BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Wednesday, August 28, 1822

Beethoven dismisses his housekeeper from Unterdöbling today after just 29 days of service. Since Beethoven will be leaving for Baden bei Wein within the next few days, this removal is awkward for him.

In today’s Wiener Zeitung at p.771, S.A. Steiner & Co. advertises the New Sonata in A-flat for the pianoforte by Ludwig van Beethoven, op.110. In addition, the Scottish Songs with English and German Text with piano trio accompaniment, op.108 (in three volumes) are also offered. These appear to be the earliest advertisements for both of these works in the Viennese press. The latter set bears the rather hefty price of 23 florins W.W. (compared to 4 fl. 20 kr. W.W. for the sonata). Both works were published by the Schlesingers, op.110 in Paris by Moritz and op.108 in Berlin by his father Adolph.

Today’s issue of the Leipzig Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung (Nr. 35) includes a report of the Strasbourg Dilettanten-Verein 12-concert season from October 28, 1821 through March 24, 1822, held on Sundays between 11 am and 1 pm. Among the many works performed by this group of amateurs included Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy, op.80, with piano played by Madame Conrad, and the Seventh Symphony.