Beethoven is having trouble with his landlord, Johann Ehlers, back in Vienna. Beethoven has learned that Ehlers is trying to rent out his apartment at Obere Pfargasse Nr. 60, where unpaid assistant Anton Schindler is housesitting, even though his lease runs through September 29th, and the rent has been paid …
Beethoven writes an undated letter to Anton Diabelli about now. He is not happy with the corrected edition of the piano sonata #32, op.111, and he urges Diabelli to play through it himself. The engraver is apparently not musical, and he should not use the speed that was necessary to …
Shortly after June 25, 1823, and probably today, Beethoven writes to unpaid assistant Anton Schindler from Hetzendorf. He is quite furious about Franz Schoberlechner’s request for six letters of recommendation. “It must be clear to you that I don’t want to have anything to do with this matter. Please don’t …
Pianist Franz Schoberlechner (1797-1843) gives Schindler a letter for Beethoven, asking for letters of recommendation to Leipzig, Dresden, Berlin, and if possible also to Moscow, Warsaw and St. Petersburg. In the letter, Schoberlechner says that he makes the request at the encouragement of Schindler. Beethoven writes his own note on …
After some preparation, a solicitation is finally sent to the Philharmonic Society in St. Petersburg. The letter, written in French, was most likely sent to Prince Nikolai Galitzin for his presentation of it to the appropriate parties. Besides the standard solicitation language asking for 50 ducats, Beethoven includes some flattery: …
At some point between Monday and today, Beethoven goes into the City and visits copyist Wenzel Schlemmer at his shop on the Kohlmarkt. Schlemmer understands from Schindler that Beethoven wants two copies sent off this month. It will be finished when Schlemmer gets it back from his employees. He assures …
The second subscription quartet performance of the Schuppanzigh Quartet is held today at noon at the Musikverein. Once again, the concert features one quartet each by Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven. That by Haydn is in C major, and Mozart’s is in D minor [probably his Quartet No.15, K.421]. Beethoven’s is …
Today at noon, Beethoven’s dear friend Ignaz Schuppanzigh and his quartet, in the first of a series of subscription concerts at the Musik-Verein, perform a number of quartets, including Haydn’s Quartet in C major op.76/3 (“Kaiser”) with variations on Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser; one by Mozart in D major, …
Beethoven writes a short note to Schindler today, addressing him once more as the Samothracian, containing a number of obscure references. He tells Schindler not to bother coming to Hetzendorf until the Hati-Scherif appears. [A Hatti-Sherif was a member of the Turkish Sultan’s cabinet, against whom no complaint was possible. …
The popularity of Rossini in Vienna continues unabated. Today in the Wiener Zeitung at 472, Sauer & Leidesdorf advertises a collection of the Complete Operas of Rossini, arranged for piano solo by Maximilian J. Leidesdorf (1787-1840), being sold on a subscription basis. If one subscribes to six volumes, the seventh …
Beethoven is settling in to his summer apartment in Hetzendorf on this Pentecost Sunday. He makes a reminder note to himself to give copyist Wenzel Schlemmer some new trombone parts for the Missa Solemnis. Yes, even though the subscription copies are currently being made, he is still changing the Mass. …
There is much to do today since Beethoven intends to move to Hetzendorf tomorrow. Possibly early this morning, Beethoven writes an undated short note to Schindler, querying whether it is better to forward his mail to Hetzendorf through the so-called “Small Mail,” and pick it up from the postmaster there, …
Beethoven suffers from diarrhea today (thanks to last night’s radicchio with butter), but Ludwig and Johann nevertheless visit the country apartment in Hetzendorf. Ludwig is having second thoughts, forcing Johann to remind him of the good points. The servants will not be as close, so you can talk without them …
Karl has another round of examinations today, but Uncle Ludwig does not appear to attend this time. Schindler visits Beethoven at his apartment. He suggests hiring Wenzel Rampl to copy the Diabelli Variations to serve as a master copy. There wouldn’t need to be a passing of the manuscript back …
Beethoven talks to Brother Johann, who picked up the shirts and linens for Ludwig he had requested. Johann says that Ludwig needs to go see publisher Anton Diabelli. “I believe it will go well with him. Everything is already in order.” [This discussion presumably relates to the Diabelli Variations, op.120.] …
Conversation Book 32 begins today. As has been the case for several of the recent books, the pages appear to be used out of order. We again follow the chronological order of the German and English editions. Beethoven appears not to have any visitors today, and makes a shopping list …
Assistant Anton Schindler visits Beethoven late in the morning. Apparently there was some kind of misunderstanding about Countess Keméney promising the apartment to Beethoven; Prónay is none too pleased about the apartment being rented without his knowledge. Despite the great esteem he feels for Beethoven, someone should have told him …
Carl Maria von Weber in Dresden today at last receives a copy of the score to Fidelio from Beethoven, so that crisis is averted. The opera will receive fourteen rehearsals before the opening on April 29th. Thayer/Forbes at 863. Meanwhile, in Vienna Beethoven writes a cover letter to Weber forwarding …
Archduke Rudolph departs Vienna roughly about today, probably to be back in Olmütz for Easter Sunday. That is a relief to Beethoven, who has complained repeatedly about the three-hour marathon composition lessons that the Archduke has demanded every day. Today, Good Friday, a benefit concert was held by Kapellmeister Gohr …
Beethoven notes on his 1823 calendar that today a letter was sent to Cherubini (of which we saw the draft on Wednesday, March 12), and a letter to Carl Friedrich Peters, in Leipzig. Neither letter is known to survive. The letter to Peters probably was following up about the packet …