BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Thursday, April 21, 1825

Nephew Karl comes by the apartment in the morning to check on his uncle’s condition. Ludwig is a difficult patient today; he is ill enough to want something to be done, but feeling enough better so that he raises any number of complaints. Karl reminds him that the housekeeper will need some money to go shopping.

Uncle Ludwig rather wishes that he had been invited to attend the performance of his quartet op.127 by Joseph Mayseder and his quartet. Karl thinks it would have been right for Mayseder to invite him, or at least sent a message saying that he was performing it on whatever date.

The temporary housekeeper that Karl arranged for today arrives. Uncle Ludwig asks what day it is, since he has been bedridden with his illness for much of the last week. Karl tells him it is Thursday. Ludwig supposes the housekeeper will want to have a cooking trial today. But Karl thinks it probably would be a good idea to wait for the cooking try-out until after Uncle Ludwig feels better.

Brother Johann arrives, probably in the early afternoon. He sees that Ludwig and Karl had been talking about Mayseder, and Johann adds that Mayseder was at his place this morning, otherwise he would have come earlier. Mayseder didn’t know where Ludwig lives. He wanted to come along to thank Ludwig, but Johann told him to wait a few days, when he will feel better. Mayseder would like permission to perform the quartet one more time; Mayseder will invite Ludwig to come to the performance then.

In Mayseder’s opinion, the cellist Merk played it very well, but he wished it could be made easier with the same effect. All it would take is for the alto clef to be used rather than the treble or tenor clef, because the frequent clef changes make it much more difficult for the cellist than for the other three parts. Merk requested the part and will edit it himself. That way it will be not so difficult, but will nowhere lose any effect, and he will show it to Ludwig. [Johann may have the request backwards. The cello part uses the bass, treble and alto clefs in the original score, and the alto clef would be rather unusual. In the published version, the alto clef is changed to the treble clef in some places.]

Dr. Braunhofer will be by soon with an updated menu for Ludwig. The patient has ideas of his own, but Johann fears they will cause an upset stomach. He thinks the doctor will authorize wine diluted with water and some fruit preserves. Johann says he will stick around until Braunhofer comes, and that way he’ll know what Ludwig can eat. The housekeeper forgot to get something [possibly some medication] and she will go get it right away.

Time for mid-day dinner at 2 p.m. rolls around, and the doctor still has not come. Johann is confident he will show up, but Ludwig is losing patience. Johann suggests that since his brother is feeling better, the doctor feels less urgency. For dinner Ludwig can have a good soup, a soft-boiled egg, some greens and diluted wine.

Karl brings the white wine, which cost 2 florins.

Later that afternoon, Dr. Braunhofer finally arrives. He’s confident that in time Ludwig will have no fever and no weakness. But he should regain his full strength through a moderate diet of natural foods. So-called strengthening medicines are often adulterated. Beethoven protests that he still feels weak. Yes, that’s because he still isn’t healthy yet. Only ignorant doctors who do not understand life’s activities recommend such things. Through wrongheaded treatment, for example, blood-letting, they weaken and then completely ruin the lives of their patients with quinine and spirits and strengthening remedies. [Dr. Braunhofer has a surprisingly modern attitude towards medicine.]

As he goes, Braunhofer lets Ludwig know that he doesn’t have to drink warm water any more. After he leaves, Ludwig asks Karl to get him some strengthening medicine. Karl says he needs to wait. Braunhofer will give him something tomorrow. Ludwig protests, and Karl explains that because he had a fever in his abdomen, the doctor doesn’t want to give him any kind of stimulants just yet. Karl reminds him that Dr. Staudenheim also has forbidden Ludwig to drink any wines.

Uncle Ludwig is getting crankier about these limitations, and asks again for strengthening medication. Karl insists Braunhofer does not want Ludwig to have any stimulants because his digestive tract is all irritated, and if he were to take such remedies, it would result in a complete inflammation of the bowels.

Ludwig is not happy with that recommendation; he’d like to have Staudenheim’s opinion. Johann says that they can call him tomorrow. Ludwig wants the stimulants now; he wants to have a bowel movement. Johann follows doctor’s orders and denies the request; that would just harm Ludwig’s stomach a great deal. He would be better off with a glass of almond milk. Where am I going to get almond milk, Ludwig asks? Johann says they can surely make it here themselves. How, asks Ludwig. One simply needs almonds to do that, and they have those here.

Karl confirms that the doctor said that a stimulating remedy would only result in an inflammation. Ludwig wants to argue with the doctor. Karl tells him, “He won’t depart from his principles.” But strong medicines and stimulants would have a bad result. Also, Ludwig shouldn’t believe he needs a bowel movement as often as he thinks he should.

Johann, giving up, tells Ludwig just before he departs that he should tell Braunhofer he wants something strengthening that will make him have a bowel movement.

Ferdinand Ries today forwards to Wilhelm Hauchecorne the performance materials for the Terzet op.116 and the scores of the Kyrie and Gloria that Beethoven has sent. Hill, Ries-Briefe, nr.139. These works are not performed at the Lower Rhenish Music Festival, however, having arrived too late for parts to be extracted and properly rehearsed.