BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Wednesday, May 4, 1825

Johann comes by Ludwig’s apartment. He saw Count Dietrichstein, who sends many greetings and hopes to hear Ludwig’s new grand oratorio [Der Sieg des Kreuzes] this upcoming winter.

Ludwig brings up Carl Lippert, the opera singer, as being Karl’s new landlord. Karl corrects him, no, that’s the wrong Lippert. The one Karl was talking about yesterday is Laurenz Lippert. But as it turns out, Reisser of the Polytechnic Institute preferred other lodgings for Karl, with another government official, Matthias Schlemmer (b.1783).

Ludwig is looking forward to the wines of Baden. Johann suggests he could also obtain those wines at the restauranteur in Baden, or in the Casino. Johann tells them that they grow very good mountain wine grapes in that area. He will investigate which are the best. Johann’s brother-in-law, the baker Leopold Obermayer, sometimes has bought wine from them.

As Ludwig was packing up his things for the move, he ran across some old marches that he had been trying to sell without success. Karl (probably on Johann’s behalf) asks how many there are. There are four [WoO 18, 19, 20 and 24]. Karl confirms that they are for orchestra [actually, Harmonie or wind band, though the wind section of an orchestra could certainly play them as well.] Ludwig wonders how much he should ask for them. Johann suggests 25 ducats. They can be offered to Schott in Mainz, and if they accept he should take the money right away.

There is some more discussion about Schanz, the piano mover. He vouches that the piano will make it to Baden safely. Taking it with his wagon will also get it there more quickly. Johann thinks that the old woman [housekeeper Barbara Holzmann] should go along with it. It should travel to Baden at the same time as the other wagon with Ludwig’s belongings. But Ludwig should go out earlier and meet the wagons. Johann will take care of everything here in Vienna.

There is mention of Ludwig’s friend of his youth, Franz Wegeler, now a doctor. He served as a guardian for someone and sold everything.

Johann also has some music gossip. Young female virtuoso Leopoldine Blahetka is on a concert tour of Europe, and has given two concerts in Munich. Publisher and music dealer Sigmund A. Steiner is in Leipzig for the trade fair, so Tobias Haslinger is left here in Vienna to mind the shop. Duport is rumored to be buying the Theater an der Wien; he has shown he has a million florins W.W. of capital. [The Theater an der Wien has been in serious financial trouble for some time now, due to the profligacy of its owner, Count Palffy.]

Joseph Bernard, editor of the Wiener Zeitung and librettist for Der Sieg des Kreuzes, spoke to Johann. Bernard plans to come here before Ludwig departs, or else will come to Baden once Ludwig has moved. Johann loaned a copy of the Stuttgart Morgenblatt to Bernard, and wants it back. Bernard is still talking about another oratorio for which he had written the libretto [the cantata Europens Befreyungsstunde, or Europe’s Hour of Emancipation, Unv 17, from 1814], and claims that Ludwig has almost completed the music, but it has not been passed by the censor. [Bernard does not know what he’s talking about. The censor did refuse to allow the cantata to be performed back in 1814, probably because it was virulently anti-French and would not have been appropriate for the Congress of Vienna. However, beyond a few sketches found in the Grasnick 20b sketchbook and on a few scattered leaves, Ludwig did nothing with the cantata.] Bernard thinks now would be the right time and right place for it.

Johann suggests that Ludwig sign the bill of exchange with Fries; he doesn’t think they’ll need anything else.

Johann has something to do right now, but he suggests Ludwig might like to go for a drive in the Prater. Ludwig can drink a chocolate there, and he’ll get some fresh and healthy air. Ludwig likes that idea, so Johann says he will return at 4 o’clock. But Johann returns a little later and says it’s already 3:30 and taking a walk in the City is not worth the trouble.

While he’s gone, Ludwig asks Karl what Johann is doing. It seems he’s buying new horses, and he had something to do on the ground floor.

Karl notes down the dishes for tomorrow’s dinner: Brown soup, meat, pastry, and vegetables on the side. He makes a shopping list of marrow, a printed stamp for the doctor, wild game meat and Juniper. Ludwig falls asleep and Karl goes to run errands. When he returns, Ludwig asks what happened to him. Karl says he had to go, and didn’t want to awaken his uncle.

Conversation Book 88, 7a, 20r and 21r. Because the pages are bound out of order, the dating of many of today’s events is speculative but we have attempted a chronology that makes sense, building on the work of the German editors and Theodore Albrecht.

The May Intelligenz-Blatt supplement (Nr. IV) to today’s Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung (Nr.18) at 17 contains an invitation from B. Schott’s Sons music publishers in Mainz for subscriptions to the three newest great works of L. van Beethoven, namely the Missa solemnis in D major; Grand Overture in C major; and Symphony with Chorus (op.123, 124, and 125, respectively.) Because of the importance of this announcement, the description is given here in full:

“The genius of harmony is particularly favorable in our time. Hardly does a shining star go out in the musical sky, hardly do the tones of an ingenious composer fall silent, than another genius shines to replace the lamented loss. Mozart and Haydn faded away, then providence gave us a Beethoven who adds his own completely worthy compositions to their immortal works, and shares admiration at their side. The originality of his harmony, the sweetness and appeal of his modulations is unsurpassable and flows purely from the fullness of his rich genius.

The undersigned music shop is delighted to be able to offer to art lovers the long-awaited enjoyment of the most excellent of his compositions.

These much admired works will appear in the following forms:

1. The grand Missa solennis
   a) in complete score,
   b) in orchestral parts, and
   c) in piano arrangement with vocal parts.
2. The Overture for grand orchestra
   d) in complete score,
   e) in orchestral parts.
3. The grand Symphony with choral and solo voices on Schiller’s “Lied an die Freude”
   f) in complete score,
   g) in orchestral parts.

all with the corresponding ripien or doubling voices.

The whole thing will be distributed this year. The publishers see it as one of their most splendid duties to produce such delicious works extremely correctly, and in beautiful engraving on elegant paper.

In order to make it as easy as possible for the public to acquire these harmonic treasures, the path of subscription is opened up under the following conditions: One may subscribe to all the works together, i.e., to the entire edition, or even just one or a few of the same. E.g., just the score of the Mass without the parts, or just this one without those, or just the piano reduction, etc.

However, since the number of sheets required cannot yet be specified exactly, it is only generally stated that each printed sheet will not cost more than ten Rhenish Kreutzers. After the subscription period, which will remain open until the end of October this year, there will be a significantly increased retail price.

In order to be included amongst the subscribers, it is sufficient to write the number of copies to which the subscription is intended to apply on the attached subscription sheet. For example, cross out anything that is not required, sign the paper yourself, and send it to the publisher. You are requested to write your name and place of residence clearly and unambiguously, because the directory of the subscribers is important, and will be printed with the works.

You can also subscribe in any respectable book or music shop.

Mainz, April 20th, 1825.

B. Schott’s Sons“