BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Tuesday, June 27, 1826 (approximately)
Sometime about now (between June 26 and the morning of June 28), pianist Dorothea von Ertmann and her husband Baron Stephan von Ertmann visit Beethoven. There are no conversations between them in surviving Conversation Book 113, but that book is nearly full and Beethoven probably started a new one with them, and may have given it to the Ertmanns as a souvenir of their visit, as he sometimes did. However, if so the book has vanished. We know about the visit only because Karl asks tomorrow what they talked about.
Ertmann was an important figure in Beethoven’s life, and he greatly respected her skills as a pianist. He sent her a copy of the Hammerklavier sonata with a letter describing himself as her friend and admirer, and calling her “My dear and esteemed Dorothea-Cäcilia.” [Brandenburg Letter 1093; Anderson Letter 764.] He also dedicated the Piano Sonata Nr.28 in A major, op.101 to her. Beethoven’s pupil Carl Czerny called her “the most excellent player of Beethoven’s works.” Their visit assuredly would have brightened up his day.
Beethoven writes an undated note to unpaid assistant Karl Holz also sometime between June 26 and 28, 1826:
“I am only asking in haste how you are. [Holz had abruptly left Beethoven’s apartment Sunday, June 25 complaining of chest pains.] K. [Nephew Karl] seems to have been wronged; one would have to assume that he gave to the S. [Schlemmer] 10 florins fewer the first time. K. must therefore have hoped for an error that he could not possibly have foreseen or expected.”
“Most hastily, your friend, Beethoven.”
Brandenburg Letter 2164; Albrecht Letter 433. This relates to the row that Ludwig and Karl had (in front of Holz) on Sunday, in which Ludwig accused Karl of stealing 10 florins that was intended to pay off the laundry worker, through Matthias Schlemmer, Karl’s landlord. The original letter is held by the Bonn Beethovenhaus (NE 145) and it can be seen here:
https://www.beethoven.de/de/media/view/4742999183458304/scan/0
Either today or tomorrow, Beethoven visits Nephew Karl at his rooms with the Schlemmer family. He makes a joke to Nephew Karl about a young man, probably Karl himself, saying he has foam [Barm] instead of a beard [Bart.]
Karl is in no mood for humor and is still quite angry about the accusations of embezzlement made on Sunday. “You consider it insolence if after you have upbraided me for hours undeservedly, this time at least, I cannot turn from my bitter feeling of pain to jocularity. I am not so frivolous as you think. I can assure you that since the scene on Sunday in the presence of this fellow [unpaid assistant Karl Holz] I have been so depressed that the people in the [Schlemmer] house noticed it. The receipt for the 80 florins [for the rental of Karl’s rooms from the Schlemmers] which were paid in May I now positively know, after a search at home, that I gave you, as I already said on Sunday; it must and no doubt will be found.”
Karl begins doing his computations homework; and Ludwig calls him insolent again, suggesting that Karl does not begin his homework until he sees his uncle. Karl responds, “If I continue to work while you are here, it is not in the spirit of insolence, but rather because I believe that you will not be offended if I do not permit your presence to keep me from my labors, which are now really piling up on me, all the more so since we see each other here, where there is time enough to talk over all needful things. You are mistaken, too, when you think that I wait for your coming before I become industrious.”
Karl continues, “You also seem to accept as my views what I repeat to you as the opinions of others, such as for example the words of Haslinger and the twaddle of Frau Passy. — I know very well what to think of such gossip, but did consider it my duty to inform you about it. — I hope that what I have said will serve to convince you of my real views and feelings and put an end to the strain that has existed of late between us, though not on my side by any means.”
Conversation Book 113, 3v-5v.