BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Thursday, October 13, 1825 (approximately)

Probably about today, Uncle Ludwig writes an undated letter from Baden to Nephew Karl in Vienna. “Dear son! So, today [tell] the carpenter [probably Edler von Wangenheim, who had wanted to do carpentry work for Beethoven while he is in Baden] with the Old—Witch [housekeeper Barbara Holzmann]—in Asinaccio’s apartment [Brother Johann’s apartment] not to forget the paintings, and what came in during the summer. At least just look there once for them.”

“Perhaps I’ll come on Saturday [October 15]. If not, you should come on Sunday [October 16]. Dear son, may God enlighten you. Your faithful father.”

“I can’t write much. Write a few words.”

Brandenburg Letter 2070; Anderson Letter 1441. The original of this letter is held by the Biblioteka Jagiellonska (Mus. ep. autogr. Beethoven 18). On the back side of the letter, Karl has written in pencil, later crossed out, “I’ll come to the usual place at 3 o’clock, si vous plait.” The paintings that Beethoven references are likely the two paintings that Gerhard von Breuning identified as the ones hanging in the Schwarzspanierhaus apartment: the 1773 portrait of his paternal grandfather Ludwig van Beethoven by Amelius Radoux, now in the Vienna Museum, Nr.138381 (the portrait of the grandfather at the Bonn Beethovenhaus, contrary to most claims on the internet, is a 1969 copy); and the full length portrait of himself with lyre painted in 1804 by Joseph Willibrord Mähler, also held by the Vienna Museum, Nr.104650. Both portraits are attached. The carpenter and housekeeper have no doubt been dispatched to get Beethoven’s things out of storage to move to the new apartment in the Schwarzspanierhaus.

Beethoven's grandfather, with a book of music in front of him, wearing a fur hat and a fur-trimmed green robe. — Grandfather Ludwig van Beethoven by Amelius Radoux, Vienna Museum

Full length portrait of Beethoven with his right hand outstretched, and holding a lyre in his left hand, resting on the ground. Beethoven wears a black suit with a white shirt and tie. — Beethoven by Joseph Willibrord Mähler (1804), Vienna Museum, Nr.104650.

A Kyrie in D minor for chorus and orchestra by Felix Mendelssohn, today catalogued as MWV A 3 is performed for the first time in Berlin. This engaging short work is here played by Ars Musica, Patrick van der Linden conducting: