BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Thursday, August 25, 1825

Today is Beethoven’s name day, the Feast of St. Louis or Ludwig. Beethoven writes a short letter dated today to Nephew Karl in Vienna. “I had hoped that at least on this day I might deserve as little attention from you as to write—but in vain—You don’t need to write to Peters on Saturday either—and if you want to come on Sunday, either come early or not at all. Your faithful father.”

Brandenburg Letter 2044; Anderson Letter 1417. This depressing letter is held by the British Library in London (Add. Ms. 33965 f.177). Beethoven had asked Karl to write to Leipzig publisher C.F. Peters by Saturday, the day for the postal coach from Vienna to Leipzig.