BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Thursday, August 19, 1824

Mainz music publisher B. Schott’s Sons writes to Beethoven today. They let him know that a new bill of exchange has been sent to the Fries bankers in Vienna as of August 12, and asks for the manuscripts for the Missa Solemnis and the Ninth Symphony.

Brandenburg Letter 1863. The original is lost, but the general tenor of the contents is known from two letters sent later this year.

At the Landständischer Hall this afternoon, the Vienna Conservatory gives its final examination concert, involving 122 students. The proceedings open with an Italian vocal prologue, which transitioned to the higher instrumental and vocal levels with a performance of Beethoven’s Overture to Prometheus. “The manner in which this overture was performed was bound to fill every listener with real pleasure, as not only were all the mechanical difficulties completely overcome, but the spirit of the whole was properly expressed and conveyed. Such achievements are the touchstone of the excellence of a musical educational institution. It is far easier to train individual talents than to develop the higher sense of cooperation and wise moderation in an orchestra consisting of very young people.” Wiener Theater-Zeitung, Nr.104 (August 28, 1824) at 415, largely repeated in the Wiener musikalische Zeitung Nr.70 (September 1, 1824) at 277.

Publishers Sauer & Leidesdorf announce in today’s Wiener Zeitung (Nr.190) at 796 the publication of the fourteenth volume of their ongoing series of the Complete Operas of Rossini, in piano reductions by Maximilian J. Leidesdorf, L’Italiana in Algeri. The price is 10 florins W.W., or 6 florins for subscribers. “In addition to the arias which Rubini sang in this opera here to such great applause, are included the arias Rossini wrote in the original that were never performed here. This is therefore the most complete edition that has appeared to date.” The fifteenth volume in the series is stated as going to press. The repeated and oft-extended threats to no longer accept subscribers have finally ended with the thirteenth volume, as there is no solicitation in this advertisement for new subscribers.