BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Thursday, May 25, 1826

Today is the Feast of Corpus Christi, which is a holiday in Vienna. Piano maker Conrad Graf stops by briefly to let Beethoven know that he will bring by the sound mechanism for the piano; if possible, he will come personally.

Nephew Karl comes to see his uncle. Some prospective housekeepers have been asked to come see Uncle Ludwig tomorrow. Unpaid assistant Karl Holz is not at mid-day dinner; Karl asks whether he was not invited. [Ludwig’s response is not recorded.] Karl mentions that at his landlord, they eat bread after dinner, slicing what they need. Dinner includes soup from the day before.

Karl says that tomorrow there will be a grand celebration at the Polytechnic Institute. Uncle Ludwig asks when, and Karl says it is early in the day. He asks whether his uncle will be going to the coffee house. Karl says he’ll come back tomorrow. Uncle Ludwig frets that there is not enough food in the apartment because of the holiday today; Karl assures him that if he lets the housekeeper and maid shop early, there will be something to get.

Conversation Book 110, 41r-41v