BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Wednesday, November 19, 1823 (approximately)

Beethoven is visited by Franz Ludwig Carbon, who had been Beethoven’s landlord in Mödling a few summers ago. His wife is recovering in the care of Dr. Türkheim. The doctor is an old friend of his wife’s.

Carbon has a request of Beethoven. Archduke Rudolph’s personal physician Dr. Johann Hubertus has an apartment. While Rudolph is in his seat at Olmütz, Hubertus is always with him there, and his apartment always stands empty. [Rudolph, an epileptic, was in frail health throughout his life, and it is no surprise that he would keep his doctor nearby at all times.]

Ludwig suggests that he will see what he can do, and Carbon asks him not to go do a great deal of inconvenience. But for the last year and a half, Hubertus is always at Rudolph’s in Olmütz. Carbon makes a polite inquiry about Karl’s studies. [Nephew Karl is at his classes at the University.]

Conversation Book 45, 4v-5r.

Later that afternoon, Beethoven makes notes of advertisements in the newspaper, including the book The Art of Shooting by Forest Master Thon, mountain potatoes, and a played out fortepiano for sale for a mere 300 fl. W.W. Flannel clothing isn’t warm enough for Beethoven, and he thinks he should get some lamb’s skin.

Conversation Book 45, 32v-33r.

In the evening, Karl comes by Uncle Ludwig’s apartment, since there is suspicion that the new housekeeper who started four days ago has stolen money. Karl goes through the accounts. The meat was as she said, but it was roasted at the baker’s, and it got ruined there. Karl thinks that she is honest but her accounting is sloppy; she lost account of more money than Ludwig thinks she pocketed. Ludwig asks if he should keep her, and Karl says, no, “get rid of her today yet – it is all the same to me.” He has already put out a request at the boarding house where he eats, and he’ll ask again about getting another woman.

Karl reproaches himself somewhat, since he should have foreseen that Uncle Ludwig would never believe in her eagerness or honesty, since he had that preconceived opinion even before he employed her. They get into a bit of an argument; Uncle Ludwig accuses Karl of being silent about her issues. Karl is having none of this; he raised the question as soon as he found out about it yesterday, and inquired about the cost of three bundles of straw [for the mattresses] she bought with the shopkeeper. He learned that she gave some of the money to a blind woman. Uncle Ludwig asks why Karl didn’t tell him earlier. Karl gets impatient, “I just wrote down for you that I learned about it only yesterday; therefore I could not tell you earlier.”

Ludwig thinks that this is an accusation, which Karl denies. He only wanted to indicate that she was honorable. Ludwig asks why, and Karl says she did the maid’s work. She washed, got wine from the City, carried water and wood, got the medicines and helped with the cooking, which the maid would do otherwise. Uncle Ludwig asks what she is owed; Karl says four days, which would come to two florins. Karl had so much to do he did not give her 30 kreuzers yesterday, since at that time Uncle Ludwig said it was much too much.

“I only want to show that she must not be as completely corrupt as you believe, since she never ventured to write down what she really paid, because she feared that what she paid would appear to you to be too much.” She has written a letter, but Karl didn’t read it, and he can’t say anything about it. “I just think that you are carrying your mistrust too far.”

As it happens, a woman who would like to be employed as a housekeeper comes to the door. “She learned by accident that you need someone and is therefore inquiring.” That seems to resolve the issue, and Karl heads back to his lodgings.

Conversation Book 45, 33v-36v.

Beethoven writes a short undated note to copyist Wenzel Rampl, possibly today, telling him to come early tomorrow despite his Court obligations. “Go to the devil with your merciful Lord; God alone can be called merciful.” Beethoven has already taken on the maid that Rampl sent. If only she would inspire honesty and devotion to him equal to her keeping things in order and her punctuality.

Brandenburg Letter 1753, Anderson Letter 1335. The original is held by the Bonn Beethovenhaus as NE 109, and can be seen here:

https://www.beethoven.de/en/media/view/5462753393246208/scan/0

If this note is sent today, Rampl is unable to come. Instead, Karl is sent to pick up the copying work from Rampl’s wife tomorrow. It’s difficult to date this note with much precision since Beethoven was both getting copies of the Missa Solemnis to review regularly for the subscriptions, and late November is a revolving door of maids and housekeepers at an even more frenetic rate than usual for Beethoven. The stability provided by the “old woman” Barbara Holzmann in the household is sorely missed.