Uncle Ludwig complains that the housekeeper, Marie Stiegel, wasn’t able to buy some food item on Friday. Karl points out that one can’t get fresh ones on Fridays, because they have to be made first.

Karl and Ludwig discuss Karl’s future after graduation. Karl believes that he can get office positions with degrees in either philosophy or in rhetoric. Ludwig suggests a post, but Karl tells him that that is not an office and does not pay anything.

Karl says he suffers a lot from headaches. [This point will be important in a few weeks when Uncle Ludwig remembers Karl saying it.] “It is already a kind of condition with me, because it always hurts in the same place.”

Ludwig suggests that Karl do his homework there. Karl declines; one of his schoolmates will come to him at the Schlemmer house. He also needs to write accounting, for which he needs a lot of paper at hand, and he can’t do that writing here.

Ludwig asks if the upcoming examinations are making Karl sweat. Karl points out that he never sweats. “It won’t do now; there are only a few weeks left and much to do. I can hardly finish the tasks, making it even harder to prepare for the exams, and I will be among the first ones to be examined as it goes according to the ABC [i.e., alphabetically.]”

Ludwig mentions the quartet op.131, presumably telling him that it is finished at last. Karl asks how long the quartet lasts.

Karl says that the French opera at the Kärntnertor Theater is said to have been a failure, though the vaudeville went better. [In contrast, Karl Holz said a few days ago that the French opera was a great success.]

Ludwig grumbles again about the housekeeper being insolent. Karl comes to her defense, saying that he does not think she is being defiant. “I doubt that you will find someone who is more willing to work [than her]; I have not experienced any malice.” She does not, however, think that Ludwig’s proposed side dish goes well with fish.

Uncle Ludwig gives Karl 1 florin 40 kreutzers as his allowance, and he makes a note in the conversation book that because he got an extra 20 kreutzers today, he should only get 1 florin next week.

Conversation Book 115, 5v-7v.

Presumably Holz goes to visit Frau Haymerle with Dr. Vivenot as he was planning to do on Friday, July 14.

Today’s Wiener Zeitung (Nr.160) includes an advertisement from Cappi & Co. at 676 for three overtures by Ludwig van Beethoven, arranged for piano four hands by Joseph Czerny. These are the overtures from the ballet Prometheus, the tragedy Egmont, and the tragedy Coriolan. These same overtures are also available for pianoforte solo. The price is 2 florins W.W. for each overture.

Leopold Sonnleitner (1797-1873), who is one of the conductors of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde concerts is the topic of conversation. Holz says that he is one of the circle at the Haslinger music shop now. His father, “the old man” Ignaz Sonnleitner (1770-1831) is a member of the Society board and a professor at the Polytechnic Institute where Nephew Karl is attending. Holz calls Ignaz “very amiable.”

Beethoven is interested in getting another firm to act as his representative for incoming mail, replacing the Steiner/Haslinger firm in that role. Holz says it would be best to talk to an art dealer about it; he knows several. The Tendler & Manstein publishing house might be a candidate.

Conversation Book 5r-5v.

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 ordinary form, so that you can treat it more freely. Therefore, he has completely discarded the usual way to stipulate arias, duets, terzets, and kind of walling them in, and he leaves it to you to find a place where you think an aria, duet, etc. would fit in. Therefore, the first part is meant to be a test, so that he knows whether he can continue like that.”

“He has considered the chorus as a consistent participant in the whole plot, such as is done in the Greek tragedies; that is why it is always divided into two parts: the main choruses (as here in the first part at the beginning and the end) and then the shorter choruses in between.” Holz reconsiders, contemplating the disorderly nature of Beethoven’s apartment; since Kuffner does not have a copy, Holz will copy it for Beethoven since it might get lost. “The verses are good.”

The housekeeper, Marie Stiegel, bought something improper; Holz cautions that Beethoven needs to address it because if he lets it go this time, it will be much more the next time.

Holz mentions an article (likely in the Morgenblatt Nr.159 from July 5, 1826 at 636) about soprano Henriette Sontag, who sang in the premiere of the Ninth Symphony and visited Beethoven several times. She was at the Théâtre royal italien in Paris and was a big sensation. She is considered excellent in Rossini’s operas. “In Don Giovanni, she sang the grand aria of Donna Anna so beautifully, the Parisians said that she has brought honor to Mozart again, for previously they thought that in this aria Mozart showed that he did not understand the singing voices!”

Marie Stiegel, who is actually the maid, is continuing to act as housekeeper; Holz asks whether Beethoven is paying her a full housekeeper’s salary. “She is honest and not obsessed with dressing up.” Beethoven grumbles about her, but Holz points out that she is at least better than the former housekeepers, whom Beethoven paid well.

Kuffner asks for Beethoven’s honest opinion about the oratorio. “He will gladly change things, wherever you want him to…He only wants to know your opinion, your objections, before he starts on the second part.” Beethoven appears to tell him that he’ll read it over the weekend. Holz is satisfied, then he can tell Kuffner his opinion next week.

The first performance of a French theater troupe yesterday [July 13] at the Kärntnertor Theater was very well attended. [There are 30 performances planned. Yesterday, Boieldieu’s opera buffa “Ma tante Aurore” and the vaudeville “Gastronome sans argent” were performed.]

Holz has some tabac des etrennes [New Year’s tobacco] that was given to him by Dr. Vivenot. He will be going to visit Frau Heimerle with Dr. Vivenot on Sunday [July 16. This may be the widow of Franz von Haymerle (c.1747-1825), who had died last December. He had been the court agent and court councilor to Prince Liechtenstein. However, there are at the time other persons named Haymerle and Haymerl who are prominent and there are insufficient clues here to narrow down the possibilities.]

Beethoven has the new book “Ischl and its Salt Water Spas” by Franz Wirer von Rettenbach. Holz asks how the description of Ischl is. [Beethoven has been considering spending part of the summer there.]

Conversation Book 115, 1v-4v.

• wax candles
• Stick
• violins [Beethoven’s violins were being restrung by violin maker Bernhard Stoss.]

Housekeeper Marie Stiegel makes some household notes regarding expenses, including purchase of spices.

Conversation Book 115, 19v, 1r.

This page that is out of place is probably used today. Beethoven makes a note to himself regarding a letter to Schott’s:

“+ sometimes eat and spend the night at an inn in Dornbach in Schönbrunn, or rent a room in this area.
Karl bring the pension sheet
Schott both Mass and Symphony [Missa Solemnis and Ninth Symphony] need to have metronome markings. I would like to send the Symphony [Beethoven first writes “Mass” and crosses it out] to the king soon —
I must use distant baths, therefore I need more money.”

Nephew Karl comes to see Uncle Ludwig, who has a draft of a letter to Schott’s, his publisher for op.127, the Missa Solemnis and the Ninth Symphony, to whom he has also offered the quartet op.131. Karl makes some suggestions; the tone of the draft is too accusatory, Karl thinks. “I do not think we need to write that it was forgotten, because that looks as if one is mistrustful. Rather, something like this: In reply to your esteemed letter of … I inform you that the quartet is finished and ready to be delivered; therefore, I only need for you to kindly send me a bill of exchange for the second half of the fee, which can be charged in two months. As soon as I receive this, I shall deliver the quartet to Herr Franc.” [Johann Jacob von Franck was the banker who replaced the now bankrupt Fries & Co. as go-between for Schott’s and Beethoven.]

Conversation Book 115, 19r-19v.

The final version of the letter, dated today, is in Karl’s hand, with signature by Ludwig. “In reference to your esteemed last letter, in which you informed me you would pay the first half of the honorarium to my latest quartet to Herr Frank [sic] here, due immediately, I report that the aforementioned work is completed and ready for delivery. It therefore requires nothing more than that you be so kind as to send me a bill of exchange for the second half, due in two months (forty ducats). As soon as I receive it, I will not delay in delivering the work to Herr Frank.

