Sometime about now (between June 26 and the morning of June 28), pianist Dorothea von Ertmann and her husband Baron Stephan von Ertmann visit Beethoven. There are no conversations between them in surviving Conversation Book 113, but that book is nearly full and Beethoven probably started a new one with …
Today marks a critical juncture in the relationship between Ludwig and Nephew Karl as tensions heighten; Karl will later describe this as a “scene.” Ludwig starts an errand list: Unpaid assistant Karl Holz arrives at Beethoven’s apartment first. One of the members of Joseph Mayseder’s quartet, possibly cellist Joseph Merk, …
Nephew Karl comes to see his Uncle Ludwig today. Karl talked to his landlady, Frau Schlemmer, about the business with the leftovers yesterday. She has no faith in Passy to be a housekeeper any more. Ludwig grumbles that she wants to sleep at her own home. Karl observes, “It is …
Nephew Karl comes to see his uncle, who complains again about the new housekeeper, Elisabeth Passy, going home at night to take care of her crying children and her aged mother. Karl thinks it is good she is still not there on a permanent basis. Letting her sleep at home …
Beethoven starts another shopping list with “+ rose water,” then realizes he already wrote that on the list yesterday and crosses it out. Unpaid assistant Karl Holz briefly visits Beethoven to drop off some of the oratorio Saul for Beethoven to review. “He is working hard on the text, but …
An idea strikes Beethoven for the transition from the sixth movement to the seventh movement of the op.131 string quartet, and he jots it down with pencil in the conversation book on 29v, below the remark made yesterday about the death of Weber at age 40, as seen here Below …
Nephew Karl visits Uncle Ludwig this morning. Ludwig starts by interrogating Karl as to his whereabouts on Sunday, after he left the Schwarzspanierhaus, and whether he went back to his rooms. Karl insists that he did, and only later did he go out to an acquaintance to check their homework …
This morning, Beethoven is perusing his baptismal certificate that he acquired in 1810, looking at the Latin entries. He writes in the conversation book: septingetentesimus [sic] der 700Septugesimus the 70th septimus decimus 17thDecem et septem septem et decem 17 Frau Elisabeth Passy, the new housekeeper, is late for work on …
Beethoven works on a shopping and errand list (several items on this list had appeared at the end of the previous conversation book number 112): Nephew Karl comes to visit. He suggests that the maid, Marie Stiegel, not be oppressed. If she pays attention to the new housekeeper, Elisabeth Passy, …
Nephew Karl visits Uncle Ludwig today. He encountered prospective housekeeper Elisabeth Passy today. She had her letter of appointment from Beethoven and was going to show it to the cloth dealer Wolfmayer. [The latter, a strong supporter of Beethoven, may have been related to Passy.] Karl also mentions the encounter …
Beethoven is continuing to work on the op.131 string quartet in C-sharp minor, but it is probably nearing completion at this point. He puts sketches for the 7th movement of the quartet on leaf 39v of Conversation Book 112, in barely visible pencil; a detail from these sketches, enhanced for …
Beethoven works on an errand list relating to violinist Joseph Böhm: Beethoven goes out to mid-day dinner at a local restaurant or inn. Writer, composer and editor Friedrich August Kanne joins Beethoven. Kanne had recently written a libretto for the Kärntnertor Theater, Mainacht. Kanne appears to be unaware that the …
Beethoven makes a note that he needs new wicker chairs. Nephew Karl comes to visit. Uncle Ludwig asks whether the overcoats being repaired are ready from the tailor. Karl tells him that it has only been a couple of days. He had the tailor extend the old ones that were …
Nephew Karl comes to see his uncle as he had promised Sunday June 11 that he would do. He reports on Elisabeth Passy: “Today the housekeeper [candidate] who was here recently visited Frau Schlemmer [Karl’s landlady], in whom she found an old acquaintance; when she was still living in happier …
Beethoven works on a shopping list: Conversation Book 112, 21v. Part of today’s conversation book entries are found on two loose leaves held by the Bonn Beethovenhaus. BH 53, pp.35-38. The date can be determined from a reference to a court procession which occurs today. Unpaid assistant Karl Holz visits …
Nephew Karl comes to visit his Uncle again today. He asked the housekeeper, Elise Seidl, how she liked the applicant yesterday, Elisabeth Passy. “She says she thinks she would not work, only let herself be waited on.” Karl notes she speaks French. They discuss the possibility of going out to …
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 …