BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Sunday, September 25, 1825

Beethoven is in Baden with Nephew Karl. Uncle Ludwig plans to attend Maurice Schlesinger’s farewell banquet and concert in Vienna tomorrow, so he makes a list of errands and shopping to take care of while they are there:

• Boot tree at the shoemaker’s.
• Fire-ignition machine.
• The way to the Institute: how long? [Beethoven wants to know how long a walk from his new Vienna apartment in the Schwarzspanierhaus, which appears to have been contracted for during one of the periods for which conversation books are missing, to the Polytechnic Institute where Karl is now studying.]
• Look at coffee machines.
• Tailor’s: Trousers.
• Piqué bed quilt.
• Small tooth brush.
• Hat.

This afternoon, Nephew Karl is reading yesterday’s Vienna newspapers. He makes note of an advertisement of a nobility official’s widow seeking employment as a housekeeper. Uncle Ludwig had already copied this same advertisement about a month ago.

Speaking of widows, Uncle Ludwig asks if Karl has seen anything of Barbara Schlimmer, the widow of the owner of the Schloss Gutenbrunn where they are staying. Karl says he hasn’t seen or heard anything from her. Today, the horse ring will be used for the last time. [Karl refers to it as the “Gymnastic Arts,” suggesting that there was some trick riding involved. Since Michaelmas is coming up in a few days, that will signal the end of the Baden summer season.] Karl mentions that some man [perhaps Holz] looked at the female comic actress very much in order to try to get to know her.

Karl asks whether the earthenware jugs [possibly once used for wine, but now intended to carry seltzer water] are still there. Brother Johann will want them back, but Karl thinks they should keep them themselves.

Karl suggests that Uncle Ludwig should write something today for Schlesinger, who asked for another canon or similar piece as a souvenir.

Perhaps put in mind of his uncle’s teachers by the discussion yesterday about Albrechtsberger, Nephew Karl asks his uncle who his very first teacher was. [Uncle Ludwig probably answers Christian Gottlob Neefe (1748-1798), who would have been his first formal instructor, though he may respond that his very first lessons were given by his father.]

Karl relates an anecdote about composer Luigi Cherubini: “Someone supposedly asked Cherubini why he hadn’t composed any quartets; he said: ‘If Beethoven had never written a quartet, then I would write quartets. As it is, I can’t do it.'” Ludwig jokes that it makes him sound like a god. Karl retorts, “On the Seventh Day, you should rest.”

But in addition to Schlesinger’s requested little piece, there is also the letter to David that has been repeatedly asked-for as well.

Beethoven is looking forward to the performance of his quartet op.127 tomorrow. Karl agrees, “I too really find that a beautiful concert, such as, for example a Quartet, can be a true pleasure or, even more, ecstasy.”

Housekeeper Barbara Holzmann will be leaving earlier than they, going in to Vienna this evening with 12 jugs to fill with seltzer water.

Karl expects that the big coronation of the Empress as Queen of Hungary in Pressburg [now Bratislava] has been completed now, and Schlesinger will be making his way back to Vienna immediately thereafter. “The Hungarians must regard it as a special blessing that the [the Court] are paying promptly [for the coronation.] The Bohemians cannot stand us.”

[Finding part of a blank page here after Beethoven’s death, Anton Schindler filled it with a fraudulent entry making it look like he was part of the composer’s inner circle at this time.]

There is some discussion, apparently about the Schwarzspanierhaus apartment. One room has 2 windows, the other has 1 window. [According to Gerhard von Breuning, the main room in Beethoven’s apartment had 2 windows, and his working room had 1 window.] They are being charged 6 florins for a new blind. Ludwig doesn’t like this, but Karl tells him they’d be hard pressed to find one themselves for 6 florins.

Karl drafts a letter to David, probably at his uncle’s dictation and presumably to be translated into French by Karl: “I thank you for your zeal and the pleasure that you provided me in using my vocal works, as imperfect as they may be, for the promotion of true devotion. Never will the enthusiasm of such a gifted nation as the French be indifferent to me. If I am in a position to be of service to you in some way, I ask you to let me know, since I shall not pass up any opportunity to prove to you my gratitude for such attention.”

Brandenburg Letter 2060. Again, the identify of this M. David is unknown, but since opera singers Giacomo David and his son Giovanni David are based in Italy at this time, and not France, neither of them appears to be the addressee; Beethoven probably knew both of those men in any event, and they would not likely receive such a formal and rote letter of appreciation. The final letter is not known to survive.

Conversation Book 97, 50v-55r.

Beethoven jots down a draft of a canon on folio 17r in the pocket sketchbook that he is currently using, Aut.9, Bundle 2, currently held at the Berlin Staatsbibliothek. A reproduction of this draft from this pocket sketchbook is attached here. The fair copy of the canon, Si non per portas, WoO 194, will be presented to Schlesinger at the banquet tomorrow.

Probably around today, Beethoven receives a note (no longer in existence) from Sarah Burney Payne, a visitor from England who would like to meet Beethoven. He responds to her with a short note in French, “Avec le plus grand plaisir, je recevrai une fille de Burney.” [With the greatest pleasure, I will receive a daughter of Burney.] Brandenburg Letter 2061. Payne was the granddaughter, not daughter, of musicologist Charles Burney (1726-1814), Since Payne visits Beethoven on September 27th, it probably was written a day or two earlier. He may also have mentioned that he would be coming to Vienna tomorrow and thus she should postpone her visit to the next day.