“I would not mind this circumstance, which I attribute merely to a slight oversight on your part, were it not that I intend to undertake a short journey for my health soon, for which I shall require a sum of money, which I will easily obtain upon such a bill of exchange.”

“I conclude by requesting that this bill of exchange be sent to me by post immediately, as my stay here will be of very short duration, and I remain with highest respect,”

“You most devoted Beethoven.”

Brandenburg Letter 2168; Anderson Letter 1491. The letter bears a “VIENNA” postmark. According to Schott’s registration mark, it is received on July 19. The original is held by the Mainz City Library, and it can be seen here:

https://www.dilibri.de/dilibri_kalliope/content/titleinfo/2115367

Today’s Berliner allgemeine musikalische Zeitung (Nr.28) at 225 continues the account of the concerts heard in Leipzig this spring. The prior two issues had contained a blistering review by the same correspondent, Christian Gottlob Rebs, of the Ninth Symphony as first performed there on March 6. The symphonies performed in the last subscription concerts of the year included Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony. “Can the easy, happy life in Nature be described in tones that are purer and with a lighter flow of feeling than in the first Allegro, to those who know how to feel and see it? And is there a more heartfelt expression of grateful feelings in the return of peace in Nature than in the so-called Shepherd’s Song?

Also performed was Beethoven’s A major symphony (Nr.7) and F major symphony (Nr.8), “of which the former, although it marks the transition to the later period, is nevertheless much higher than the latter and has much more significant basic themes, but the Adagio has no equal.”

Among the notable overtures performed at the Gewandhaus during this season was a “New Overture by Beethoven in C (No.115, Vienna by Steiner) [Name Day Overture], introduced by a Maestoso C and then with an Allegro vivace flying by lightly and fleetingly, but not without power. It was probably written earlier, and has only now been published.” [The correspondent’s surmise is correct; Beethoven completed it in 1815, and Steiner for reasons unknown did not get around to publishing it for ten years.]

Today’s Wiener Zeitung (Nr.157) contains an advertisement at 664 from Anton Diabelli & Co. a Solo for violin, accompanied by string quartet, composed by Beethoven’s friend Ignaz Schuppanzigh.

In Paris, the music section of the Institute of Paris, including Luigi Cherubini and Adrien Boieldieu, decides that two of the six Prix de Rome candidates should not advance past the preliminary stage, which was composition of a fugue yesterday. One of these two eliminated is Hector Berlioz, who decides to enroll in the Paris Conservatoire instead.

“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 can already be read on the Graben about the beer house newly established yesterday.”

“Yours most urgently,”

Brandenburg Letter 2167; Anderson Letter 1250. The original is in the British Library in London (add. Ms.33965, fol.179.) The reference to the “beer house” is probably a joke about the Steiner music publishing firm officially becoming the company Tobias Haslinger yesterday. Although Steiner had given up his trading license around April 4, 1826, the firm continued to operate. Haslinger acquired conditional trading rights on April 20 and full trading rights on June 6. The company was officially registered under his name on July 10. Around the same time, he moved to new premises at Graben Nr.572. Beethoven was still making jokes about the New Years’ Eve celebration at which the beer flowed copiously at the Steiner shop.

Holz meets Beethoven and asks if Karl is joining them. Beethoven tells him yes. Beethoven suggests he might need to contact the Kinsky estate about the proposed change to his pension, so it aligns with that from Archduke Rudolph. Holz tells him that he will talk to the Kinsky’s notary, Johann August Walcha first. Once that is set, Beethoven can get his payments all on September 1 instead of one from the Archduke (1700 florins) in September and one (from Kinsky for 1200 florins) in October.

