BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Thursday, August 21, 1823 (approximately)

Beethoven continues to use his Conversation Book as a notepad, writing that he needs sugar and coffee, and later a stick of wax. He also writes a note to advise Karl to bind all his papers together with hemp cord, and to pack his book work and everything in the suitcase. When Uncle Ludwig comes to Vienna, he will bring along padlocks for it.

On this page he also makes a notation for the timpani part in the Ninth Symphony.

Conversation Book 39, 4v-5v.

About now, Beethoven writes a short undated note from Baden to terminated assistant Anton Schindler. In it, he says “Only the bare essentials – maybe you have everything already – so what was promised to you will follow this afternoon.” Brandenburg Letter 1736, Anderson Letter 1296. The original is held in the Berlin Staatsbibliothek (aut.36,70). The note is written in pencil and was traced in ink by Schindler. This seems to relate to the 50 florins that was promised to Schindler. Karl has been instructed by Ludwig to deliver 31 florins to Schindler, which is net of two loans that Beethoven has had to cover for him. But the funds don’t get delivered quite yet, because Karl can’t find the money that he’s been told to deliver.