BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Wednesday, April 19, 1826

Unpaid assistant Karl Holz visits the Musik-Verein library at the Sign of the Red Hedgehog today on behalf of Beethoven, who is looking for authentic ancient Hebrew music for use in the planned biblical oratorio Saul. Holz then goes to Beethoven’s apartment to report what he has found. “In connection with the works of old Hebrew music, I have learned that the library of the Verein has such books; therefore, I spoke to the Secretary, who will compile a list of everything about this subject, and then you can always ask for what you want.”

There is apparently an issue with something, possibly meat, not being fresh. Holz went to complain about it, and the shopkeeper snapped dryly at Holz and said it was already too late and no use any more. Holz thinks that up there one does not always get fresh things.

[A leaf appears to have been torn out of this Conversation Book, and is currently held at the Bonn Beethovenhaus as BH 53, pages 33-34, which we insert here.] Holz met Iganz von Seyfried at a concert by violinist Josef Slawik (1806-1833) on Sunday, April 9. “He played a concerto in F-sharp minor: the first modulation was towards A major; Seyfried turned to me and said: odd, suddenly he goes from G minor to A major!

Holz observes that Beethoven has written many overtures in the key of C: The first for Leonore [op.138], Prometheus [op.43], Coriolan [op.62], the one in 6/8 [Name Day Overture op.115] and the one at Schott’s [Consecration of the House, op.124.] He notes that Mylord [violinist Ignaz Schuppanzigh] played the overture to Coriolan at his concert 2 years ago. “You will not easily get to hear it played that well again; there were 4 violoncelli players.” [Holz’s memory is a little flawed. The concert he is speaking of was held in May of 1823, nearly 3 years ago, and there were 5 cellists playing, including Joseph Linke of the Schuppanzigh Quartet.]

The housekeeper is pouring water into an empty bottle. She complained today again about getting bad meat. The butchers are very rude to her there, and she will have to get meat somewhere else. There is something to be said about both the housekeeper and the maid; one is young and has a lot of lovers, and the housekeeper also has one. It’s much better if she’s not pretty. But there are only a few of those, she says.

Conversation Book 108, 49v-50r; BH 53 33-34.

Today’s Leipzig Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung Nr.16 at 260 continues the account of concerts given in early winter in Magdeburg from last week’s edition. This installment makes mention of an overture by Beethoven in C major (the older one). [By “the older one” probably is meant the Leonore Overture Nr.3.]

The same issue of the AMZ includes at 266-269 a report of concerts given in Nuremberg between May 1825 and Easter of 1826. Among the works performed there during this period was the Beethoven Septet in the third theater concert. Also performed there was the Terzet and final chorus from Beethoven’s Christus am Oelberge, op.85.