Beethoven asks when he will get his Broadwood back from piano maker Conrad Graf. Holz tells him that he spoke to Graf and mentioned that Beethoven is getting visitors who asked to see the English piano; “it could be embarrassing for you if it was known abroad that it has not been with you for such a long time; this caused him to promise that from now on he would work diligently on it so that he would soon be able to send it to you; you can keep his [loaner piano] along with it.” Beethoven says he doesn’t need the loaner if he has the Broadwood back. Holz says he told him that.

Nephew Karl joins the pair. He suggests his uncle let Holz read the letter “from the Dutchman.” [This may be a now-lost letter from cellist Samson de Boer from Amsterdam, who visited Beethoven in Baden the previous August.]

Beethoven asks about Mathias Artaria and his delay in answering whether he wants to publish the nearly-completed quartet op.131 in C-sharp minor. Holz tells him that Artaria is aware that it has been offered to Schott’s and that they will take it; his business partner Johann Wolf comes from the area around Mainz and knows them.

Holz came from poet Christoph Kuffner an hour ago. He will soon send the elaborated first part of the oratorio Saul and David to Beethoven. To avoid issues with the censors, Kuffner intends to submit with the text a detailed program explaining the work. “Unfortunately, this is a necessary caution.” Beethoven asks who they could appeal to if there is a censorship issue. Alois Zettler (1778-1828), Holz responds, the court secretary with the censorship court, who they had spoken to about the dispute with Haslinger this spring.

Beethoven is displeased that he isn’t able to get the fish he wants. Klingenbrunner, who is acting as the go-between for Beethoven and fishmonger Therese Jonas, told Holz that sometimes it is not easy currently to get the fish he wants.

Holz mentions that today he heard someone singing Beethoven’s song Der Wachtelschlag [Call of the Quail, WoO 129, written in 1803 on a poem by Samuel Friedrich Sautter.] They also sang the lieder by Klopstock, dedicated to Count Johan Georg von Browne-Camus (1767-1827). “The first one a prayer in E major.” Beethoven corrects Holz; he is referencing the songs, op.48, which were written on poems by Christian Gellert, not Klopstock.

Der Wachtelschlag, WoO 129, is here performed by Peter Schreier, with Norman Shetler on piano:

Holz has not yet received the score for the Ninth Symphony to review.

Beethoven asks about the violins that he asked Holz to have restrung by violin maker Bernhard Stoss. Holz assures him that they will return in good condition.

Holz has to leave soon to go back to work. “The Landmarschall is calling for me again.”

Conversation Book 114, 12r-14r. For unknown reasons, tomorrow Beethoven will start using Conversation Book 115 tomorrow, even though this conversation book is less than half full. Possibly Book 114 was misplaced for around a week.

Beethoven’s patron Archduke Rudolph continues his journey from Leoben to the spa of Bad Ischl via Vordernberg, Eisenerz and Admont. Wiener Zeitung of Wednesday, July 19, 1826 (Nr.163) at 685, quoting the Grätzer Zeitung of July 11. In May of this year, Beethoven had himself considered visiting the baths of Ischl this summer, but did not do so.

Beethoven makes a note that Karl needs summer pants.

Conversation Book 114, 11v.

The former S.A. Steiner & Co. music publishing firm officially becomes the Tobias Haslinger company effective today. About now, Haslinger moves from the small street Paternostergasse to Graben Nr.572. Beethoven will comment about that change in a letter tomorrow. An aquatint of the Haslinger shop in about 1835-1840 by Franz Weigl is attached. (Bonn Beethovenhaus, NE 81, Band IV, Nr.681, and our thanks to Birthe Kibsgaard for pointing it out.)

