BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Tuesday, January 18, 1825

A new maid starts working for Beethoven today. She is willing to carry wood and water. The housekeeper immediately hired her, otherwise the previous maid would have had to be extended another 14 days. Along with her “bread money,” she gets paid 7 florins 56 kreutzers.

Conversation Book 81, 23r-22v.

Fries & Co. wasted no time in getting the scores of the Missa Solemnis and Ninth Symphony off to the Schott firm in Mainz, where they are received today. They had hoped to also have received the new quartet [op.127] as part of this parcel, but are disappointed in that; Beethoven has not quite yet completed the quartet though it has been promised for several months.