BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Tuesday, November 8, 1825

Nephew Karl joins his uncle at probably around 6 p.m. Uncle Ludwig asks why he is so late. Karl answers, “My classes are all divided up. My tutor comes from 7:30 until 8:30. Then lectures from 9 to 11. In the afternoon, a lecture from 3 to 5. From 5 to 6 I have an hour, and in the evening I do all my homework.” Therefore, Uncle Ludwig should not expect to see Karl before 5 on weekdays. It will always be the way it was today, perhaps a quarter of an hour later.

Beethoven makes a number of financial computations involving 25 florins, and half that amount, 12 florins 30 kreutzers.

At a coffeehouse, Nephew Karl suggests that his uncle could order chocolate without vanilla. They will have it for 2 to 3 florins, or even more.

Conversation Book 98, 13v-14r. This would be the first occasion that Karl was visiting his uncle after classes; he had advised that he would not be able to come at all yesterday.