Uncle Ludwig would like chicken for dinner, but they are out of chickens at the moment; one chicken died and the others have all been eaten. The maid, Marie Stiegel, who has been acting as a housekeeper for several weeks, says that if Ludwig is not satisfied with her cooking and her shopping, then he should take a housekeeper. She wants to learn how to cook, until she is properly capable to stay with him as a housekeeper. She is not afraid of the work; she does what she can, and if Ludwig is dissatisfied with her, it is only because she is inexperienced. Karl thinks she would do well as an addition to a proper housekeeper. She doesn’t want to give up her position; if she can’t be a housekeeper, she would like to stay on at least as a kitchen maid. She says she is very satisfied because she does not miss anything, and that is how it is. Karl points out that the goose they had the other day was excellent.

Uncle Ludwig would also like some asparagus. But they are out of season; Stiegel says they are very expensive now and not any good.

Uncle Ludwig is getting more worried that he will not get the promised payment for the third quartet from Prince Nikolai Galitzin. Karl suggests that they contact Alexander Thal, who visited Beethoven last year with a letter of introduction from Galitzin, since he is likely in contact with the Prince.

Karl is going now and will take care of both errands. He has to go home soon because he needs to write something for his upcoming examination. “We’ll see each other tomorrow.”

Conversation Book 114, 10r-11r.

Brandenburg Letter 2166. The date and partial contents of this letter are inferred from Beethoven’s response of July 26, Brandenburg Letter 2172.

Today’s Wiener Zeitung (Nr.154) contains an advertisement from Cappi & Co. for a new work by Franz Schubert, Six Polonaises for piano four hands, op.61, in two volumes. This set is now catalogued as Schubert’s D.824. Each volume is sold for 2 florins W.W. This set of polonaises by Schubert is here performed by Yaara Tal and Andreas Groethuysen:

• quills
• rose water

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 whole project.

Holz mentions that yesterday [July 6] “La dame blanche” [The White Lady] was performed in its German version for the first time in Vienna. Beethoven asks what that is; Holz tells him it’s an opera by François Adrien Boieldieu. “It has some beautiful things; however, it is thought that he is paying homage to fashion taste in this latest work, and sometimes copies Rossini.” Young Tobias [Haslinger] is going to publish it. Beethoven asks when Haslinger is going to start doing business under his own name, rather than under the name of Sigmund Anton Steiner. Piano maker Conrad Graf told Holz that Haslinger will make it public soon.

The housekeeper, still Marie Stiegel, informs them that she got Pressburger sausages for dinner, which are supposed to be the best kind. But she doesn’t have sauce, so Holz asks whether Beethoven has mustard.

Holz mentions that Steiner (whom he calls “the old Tobias”) came to his office and asked why he never shows up any more. He also asked about Beethoven. “I answered: I thought you would not ask about him anymore.” Steiner says he is in his vault every morning. He knows some languages but, Holz jokes, Tobias does not even know German.

Beethoven asks about the status of his pension with the Kinsky estate, which is handled by the notary Walcha, and asks Holz to arrange for Walcha to come see him. Holz says he won’t be able to get him to come until tomorrow. Maybe it would be better to make an appointment with him for Sunday [July 9.] Holz says he will see Walcha in the coffee house in the city.

Beethoven is annoyed that he still has not received the copies of the string quartet op.127, which Schott’s had published in Mainz back in March (parts) and June (full score). But Beethoven won’t need the full score before Schott’s gets around to sending it.

Holz asks what is happening regarding the piano duet version of the Grosse Fuge; is Anton Halm still going to write it? Or is Mathias Artaria forgetting about it completely? Beethoven tells him that Artaria still wants it, and may suggest that he will write a version himself rather than try to fix Halm’s arrangement.

Beethoven asks if Holz is still proofreading the parts of the quartet op.130 that Artaria is publishing. Holz says that he told Artaria not to send the parts to him any more, but directly to Beethoven instead.

Holz tells Beethoven that “The first quartet [op.127] is already being studied with hellish diligence by several professional quartet players.”

