BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Tuesday, May 13, 1823

Beethoven suffers from diarrhea today (thanks to last night’s radicchio with butter), but Ludwig and Johann nevertheless visit the country apartment in Hetzendorf. Ludwig is having second thoughts, forcing Johann to remind him of the good points. The servants will not be as close, so you can talk without them eavesdropping. “I could never have wished for a better or more beautiful apartment than this one in Hetzendorf.” Johann cannot resist mentioning that his estate at Gneixendorf has the kitchen on the ground level and there are 24 rooms above it.

Moritz Lichnowsky would like to come and stay with Johann, but he is leery of the idea. With grand gentlemen it’s not good. He sits all day at billiards. He has an apartment in Pensing, but Lichnowsky’s wife would rather be with Therese van Beethoven out in the country.

After they return to the City, Schindler comes by Beethoven’s apartment. The shoemaker wants 14 fl. 20 kr. for a pair of short boots. But he will make them the way Beethoven likes them, light and trim. Johann has boots made for him at his estate; he pays 4 fl. 30 kr. for the upper leather, and then he gets four and a half years of use out of them.

Schindler would like to have the Variations, presumably to return them to Diabelli.

Conversation Book 32, 44v-46r.

S.A. Steiner advertises in today’s Wiener Zeitung a Polonaise for piano four hands, op.24, by Joseph Czerny, op.24, as well as his op.25, Variations on a Favorite Ecossaise for piano. Joseph Czerny was Nephew Karl’s piano teacher for several years.