BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Thursday, January 19, 1826

Beethoven continues to make good progress with the composition of the quartet op.131 in C-sharp minor. In the morning after his composition work, he makes another short errand list:

• Clock in the kitchen.
• Laundryperson.
• Letter press.
• Holz has the key.

Unpaid assistant Karl Holz stops by Beethoven’s apartment early in the morning on his way to work. The housekeeper [likely Theresia Adelmann, since her preference was not to sleep at Beethoven’s apartment, unlike most of his housekeepers] has not shown up yet, but Holz is confident that she will. She is scheduled to arrive at 9 o’clock. When she comes, Holz will explain everything to her. Holz asks Beethoven whether he would prefer that she come earlier, at around 7:30 a.m. [Beethoven’s answer is not recorded, but given his impatience the answer likely was yes. There seems to be some miscommunication, because it appears that tomorrow he will complain that Adelmann did not show up until 7:30 a.m.]

Conversation Book 102, 18r.