An applicant for the constantly-turning-over housekeeper position shows up, and tells Beethoven that she understands cooking. Karl adds that she lives in Mariahilf with Frau Seiss. He has made an appointment with another candidate for tomorrow; she came to him earlier today, but could not come today. She says that …
Nephew Karl stops by the apartment in the Schwarzspanierhaus briefly. His uncle invites him to mid-day dinner. “I cannot possibly stay for lunch, because I have written exams in the afternoon, every Friday; actually, I only came to see you and partly also because I have run out of pens …
Beethoven was to go to dinner with his friend Stephen von Breuning and his family this evening, but there is no reflection of that in the surviving conversation book. They may have used a separate book that no longer survives. Beethoven’s publisher in Mainz, B. Schott’s Sons, writes a letter …
Uncle Ludwig is feeling his compositions are unappreciated. Nephew Karl, who is with him, tries to cheer him up. “So many proofs you have about your works being praised and admired and—paid for; you should long ago be above such anxiety.” The current housekeeper, Elise Seidl, says she cannot make …
The candidate to serve as a maid, Marie Stiegel, arrives. She says she was sent by the bread seller. The housekeeper, Elise Seidl approves, saying, “She looks neat and lives with her husband.” Seidl would like to get a table cloth. Conversation Book 110, 55v. This concludes Conversation Book 110. …
The housekeeper, Elise Seidl, has to run out for an errand and tells Beethoven she will be back soon. Beethoven goes to a coffee house and reads today’s newspapers. He makes a note of an advertisement for “pique bedding in the English style.” Conversation Book 110, 55v. On the back …
A stray leaf torn from a conversation book that was used today or tomorrow survives at the Bonn Beethovenhaus, BH 53 pages 11-12. Unpaid assistant Karl Holz is talking to Beethoven about someone unidentified, who has been commissioned by the Musikverein to write a biography of Ignaz von Mosel. “He …
Nephew Karl visits his uncle to straighten out the maid situation for Ludwig. He has arranged for a new maid candidate [Marie Stiegel] to come, and if Uncle Ludwig finds her proper, he can take her on at once; Karl spoke to Frau Schlemmer yesterday, and she confirmed that this …
The new housekeeper, Elise Seidl, starts work today for Beethoven. The first order of business is shopping. She has Beethoven take a look at the pantry with her, so they can go through and see what is needed and she will go shopping. Since the most recent kitchen maid was …
Nephew Karl visits Uncle Ludwig today. He gives Ludwig at least two pair of gloves from Brother Johann. One pair cannot be cleaned at home; the other gloves can be. Karl observes that the maid washed her feet in the water bucket, and the kettle is leaking. Uncle Ludwig asks …
Nephew Karl comes to see Uncle Ludwig today to help sort out the transition between servants. Elise Seidl is being interviewed again for a position as housekeeper, possibly having her cooking trial. Probably after she leaves, Beethoven wants unpaid assistant Karl Holz to deliver his answer to publisher Mathias Artaria …
Beethoven needs to decide whether or not to keep the maid on. Nephew Karl comes and talks to him, telling him that he needs to speak to the maid about it, because otherwise her time is up on Thursday, and he will have no servants at all on Friday and …
Nephew Karl joins his uncle for dinner. He has a line on a new maid, Marie Stiegel, who lives in the Neustift. The current maid is upset because she believed she was hired as a cook. Her sister shows up, and is even nastier, Karl says. They go out for …
Unpaid assistant Karl Holz comes to Beethoven’s apartment fairly early, apparently arriving before Nephew Karl. Poet Christoph Kuffner sends Beethoven many greetings; he is working on the libretto for Saul with heart and soul. Pianist Dorothea von Ertmann (1781-1849), to whom Beethoven dedicated the piano sonata op.110, is expected in …
Copyist Wenzel Rampl visits Beethoven about today. They talk about the strange weather they are having in Vienna; at the start of May it was cold, and now it is hot. [According to the May 30, 1826 Wiener Zeitung (Nr.121) at 516, the temperature in Vienna at 3 p.m. has …
The current housekeeper tells Beethoven that she knows both of the prospective housekeeper candidates that are under consideration. One of them cannot cook but the other cooks well. Karl joins his uncle as promised yesterday. Beethoven makes a note “No 5 Carp,” which is followed by some calligraphic doodling by …
Today is the Feast of Corpus Christi, which is a holiday in Vienna. Piano maker Conrad Graf stops by briefly to let Beethoven know that he will bring by the sound mechanism for the piano; if possible, he will come personally. Nephew Karl comes to see his uncle. Some prospective …
Beethoven reads today’s and yesterday’s newspapers, probably at a coffee house, and jots down several advertisements of interest, among them an advertisement for Spar’s shoe wax factory, a coffee and tea steaming machine, Men’s silk hats for 9 florins W.W., and pique bedding according to measure, at low prices. He …
Unpaid assistant Karl Holz comes to visit Beethoven with news that piano maker Conrad Graf intends to come tomorrow morning. He asks whether Beethoven will stay at home to meet him. He would have come earlier, but he had too much to do. Beethoven is annoyed with Holz’s friend, publisher …
Today, Conversation Book 111 begins being used. This book is used in tandem with Conversation Book 110 over the remainder of the month of May. Book 111 is a smaller volume of only 22 leaves. The leaves are bound out of order; the last four leaves (19-22) are used first, …