘I hadn’t known that Vienna had tainted citizens as well.'”

“In the afternoon, we all walked to Schönbrunn. My mother had a visit to make in Meidling (adjoining Schönbrunn). I accompanied her. My father, Beethoven, and my teacher waited for us on a bench on the lawn of the Schönbrunn garden.”

In the conversation book, Breuning explains to Beethoven that his wife went with Gerhard to visit Colonel Baron von Häring, and promised to look for them again in the middle of the garden.

Gerhard continues: “When we were walking in the garden later, Beethoven pointed to the avenues of trees pleached in the French style, and said: ‘All frippery, tricked up like the old crinolines. I am only at ease when I am in unspoiled nature.’ — An infantry soldier passed us. At once Beethoven was ready with a sarcastic remark: ‘A slave who has sold his freedom for five kreutzers a day.'”

“As we were going homewards, a group of boys were playing skittles in the middle of the right-hand avenue in front of the Schönbrunn bridge, and the ball happened to hit Beethoven on the foot. Suspecting they had done it intentionally in order to provoke him, he turned on them violently at once, shouting: ‘Who allowed you to play here? Do you have to do your mischief here?’ He was about to rush at them to drive them away, but my father, fearing the toughness of the street urchins, soon calmed Beethoven down, and in any event the pain caused by the ball had lasted only an instant.”

“It had got dark, and we lost our way going back over the ‘Schmelz,’ and found ourselves crossing plowed fields. Beethoven hummed melodies to himself as he stumbled from one clod to another, awkwardly enough, and was glad to get help now and then, because of his shortsightedness. Upon arriving at the Rothes Haus, we separated. However my teacher went to his house with him and was invited afterwards to have some soup and eggs. There Beethoven spoke at length, as he had during the day, about his nephew Karl, who, a few days previously, had taken the desperate step of trying to shoot himself. One of the things he said was, ‘My Karl was in a boarding school; all they turn out is hothouse plants.'”

Waniek takes the opportunity to engage Beethoven in conversation. “Already as a boy I heard the name Beethoven: I am very happy to be near you — unfortunately, I am not musical, even though I am a Bohemian! My first teacher, a monk, kept me away from music, thus I grew up ignorant of music.” Beethoven shows him his Broadwood piano, which Waniek refers to as “the English invention.”

Like Beethoven, Waniek enjoys the life of a bachelor. “The women bring roses but also thorns.” Waniek comments that Beethoven’s apartment is healthy and pleasant. As Beethoven complains about the corruption of his nephew, Waniek observes, “In Vienna, the temptations are too many; young people here need solid principles not to become victims to temptation — Opportunity makes thieves! Perhaps military strictness and punctuality will help, and the termination of abundance. The happy disposition has taken a bad direction, and acts stronger than ordinary natures.”

Beethoven makes the comment noted by Gerhard above about hothouse plants. Waniek responds, “Then they are educated to be hothouse plants, and as they are always led by the hand, then they usually stumble when they are free. Independence so to speak has to prevail in a man from childhood. He lost his hold on existence in the moment of the exaggerated sense of honor. The summum bonum of the Institutes are the examinations; religious values are overlooked. I have always opposed the idea of Gerhard going into an institute; he is developing slowly, but in a natural way.”

Beethoven asks what Waniek is studying. He studied Philosophy in Prague, and now is studying law in Vienna. The most sources are in Vienna. Waniek expresses the opinion that “Women should remain at this level of learning. Philosophizing does not suit them as well as a kitchen spoon.” They discuss trends in philosophy. “One system emerges, another one disappears. For instance, the critical system is not popular anymore, at least it seems so. Kant, as the father of that, can only be understood by a few people.” Waniek has not read Kant’s Physische Geographie (1801-1805), but would like to.

“Schiller says: ‘But one rich man can give to so many poor people — When kings are building, the laborers have work to do.’ As Schubart says: ‘Be dumb like the dear cattle.’ Haller: Unhappy middle state between angel and beast; God gave you common sense, and you never use it.”

They discuss young Gerhard von Breuning. Waniek says he is too young, only 13 years, and goes ad poëticam. “Childish, volatile, but good natured, what will reveal talent is still asleep.” Waniek dislikes the regimented educational system of Vienna; “everything there is precisely prescribed, and there is no question about whether the pupil is properly suited for it.”

Conversation Book 121, 12v-17r.

In London, Johann Andreas Stumpff drafts a letter to Johann Baptist Streicher. Among other topics, he writes the following concerning Beethoven:

“I have taken the liberty of addressing to you a box containing Handel’s complete works, the famous and best edition, of which the plates have long since been destroyed, in 40 volumes, and which I beg the greatest living composer, Luis v. Bethoven [sic], to accept as a token of the greatest respect and most heartfelt veneration, through your friendship.”

“May I further ask you to be so kind as to either open the crate upon its arrival, or to first inform Herr v. Bethoven of it, and then to transport it to his residence, according to his wishes? It pains me, however, to mention that the crate has been packed since last Christmas, waiting for a suitable opportunity, and that I have been kept waiting with many promises. I am all the more pleased now that I have finally found a secure one. A close relative of mine, traveling home, who left London on August 24th to travel to Hamburg, and whom I have provided with funds, will cover all expenses up to Vienna, so that the crate will arrive in Vienna free of charge.”

Stumpff also writes that he has suffered financially from bankruptcies. In a postscript, Stumpff adds, “Should Herr v Bethoven perhaps wish to have another set of Handel’s works for the Imperial and Royal Prince [Archduke Rudolph], which, as he expressed to me at the time, namely for the Music Library, obtained from here, one could hardly obtain it for less than 50 £ sterling — and, moreover, the set you will receive cost 45 £ in London.”

Brandenburg Letter 2207a. The original of this draft is in the British Library in London (Add. MS.29160 fol.3). Stumpff notes in his diary for today, “My nephew Heinrich Stumpff left me to return to his father and sailed on a Hamburg ship called the Thetis, captained by J. Rutherford. He took two crates with him; one containing his belongings and clothes, and the other the works of Handel in 40 volumes, sent to the greatest living composer Luis van Beethoven, as a gift intended for him, and to be delivered to him in Vienna by the piano maker there, Herr Streicher. Heinrich will find an opportunity to travel to Vienna from his home and pay all expenses.” Beethoven will not receive the gift until about December 14, 1826.