BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Tuesday, July 19, 1825
Either Nephew Karl is in Baden today, or (less likely) Ludwig is in Vienna, since Karl writes several letters dated today on behalf of his uncle trying to sell the quartets op.130 and 132, neither of which is actually completed. In the first letter, which states that it is from Baden, Beethoven writes to music publisher Adolph Martin Schlesinger in Berlin. “Your Excellency! It was with great pleasure that I received your letter of June 24, along with the Berliner allgemeine musikalische Zeitung. I ask that you please send me the same in the future. While leafing through it, several articles caught my eye, which I immediately recognized as the products of the ingenious Herr [Adolph Bernhard] Marx. I wish that he would always continue to uncover more and more of the higher and true in the realm of Art; in that way he should gradually reduce the mere counting of syllables.”
“At your request, I inform you that I could give you two new grand violin quartets. The fee would be 80 ducats (for each). For some time now, my works have been sought on all sides, and I have already been offered the sum of 80 ducats for each of these quartets. However, if you want them at this price, I will gladly give you the preference. This offer should not be unwelcome to you, especially since you can also send the quartets to Paris and London. Since my friend Ries is no longer in London, I can no longer send anything there myself, as correspondence and errands take up too much of my time.”
“If you would be willing to accept my offer, please let me know as soon as possible, because the matter cannot be delayed.”
“You could send me a bill of exchange on a good local [banking] house, for 3, or even for 4 months; as soon as I receive it, I will send you the quartets without delay.”
“In any case, however, I ask that you do not delay in replying. You may address the letter [to me] simply at Vienna. I will definitely receive it, although I am presently staying in Baden due to my weakened health.”
“With high respect, your most devoted Ludwig van Beethoven.”
In a postscript, Beethoven asks, “Is Prince Radzivil [Radziwill] in Berlin?”
Brandenburg Letter 2015, Anderson Letter 1403. The original is in Karl’s hand, with the signature only written by Beethoven. Whether Beethoven actually had any offers in hand for the quartets at the price of 80 ducats is unclear. Radziwill was sometimes based in Berlin, and sometimes in Posen. Beethoven’s question may have been related to Radziwill’s copy of the Missa Solemnis, although that probably has already been sent to him. Sieghard Brandenburg suggests that Beethoven may have wanted Radziwill’s counsel regarding the dedication of the Ninth Symphony to King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia.
Two handwritten drafts of the letter also survive. One of these drafts is quite similar to the final version, although it also mentions that Beethoven has been offered 80 ducats for a four-hand piano sonata. That sonata had been commissioned in 1824 by Anton Diabelli and Beethoven accepted the commission, though he never did any significant work on the piece. The second draft of the letter is more flowery, and in the section about correspondence taking up too much of his time, he describes himself as a priest of Apollo. He also in that draft promises Schlesinger, who published the Berliner allgemeine musikalische Zeitung, which was edited by Marx, an occasional canon for its pages, much as he had done for Schott’s musical journal Cäcilia.
The original of the letter that was actually sent is held at the Bonn Beethovenhaus, H.C. Bodmer Collection Br 213, and can be seen here:
https://www.beethoven.de/de/media/view/5999133873668096/scan/0
Karl also sends a letter under his own name, though almost certainly at his Uncle Ludwig’s instruction and likely dictated by him, to publisher Carl Friedrich Peters in Leipzig. “Your excellency! Since my uncle is currently in Baden to restore his extremely poor health, I am undertaking to write on his behalf, to take the liberty to inform you in his name that he has recently completed a new grand violin quartet, with the intent of offering it to you for the Convention Gulden that you had sent him earlier.” [Peters had paid an advance to Beethoven of 360 florins C.M. in 1822, but rejected the small works that were sent to him as being unworthy of Beethoven. But the composer still owed him the money. 80 ducats would be equal to 360 florins C.M., so Beethoven was at least offering the same price as he was to Schlesinger. However, given the offer on the same date to Schlesinger it seems Beethoven was not expecting Peters to take him up on this proposition (possibly explaining why he had Carl write this letter in his own name).]
“Should your Excellency not be inclined to do so, my uncle will then have to leave it to another publisher, who would offer him the same sum. In any case, however, I request a prompt reply so that the matter is not delayed.”
“Finally, please allow me to quote a passage from my uncle’s letter, ‘Remind Herr von Peters that I am offering him the best I have at present, without thinking of the past.'”
“I request that the reply be sent directly to my uncle himself at the address Schloss Gutenbrunn, Baden bei Wien.”
“I remain, your excellency, with respect, Carl van Beethoven.”
Brandenburg Letter 2014; Albrecht Letter 413. The whereabouts of the original of this letter are unknown; the text is from the transcription by Ludwig Nohl. Professor Theodore Albrecht suggests that the letter was likely part of the Peters archive in Leipzig, which was destroyed during World War II.
If he is in Baden, Karl returns to Vienna in the late afternoon.
The Mainz publisher B. Schott’s Sons will also write to Beethoven today. The letter is lost today, and its contents are unknown, but the fact they wrote today is derived from Beethoven’s response dated August 2, 1825. Brandenburg Letter 2013. Beethoven will receive this letter on July 31.
Roughly about now, Beethoven receives a parcel from Schott with copies of the Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung, one of which contains their announcement of the Consecration of the House Overture, the Missa Solemnis, and the Ninth Symphony. This is the first that he has heard about these publications being imminent.