BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Thursday, April 20, 1826

Unpaid assistant Karl Holz visits Beethoven today, probably around dinner time as usual. He asks when Karl is expected back.

Holz is eager to hear what someone unidentified has to say about the planned oratorio Saul in cooperation with Christoph Kuffner. He thinks it will certainly please him. “I like to talk with him about such things, he has good views.” [This is clearly someone who Holz likes and knows well; possibly Nephew Karl, or Mathias Artaria, to whom he does not appear to have mentioned the oratorio yet.]

There is some discussion about the housekeeper’s cap when she is cooking. They get so dirty so quickly that she needs a new one almost every day. But they are a necessity: “The head has to be covered, particularly when you are working in the kitchen; it is not delicious to eat hair.”

Beethoven inquires about when Joseph Mayseder and his quartet will want to perform the op.130 string quartet, which thus far has been heard only once. Mayseder had mentioned he would play it at Merk’s place, rather than Dembscher’s, because Beethoven was unhappy with Dembscher. Holz believes Merk typically holds his quartet concerts on Fridays. Holz will go to Mayseder tomorrow early [Friday April 21] and ask him; Holz will let Beethoven know yet tomorrow morning.

Beethoven asks about the ancient Hebrew music at the Musikverein library. Holz shows him a catalogue of the library of Ernst Ludwig Gerber (1746-1819), which the society had purchased in 1815, and formed a large portion of their collection. The works mentioned on pages 33 to 44 seem like they must be the ones that will be most useful to Beethoven in composing Saul.

Holz also learned from Head Censor Franz Sartori that Tobias Haslinger has still not received permission to publish Beethoven’s works op.114 and op.116 with the bad title pages that suggested the piano reduction was the original format of these pieces. He also asked Sartori for a copy of the decree concerning Beethoven’s works, but Sartori said Holz would have to contact the police headquarters for a copy. What a start to Tobias’ new career as publisher! To be barred from printing a work by the censor!

Later today, Brother Johann comes to visit Ludwig while he is making computations of financial matters. Johann looks over the computations and says, “It is quite correct.” Beethoven makes a note to contact Sartori personally.

This concludes Conversation Book 108. Johann probably continues his talk with Ludwig on stray bits of paper that no longer survive. Conversation Book 109 begins being used tomorrow, April 21.

Conversation Book 108, 50r-51v.

The firm of Cappi & Czerny announces four publications today in the Wiener Zeitung (Nr.90) at 391: reductions for piano four hands of Mozart’s operas Don Giovanni, The Marriage of Figaro, Così fan tutte, and Titus.