Violinist Ignaz Schuppanzigh visits Beethoven sometime in the first half of this week, but the date cannot be narrowed down much more than that. Since Schuppanzigh often did so on Mondays, we propose the visit may occur today. As usual, Schuppanzigh addresses Beethoven in the third person, which is ignored …
Nephew Karl visits his uncle as usual today. He reports to Ludwig that Mathias Mann, the house superintendent of the Schwarzpanierhaus has asked all the tenants to contribute toward the sum of 25 florins for the monthly spraying to keep down the dust. However, some of the tenants have gone …
Unpaid assistant Karl Holz stops by Beethoven’s apartment briefly today; he would like to pick up the oratorio text for the first part of Saul so he can make a copy. [Holz is concerned that Beethoven will lose it in his disorderly apartment.] Leopold Sonnleitner (1797-1873), who is one of …
Unpaid assistant Karl Holz visits Beethoven today. He says he will fetch Beethoven’s violins from Bernhard Stoss’s shop, where they are being restrung. Holz shows Beethoven the first part of Christoph Kuffner’s oratorio Saul for consideration by Beethoven for setting to music. “With this oratorio, Kuffner wants to leave the …
Beethoven writes a shopping and errand list: Housekeeper Marie Stiegel makes some household notes regarding expenses, including purchase of spices. Conversation Book 115, 19v, 1r.
Beethoven begins using Conversation Book 115 today, even though he has not yet completely filled Book 114. Conversation Book 115 is a book of 36 leaves, all of which contain writing. Beethoven writes “July, 1826” in ink on the first page of the book. Leaf 19 appears to be out …
This morning, Beethoven writes a short note reminding unpaid assistant Karl Holz to come meet him for dinner today: “Quite astonishingly best one!” “At 2 o’clock precisely we go to dinner; I am expecting you will most certainly be there, where it will all be ready for you.” “Today it …
Uncle Ludwig goes to visit Nephew Karl at his rooms with the Schlemmer family probably after his examination today is over. Housekeeper Marie Stiegel accompanies him. Frau Rosalia Schlemmer makes a recommendation to Ludwig of a bookbinder in the Wickenburggasse. Beethoven makes a note that Karl needs summer pants. Conversation …
Nephew Karl visits Uncle Ludwig today. Karl made an effort to visit someone (possibly publisher Mathias Artaria), but he was not at home. So Karl says he will try again this afternoon. He will combine that with another errand. Uncle Ludwig would like chicken for dinner, but they are out …
Beethoven’s publisher B. Schott’s Sons today writes to Beethoven. In the postscript of this now-lost letter, Schott’s advises that they intend to send two copies of the Ninth Symphony to the King of Prussia, to whom it is dedicated. Brandenburg Letter 2166. The date and partial contents of this letter …
Beethoven makes a quick shopping note: Later in the day, unpaid assistant Karl Holz comes to see Beethoven. Beethoven would like to change the wallpaper in his apartment. Holz knows a paper hanger who lives nearby; he will ask this fellow to come see Beethoven. He might take over the …
Unpaid assistant Karl Holz briefly stops by Beethoven’s apartment sometime around now. Holz tells him the interest payable for the first half of the year on Beethoven’s seven shares in the Austrian National Bank: 224 florins, or 32 florins per share. Beethoven asks Holz to stay for dinner. Holz replies, …
Today’s Berliner allgemeine musikalische Zeitung (Nr.27) at 220 includes a request directed to Beethoven: “May it please the Master Beethoven to write cadenzas for his piano concertos.” “One of the reasons why Beethoven’s concertos are so rarely performed by piano virtuosos is certainly that it is not everyone’s ability to …
On a hot day this summer, Beethoven writes an undated note to unpaid assistant Karl Holz. “In this heat, it is probably best if you come to the aforementioned inn in Rossau, directly opposite the street where Rampel [copyist Wenzel Rampl] lives. At one thirty.” Brandenburg Letter 2165; Anderson Letter …
This summer in Vienna is hot, dusty and smelly, as can be seen from the charges for the incessant spraying of water to try to keep the dust down. Everyone who had the time and could afford to do so fled to one of the nearby spa towns and villages. …
Beethoven writes a short undated note in pencil, possibly today, to unpaid assistant Karl Holz inviting him to an early mid-day dinner sometime after Beethoven’s return to Vienna from Baden and his first letter to Holz after his return on October 17 1825, and before Beethoven’s departure to Gneixendorf on …
Beethoven begins using Pocket Sketchbook Artaria 205, Bundle 3 around this time. This homemade sketchbook was stitched together by Beethoven. It was used during the summer of 1826, as it contains the last work on the Finale for the quartet in C-sharp minor op.131, which is presently nearing completion, as …
Beethoven makes a note to himself to write the “fish superintendent,” probably meaning Wilhelm Klingenbrunner, playwright at the Leopoldstadt Theater, who procured fish for Beethoven. Since he lived in Leopoldstadt, he would forward Beethoven’s orders to fishmonger Therese Jonas. Beethoven also works on a draft letter to a friend, probably …
Unpaid assistant Karl Holz comes to see Beethoven today around 2 p.m. after an absence of four days. The servant that Beethoven sent with his letter inquiring after Holz did not get to him timely and he did not find it until last evening. He’s not sure what happened, as …
Nephew Karl visits his uncle at the Schwarzspanierhaus, and his tone is rather cold and businesslike. “I have picked up my watch; it seems to be running very well.” Uncle Ludwig asks Karl to give him the bill; Karl says that it has been paid already. Uncle Ludwig is getting …