Beethoven is in Gneixendorf with Nephew Karl at Brother Johann’s estate. Early this morning, Beethoven writes to his friend Tobias Haslinger a letter dated today. [The post comes at 9 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.] The letter opens with the musical greeting, “Erster aller Tobiasse!” [First among all, Tobiasses!] …
The Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde votes today to grant 100 florins to Franz Schubert, who had sent them the manuscript to the “Great” Symphony Nr.9 in C major, D.944. The Musikverein however, considers the work too difficult for their amateur musicians. The symphony is set aside and ignored for a dozen …
Today’s Wiener Zeitung (Nr.233) includes at 994 several advertisements of new works by Beethoven’s former pupil, Carl Czerny, who clearly has been very busy. There is an announcement from Anton Diabelli & Co. of seven new pieces for piano by Czerny. The first of these is the Variations brillante for …
Nephew Karl and Uncle Ludwig are in Gneixendorf at Brother Johann’s estate. Ludwig is nearing completion of the string quartet in F major, op.135, but he will need additional paper to write out the parts once the quartet is finished. Karl is preparing to go into the nearby village of …
Dr. Spiker, Court Librarian to the King of Prussia departs Vienna today, taking with him the dedication copy of the Ninth Symphony for the King. The score has been freshly bound through the involvement of Tobias Haslinger, with a dedication page from Beethoven. The Wiener Zeitung of October 12, 1826 …
Around now, Beethoven fine tunes the metronome markings for the Ninth Symphony with Nephew Karl’s assistance. They had started on the metronomization back in Vienna, on September 27 just before their departure for Gneixendorf. The markings are almost exactly the same, except the last few for the Finale are changed …
Beethoven and Nephew Karl are still at Brother Johann’s estate in Gneixendorf. They are continuing to stay beyond the planned 8 days in order to let Karl’s hair grow out to cover his head wound. Johann is in litigation with his former lessee, Franz Alexander, who had leased the estate …
This evening is the culmination of the four-day Birmingham, England Musical Festival. At the theater tonight, led by violinist Christoph Gottfried Kiesewetter (1777-1827), the concert opens with Beethoven’s Symphony in C minor (Nr.5). The reporter, “A.B” in The Harmonicon of November 1826 (Nr.XLVII) at 221 writes, “Beethoven’s difficult and masterly …
Beethoven’s Mainz publisher, B. Schott’s Sons, writes to Beethoven today. They request a more precise description of the correction to the Ninth Symphony, op.125, which was set out in Beethoven’s last letter to them on September 29. In that letter, he noted that the sign for the dal segno was …
Today’s Berliner allgemeine musikalische Zeitung (Nr.40) contains a front page (317) article on the relationship of form to content in modern music; Beethoven is used as an example: “The point in time from which later researchers will date the more recent transformation of musical art cannot be determined in advance. …
Conversation Book 123 begins to be used sometime in the first half of October. This is a thin volume with only 15 leaves, but all of them contain writing. Schindler has correctly identified it as belonging to “+ Fall 1826 in Gneixendorf on Johann van Beethoven’s estate.” A note by …
Ludwig and Nephew Karl are in Gneixendorf, staying at Brother Johann’s estate, Schloss Wasserhof. Early in the morning, while Ludwig is working on the quartet op.135, Karl notes that Johann has become a satirist; he is correcting his servants using wordplay. Wanting to write some letters, Ludwig asks Karl what …
Ludwig and Karl are at Brother Johann’s estate in Gneixendorf. There is some confusion about breakfast and when it is available. [Beethoven appears to have forgotten to wind his watch, which may be related.] Karl reminds Ludwig to wind up his watch. Ludwig asks where the servant is. Karl tells …
Beethoven and Nephew Karl are staying with Brother Johann at his estate in Gneixendorf, Schloss Wasserhof. The plan is to stay between 8 and 14 days, to give time for Karl’s hair to grow back so he can enlist in the army. Ludwig asks where Johann is. Karl tells him …
Ludwig, Brother Johann, and Nephew Karl are staying at an inn in Stockerau, about 15 miles from Vienna, partway between the City and Johann’s estate near Gneixendorf. They rise early and settle the bill with the female attendant. Yesterday, it was too late. They take Johann’s carriage for a couple …
Things are as usual in a tizzy at the Beethoven household as Beethoven prepares to move to his brother’s estate in Gneixendorf, planning to be there for about 8 days. Several letters need to be written first. Brother Johann had wanted to leave by 5 in the morning, but the …
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 …
Nephew Karl is still being held by the police after his release from the hospital yesterday morning. Beethoven writes a short undated note to unpaid assistant Karl Holz, probably this morning: “Please leave the name of the police officer who we spoke to. It’s a fine story. Yesterday, Karl was …
Nephew Karl’s mother Johanna sends a messenger, possibly a servant, to let Ludwig know that Karl has unexpectedly been removed from the hospital and taken to jail. The messenger writes, “He is on the Salzgries in the police station, so she told me.” Beethoven goes with the messenger to the …
Stephan von Breuning stops by Beethoven’s apartment this morning and invites him to dinner at 1 o’clock, since it is son Gerhard’s name day. Beethoven agrees to attend. After that, they can go for a long walk. Uncle Ludwig goes to visit Nephew Karl at the hospital. Ludwig is still …