BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Tuesday, May 9, 1826 (approximately)

After a break of a little over two weeks of lost conversation books, Conversation Book 110 begins being used about today. This is a volume of 58 leaves, the first and last three pages of which are blank, other than red X’s drawn on two of them by Anton Schindler. He correctly identified this book as belonging to “Spring, 1826.” Unlike most prior books, there are very few items that can be dated with complete certainty. This book continues to be used until about June 4 or 5. The task of determining the chronology is made more complicated by the fact that Conversation Book 111 starts being used simultaneously with this one on May 22 and they both continue being used until June 1. Some of the dates as a result are necessarily approximate and speculative.

Beethoven begins by noting a column of monetary numbers. He is interrupted by the housekeeper, who asks whether he wants poached eggs on his salad.

Later, the room cleaner arrives. This seems to be Beethoven’s only visitor today, since the other entries are all by the housekeeper, relating to Beethoven’s meals.

For supper, she asks him whether he wants two chops tonight, and what he would like in his soup.

Conversation Book 110, 1v.