BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Wednesday, August 9, 1826

Unpaid assistant Karl Holz went earlier today to check on whether the interest coupons could be signed there by the director of the Viennese Deposit Office. But he reports to Beethoven that he was told to come back tomorrow, because Herr Director was not there yet. So he will have to go tomorrow to the cash desk, and resubmit everything again. “I never would have supposed such inefficiency.”

Beethoven complains about housekeeper Marie Stiegel’s cooking. Holz notes that she says the cook on the first floor is a worse cook than she is.

Uncle Ludwig is still concerned about whether Nephew Karl will be criminally charged for attempting suicide. Holz tries to reassure him that it is out of the police’s hands; they can no longer bring criminal charges. It might go to the criminal branch of the magistrate’s office, but he will not be punished severely there. “Nothing will happen to him; however, the priest will have to appeal to his conscience.” Beethoven asks Holz to tell him more about the religious instruction Karl will have to undergo. “He will not be released, even if it takes years, before he has passed a complete examination in religious instruction.” What is the basis for that, Beethoven asks. That’s how it is according to the civil code, Holz answers. When will that likely begin, then? “While he is in the hospital, he will not be instructed by a priest, because any mental effort might be dangerous at the moment.”

If Beethoven will be finished with the latest round of proofreading of the Quartet op.130 by tomorrow morning, Holz will come then and pick it up. Holz then departs.

Later in the day, Beethoven goes to see Karl’s landlord Matthias Schlemmer. Beethoven tells him that Joseph Niemetz never showed up with the letter from Karl that he was supposed to provide. Schlemmer agrees, Niemetz did not come to Beethoven’s place, as Schlemmer had told Beethoven Niemetz would do when Schlemmer dropped off Karl’s things. When Schlemmer returned home, Niemetz was there. Schlemmer asked him how things were, and whether he had brought Beethoven the letters, “but he said no, he had delivered them to the police.” This frightens Beethoven, who expects the police will use the letters as evidence against Karl. Schlemmer tries to reassure him that the police will not investigate the case until Karl has recovered. [The unstated implication is that they would not want to waste their time if he dies, which cannot have pleased Beethoven either. Both parties spell the name as “Nemetz.”]

Schlemmer mourns, “If only Niemetz had brought you the letter, perhaps he has spoken openly in it. As it was supposed to have been his last one, he must have given a reason.” Beethoven scolds him for talking ill of Karl. Schlemmer answers, “I do not talk about bad things; I only think he gave a reason for what he did.”

Then Schlemmer makes a curious comment: “He is supposed to have known her for 8 days.” [Was there a woman involved in Karl’s despondency? Did he get her pregnant during a short relationship? Later comments will suggest that may have been the case, which seems to have been overlooked as a possibility by most biographers.]

Beethoven asks if Karl was truly always railing against him? Schlemmer answers diplomatically, “He did not rail, but he complained that he is always having trouble. What is he going to do now? Things were going too well for him. When a young person received an education at an institution, it ought to be made a rule that he cannot leave until he is 24 or 25 years old. If it happens earlier, and they get to know the world, then not a devil could do anything about them.” Beethoven, probably upset by this conversation, takes his leave.

Possibly at a coffee shop, or later at his apartment (which seems more likely, as Beethoven does not write his responses), Beethoven meets with former unpaid assistant Anton Schindler, who sympathizes with him and asks when it happened. Beethoven tells him that it was Sunday morning. Schindler, awkward as always, comments, “He is to be pitied, though, but for him the tragedy is greater that he is alive than if he were dead. — There is a reason for this, and he will learn that too.

Beethoven tells Schindler that Breuning has recommended that Karl be allowed to take up a military career. Schindler says that can be limited, once the colonel has a look at him, suggesting Karl does not have the build for a proper soldier. [A later drawing of young Karl as a soldier, courtesy of the Bonn Beethovenhaus, bears out Schindler’s opinion. Note also the hair covering the scar on his left temple.]

Beethoven says he is considering giving up Karl’s guardianship. “I am afraid that the grief and distress you had by this incident has been doubled, rather than decreased,” Schindler agrees. “If you were able to free yourself from him eventually, that would be the best for your health and for your tranquility, which you will need more and more. Because as demoralized as he is already, his character afterwards does not promise any turn for the better for — because — unfortunately! he is intelligent, and has been misled by adopted principles [Schindler then crosses out the phrase “which belong in hell.”]

Beethoven considers whether Breuning having a co-guardian would suffice. Schindler, who has had some experience in a law office, suggests that would not be a good idea. “If it is a man who understands what he is doing, it is best with one guardian instead of 2.” It is bad enough that Beethoven has to pay for it. It’s up to the police to take care of such misguided people.

