BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Wednesday, September 27, 1826

Beethoven is making preparations to go with Nephew Karl to stay with Brother Johann at his estate in Gneixendorf for a few days, before Karl enlists in the army.

Ludwig and Karl work on the metronome markings for the Ninth Symphony this morning. These are seen in the attached details from Conversation Book 122, 11v and 12r.

Beethoven writes in the first marking “1:ter Allo 88” [He does not indicate what note this corresponds to.]

Karl then writes down the following metronome markings:

“2ter 116 [half notes]
[3rd movement] Adagio 1st tempo 60 [half notes]
Andante mod. 63. [quarter note]
[4th movement] Presto 66 [dotted half notes] 3/4.
Tempo del 1mo Allegro. 88.
Finale 80 [half notes]
84. 6/8.
And. maestoso 72 [half notes]
60 [half notes]
Allo energico 84 6/4 [dotted half notes]

Allo ma non tanto – 120 [half notes]
— 132 [66 and quarter note is crossed out]
[“double 80 would be” is crossed out]
F[inale] — 88
[“80 = whole note” is crossed out] 60
132 is the same tempo, only in half notes (two counts), which would be better.”

Karl will need to insert the markings into the score being bound.

Brother Johann tries to inspire his brother Ludwig: “Now is a wonderful time for traveling, so let’s leave tomorrow, for the weather won’t last long because we are far along in the year, and at my place everything would be ruined if I do not come.

Nephew Karl will make arrangements with the housekeeper to have her things sent for. He will take care of paying her.

Johann continues, “The countryside will do you much good. You cannot imagine the difference.”

Karl notes that they will have to go to the hospital and get a refund of the charges between his discharge last Monday and October 6, which was prepaid.

Ludwig asks why Johann is so anxious. Karl tells him that Johann is afraid that the weather will change. The trip will be an overnight journey, so they will have to stay at an inn along the way. Ludwig shouldn’t bring a lot of clothes, just some linens. Johann only wears linen trousers at home. He can get anything he needs at nearby Krems.

When will Johann want to leave tomorrow morning? At 8 o’clock at the latest, Karl suggests.

Ludwig asks Karl about the priest at the hospital yesterday. Karl clarifies that the priest did not come until Karl had arrived at the police station. Brother Johann will go to the hospital to collect the refund, but Ludwig will need to go with him because they won’t give him the money otherwise. How much would the refund come to? About 36 20-kreutzer coins, Karl suggests.

Karl asks his uncle if it would bother him if he smokes.

Brother Johann joins them. Ludwig would like the bound Ninth Symphony for the King of Prussia to go to Dr. Spiker before he leaves tomorrow. Johann thinks that it won’t be ready within 8 days, even if it had gone to the bookbinder yesterday.

Johann suggests that Karl join the general and the colonel, and with his eloquence and talent for music, it should be easy for him to get along with them. Johann suggests that they go to the hospital immediately to collect the money, and in the meantime, Karl can work on drafts of the two letters to the King of Prussia and Schott’s.

Karl tells Ludwig that Johann thinks the symphony needs to be sent to Haslinger tomorrow morning with a note; in case of emergency, Johann will go there himself. Now they can write the necessary letters so that they will be finished tomorrow, for Johann absolutely does not want to wait any longer than till tomorrow morning. Johann suggests that they write to Haslinger now as well.

Beethoven writes to Haslinger regarding the dedication of the Ninth Symphony to King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia. “I thank you — I ask you to show me how the dedication should be made out — Could you transfer it [the bound score] to Dr. [Samuel Heinrich] Spiker? I am going away from here tomorrow — and will probably stay away long enough that I won’t see [Dr. Spiker] again — Have you not heard from the embassy whether they agree with this plan?”

“Your most devoted Beethoven.”

Brandenburg Letter 2212; Anderson Letter 1528. At the time that Sieghard Brandenburg’s edition of the Letters was assembled, the letter was in Braunschweig in the collection of Prof. Dr. Halter Henn. Haslinger notes the letter as received today, and that he responded the same day. Although Haslinger’s reply [Brandenburg Letter 2213] does not survive, he no doubt wrote out for Beethoven some suggested language for the letter of dedication. Nephew Karl will probably use this as the basis of a draft for the letter later today.

After they return from the hospital, Karl is tasked with writing the metronome markings into the score. In the score (today at the Berlin Staatsbibliothek, mus. Ms. Autogr. Beeth. 30), the metronome markings are entered by Karl. He asks his uncle for some work that has metronome markings already, so he can use that as an example of the form he should use. Ludwig suggests that the last tempo he indicated be 120. Karl tells him that he takes it faster than 120. Ludwig asks what he set it at this morning, and Karl tells him 132.

Ludwig has some portable food; Johann suggests that he save it for the journey tomorrow, since he will likely be more hungry as they travel. “I’ll be here with the coach at 9 o’clock, so that you have time to write the letter to the king.” Johann reminds him to include a mention “that I am one of Your Majesty’s subjects.”

Two leaves, probably torn from the conversation book here, are held by the Bonn Beethovenhaus as part of manuscript BH 53, pages 13-16. Ludwig is excited about the idea of getting the Order of the Red Eagle from the King of Prussia. Karl notes that Gluck was also a knight.

Karl suggests that Ludwig could dictate the letter to the King to him, and then they will be finished tomorrow. The draft written by Karl in the conversation book is: “Your Majesty! It gives me much pleasure in my life to be allowed the honor of dedicating the present work to Your Majesty.”

“Y.M. are not only the father of your subjects, but also art and science; and so much more I must be pleased by your permission as I am so happy as to count myself as one of your subjects, being a citizen of Bonn.”

“I ask Y.M. to accept most graciously this work as a small sign of my veneration, with which I pay tribute to your virtues.”

“I am honored to be your Y.M.’s humble L v B.”

Beethoven makes a note, matching that in the previous letter to Schott’s, that at the end of the Maggiore section of the Scherzo to the Ninth Symphony, the sign for the Dal Segno is missing. He quotes the first violin part to make it clear what he is indicating.

Karl adds some more ideas for the letter to the King: “Only everywhere most gracious and highest and your most humble and most submissive”
“All your subjects”
“I am with deepest reverence”
“Y.M.”
“Most submissive and obedient.”

Karl presumably also writes a draft letter to Schott’s on other paper. The final version will be written tomorrow morning before they depart, and will be discussed then.

The housekeeper will get paid 12 florins 36 kreutzers. She also already has 7 florins to pay for Karl’s white cap that has been ordered.

Conversation Book 122, 12v-15v; BH 53 pp.13-16 [15ar-15bv].