Holz says that he read something Beethoven refers to in the Morgenblatt newspaper. [This may be an article about Beethoven’s friend soprano Henriette Sontag in Paris, in the July 5 issue at 635.]

Beethoven wonders what honorarium he might get from the King of Prussia for the dedication of the Ninth Symphony. Holz rather sourly says, “Money will hardly come out of it; probably a brilliant box or something of that sort, if not even a medal, which actually does not cost as much.”

Beethoven asks whether there has been any word from Prince Nikolai Galitzin about the payment for the quartet op.130. Holz says that the courier, Augustin Lipscher, returned from St. Petersburg yesterday, but Holz has not seen him yet.

Beethoven mentions that he has not heard anything back from Maurice Schlesinger in Paris about the new quartet, op.131. Holz suggests that Schlesinger will take his time.

Mylord [Ignaz Schuppanzigh] says that pianist Dorothea Ertmann would like to hear a quartet; she will even pay for it.

Beethoven writes some music [G-sharp; A-double-sharp; G-sharp], apparently in connection with op.131. Holz likely adds violin fingerings, and says he would read that as G-sharp; B; G-sharp. Beethoven writes a G-sharp and after some rests an A. Holz says that he read the note above as a B; apparently Beethoven omitted a third ledger line and meant to write an F-double sharp [equivalent to G-natural, the lowest note on a violin]. Holz says that violinists always take it as an open string, and writes what he believes Beethoven intended. [Page 7r and a detail of 7v with this music is reproduced here.] So long as the G string is not tuned below the standard, that works.

Louis Spohr also always sketched his fingering as Holz does. But he is a violinist. If it is the leading tone, it is almost necessary [to notate it as Beethoven has done.] Also, it makes a significant difference whether the string is stroked sharply or softly. If that is important to Beethoven, he should make the part accordingly.

Holz [who is a violinist] tells Beethoven he just learned a sonata which is very difficult in D major with the fugue. [Holz then quotes part of the 3rd movement of the cello sonata op.102/2 and the beginning of the first movement of that sonata.]

Beethoven mentions that he is starting work on yet another string quartet, this time in the key of F major. [That will eventually become op.135.] Holz comments that this will be Beethoven’s third sonata in that key. [op.18/1 and op.59/1 are the other string quartets in F.] But none yet in the relative minor of D minor. Speaking of keys missing from the oeuvre of famous composers, Holz finds it strange that of the very many quartets by Haydn, he did not compose a single one in A minor.

Holz tells Beethoven that he spoke to poet Franz Grillparzer about Kuffner’s proposed oratorio on Saul and David. Grillparzer says he wouldn’t look for much glory in it, but he did not know any text that would be so appropriate for an opera, both musically and scenically. Beethoven and Holz discuss that Kuffner intends to open the oratorio with a hunters’ chorus. Holz jokes that Weber has already hunted twice. [A reference to hunter’s choruses in both Der Freischütz and Euryanthe.] But Holz thinks it is a pity about such beautiful verses being wasted; those in the hunters’ chorus are very good.

Holz asks Beethoven his opinion of French composer André Grétry. Beethoven knew his operas back when he lived in Bonn; he even wrote a set of variations, WoO 72, on a theme from Grétry’s Richard Löwenherz [Richard the Lion-Hearted].

Holz mentions that Wenzel Würfel, the professor of music from the University of Warsaw, is rehearsing Fidelio in his capacity of Kapellmeister at the Kärntnertor Theater. [No public performance of the opera occurs at this time, however.] Referencing Ludwig’s guardianship of Nephew Karl, Würfel always asks “what is the father doing?”

Beethoven inquires what Karl says he is doing with his time. Holz responds, “I almost know my answer in my sleep now: He is very diligent and studies from early morning till dinner at 3 o’clock.” Beethoven complains that the troubles with Karl weigh on his mind and interfere with his composing. Holz agrees, “It imposes itself on you, especially when one is working with such things.”

Conversation Book 114, 4r-9v.