Beethoven fears that Karl now hates him, and then what will become of him? Schindler tells him, “If it stays like that, then there is every reason to fear the future. If he does not feel any remorse or love and affection in this unfortunate situation, it will not come back later.” Schindler then departs, leaving Beethoven with his bleak thoughts.

Conversation Book 117, 8v-12v.

The Intelligenz-Blatt supplement to today’s Leipzig Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung (Nr.32) includes a brief mention of the publication by Nikolaus Simrock in Bonn of Beethoven’s Fidelio, described as a “Lyric drama in 3 [sic] Acts” in complete score, for 20 thalers.

Today’s Berliner Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung (Nr.32) at 253 (the front page of that issue) contains a review of Beethoven’s setting of Opferlied, op.121, on Matthison’s poem, for solo voice and choir with a small orchestral accompaniment, published by B. Schott.

“It is well known that Beethoven has never paid much attention to the treatment of words in his vocal compositions; he was content to grasp the content of the text in its entirety, and to reproduce it through music. But in his more recent compositions, he also seems to have become more indifferent to the purity of the text, which often places his great admirers (to being one, the writer happily confesses) in no small embarrassment. For who would not rather believe that he does not fully grasp the work of such a great master, than to pass an absolute judgment on it?”

“This work consists of a movement in E major, C, in slow motion. The solo voice (soprano) begins in the second bar, accompanied only by wind instruments; after 18 bars, the choir enters with the string instruments. Then the solo voice continues once again, to whose accompaniment now a cello figure joins in, which also remains until the end, when the choir re-enters with the quartet. The solo instruments, with discreet accompaniment, will certainly have a good effect, with the exception of the following passage [the writer quotes two segments of the soprano part, “Weihrauch düfte wallen” at bars 8-10, and “Luft, Erde, Feu’r und Fluthen” at bars 42-46.]”

“The entry of the chorus, as well as the treatment of the instruments, is excellent, as can only be expected from Beethoven.”

“What we said previously about the composer’s more recent works in general also applies to this one. Beethoven often sacrifices the intelligibility of the harmonic sequences to his voice leading. In general, it might be difficult to quantize a Beethoven bass; however, this is not the place to go into it further, since similar remarks have already been made so often.”

“The piano reduction does not appear to have been made by Beethoven, because otherwise it would probably be more complete.” [In fact, it was Beethoven’s piano version, Hess 91.]

“The engraving of this work is good and fairly accurate.”

Bodil Arnesen sings the Opferlied op.121b, with Karl Anton Richenbacher conducting the Rundkfunk Sinfonieorchester Berlin and Runkfunkchor Berlin:

A letter from Vienna dated March of 1826 printed at 258-259 of today’s Berliner AMZ gives an overview of the pieces played by the Schuppanzigh Quartet during its last subscription series. The works by Beethoven performed are as follows: Adelaide; Trio in G (No.2); Pianoforte-Trio in B-flat; Quartets in E-flat (op.71), in D (No.4), in G (No.2), in E-flat (still in manuscript); Pianoforte Quintet in C major (op.29); finally a very fresh, recently completed quartet in B-flat [op.130], containing the following movements: 1) Allegro moderato; 2) Presto; 3) Scherzo Andantino; 4) Alla danza tedesca; 5) Cavatina; 6) Fuga.

“The genius composer’s universal mastery, his inexhaustible treasure trove of melodic and harmonic beauties, are once again brilliantly demonstrated in this latest of his offspring. Each of the individual components, especially the four intermediate movements, in terms of their structure and development, is the epitome of originality and they compete with one another in whimsy, humor, and conviviality. In Nos. 2 and 4, a captivating magic reigns, which plunges everyone into ecstasy and made a repetition inevitable.”

“This delight was somewhat dampened by the harsh seriousness of the fugato Finale, in contrast to the previous lovely melodies. It might be a unique pleasure to contemplate this movement, from which contrapuntal treasures flow as if from a fountain of abundance, on paper. But after listening to a production that is by no means entirely flawless, it would be impossible to fathom all the wondrous winding paths and almost abstract combinations.”

This same letter at 260 of the Berliner AMZ also mentions that the interesting Concerts spirituels in Vienna included performances of the symphonies by Beethoven in C minor [Nr.5] and B-flat major [Nr.4], and his latest Overture [probably the Name-Day Overture, op.115.]

Frederic Chopin today travels to Bad Reinerz in Lower Silesia, along with his mother and two sisters Emilia and Ludwika. Emilia is there for treatment for tuberculosis. Frederic eventually develops the disease himself, possibly catching it from Emilia, though his exposure to a large number of those afflicted with the disease at this spa makes any source inconclusive.