BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Thursday, August 18, 1825

Beethoven continues working on the quartet op.130 in the morning. In the afternoon, he reads the Vienna newspapers from yesterday at a coffee house. He makes note of two books of interest, Description of the Mountainous Region around Schneeberg, and Die Denklehre in rein deutschem Gewande [The Theory of Thought in a Purely German Manner] by J.H. Tiefrunk.

Today, the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde is visited by its most illustrious protector, Beethoven’s pupil and supporter Archduke Rudolph, Cardinal and Archbishop of Olmütz. The Archuduke is met by the President’s Deputy, and by members of the teaching committee, professors, and all members of the association on their premises. The Arts Notice of this event in the Wiener Zeitung of next Thursday, August 23 (Nr.191) at 811 describes the occasion as follows:

“His Imperial Highness inspected the collection of antique musical instruments, the impressive library, and the musical archive with its well-ordered collection of portraits of composers and musicians. After expressing his highest satisfaction in the most flattering terms with the richness of these works of art and the exemplary order in which they were kept, he went to the salon, where the pupils performed a small concert to pay a respectful tribute to the Most Serene Protector of the Conservatory’s activities and to demonstrate the level of artistic education of its pupils.”

“Mozart’s Overture from The Magic Flute was performed by the institution’s students with a precision that only the most experienced orchestra is capable of.”

“A duet from the opera Bianca e Falliero [by Rossini] showed how far the Conservatory’s pupils have progressed in graceful singing, and a twelve-year-old boy aroused admiration with variations on the violin, in which he displayed all the qualities of a virtuoso.”

“Four-part choruses by girls and boys, all pupils of this institution, were also performed with great purity and elegance.”

“For the directors, teachers, and students of this institution, this happy day will always be an incentive to redouble their zeal and diligence.”

“The public will have the opportunity to convince themselves of the progress of the students of this institution at the association’s next examination concert, which will take place on September 1st in the State Hall. May the participation in this institution increase to the extent that its effectiveness and benefits may continue to expand and enlarge!”

Although Archduke Rudolph is obviously still in Vienna, he seems to have given up on getting any further composition lessons from Beethoven, at least while he’s out in the country.

The August 30, 1825 issue of Der Sammler (Nr.104) at 416 contains more information about the Archduke’s visit. “The concert concluded with choruses by [Joseph von] Eybler and Beethoven, which, despite the heavily intertwined voices of singers and instrumentalists (all pupils of the institution), were performed with great unity and effect.”

The Archduke also wrote a congratulatory letter in his own hand on August 19th, indicating that the concert gave “gratifying proof of how ardently the Musikverein is pursuing its stated goal of promoting, in particular, the development of outstanding talents, but in general, the formation of a purely refined taste.”

“As the protector of this association, I cannot refrain from letting you know that, after barely a few years, these achievements have exceeded even my highest expectations, and I can only express the hope that the zeal that the Conservatory has so visibly demonstrated so far will not want in the future, in order to fill the gaps in musical education through such active participation.”