Beethoven's Letters 1790-1826 Volume II Part 9

[Footnote 1: Anton Wranitzky (born 1760, died 1819), director of Prince Lobkowitz's opera and band. His brother Paul (born 1756, died 1808) was from 1785 to 1808 Kapellmeister at the Royal Opera in Vienna.]

274.

TO THE ARCHDUKE RUDOLPH.

1819.

It is impossible to double the parts by eleven o'clock to-morrow, most of the copyists having so much to write this week. I think therefore you will perhaps appoint next Sat.u.r.day for our _resurrection day_, and by that time I expect to be entirely recovered, and better able to conduct, which would have been rather an arduous task for me to-morrow, in spite of my good-will. On Friday I do hope to be able to go out and inquire for Y.R.H.

[K.]

275.

TO THE ARCHDUKE RUDOLPH.

1819.

(_A Fragment._)

The day when a High Ma.s.s of mine is performed in honor of the solemnities for Y.R.H. will be the most delightful of my life, and G.o.d will enlighten me so that my poor abilities may contribute to the splendors of that solemn occasion. I send you the Sonata with heartfelt grat.i.tude; I think the violoncello part is wanting,--at least I could not lay my hand on it at the moment. As the work is beautifully engraved, I have taken the liberty to add a published copy, and also a violin quintet. In addition to the two pieces written in my hand on Y.R.H.'s name-day, there are two more; the last a grand _Fugato_, so that it forms one great sonata,[1] which is now shortly to appear, and has been long _in my heart_ dedicated to Y.R.H. _The recent occurrence connected with Y.R.H.[2] is not in the slightest degree the cause of this._ I beg you will forgive my bad writing. I implore the Lord to bestow His richest blessings on Y.R.H., whose love of humanity is so comprehensive,--one of the choicest of all qualities; and in this respect Y.R.H. will always, either in a _worldly_ or _spiritual_ point of view, be one of our brightest examples.

[K.]

[Footnote 1: The Grand Sonata with two movements, and two additional ones, of which the last is a grand fugued one, can scarcely be any other than the pianoforte Sonata (Op. 106) composed in 1818, dedicated to the Archduke Rudolph, and published in September, 1819.]

[Footnote 2: The "recent occurrence" to which Beethoven alludes is no doubt his being appointed Archbishop.]

276.

TO HERR BLoCHLINGER.

Modling, Sept. 14, 1819.

85 florins enclosed.

DEAR SIR,--

I have the honor to send you payment for the ensuing month, which begins on the 22d Sept., and I add 10 florins in order to provide for any unforeseen expenses, which you will please account for to me on the 12th October. The following persons alone are to have free access to my nephew: Herr von Bernard, Herr von Oliva, Herr von Piuss.

If any persons, exclusive of those I have named, wish to see my nephew, I will give them a letter to you, when you will be so obliging as to admit them; for the distance to your house is considerable, and those who go there can only do so to oblige me, as, for example, the bandage-maker, &c., &c.

My nephew must never leave your house without a written permission from me.

From this you will at once plainly perceive your line of conduct towards Carl's mother. I must impress on you the necessity of these rules (proceeding from the magistrates and myself) being strictly enforced. You, dear sir, are too little experienced in these circ.u.mstances, however obvious your other merits are to me, to act on your own judgment in the matter, as you have hitherto done. Credulity can in the present instance only lead to embarra.s.sment, the result of which might prove injurious to you rather than beneficial, and this I wish to avoid for the sake of your own credit.

I hear that my nephew requires, or at all events wishes to have, a variety of things from me; he has only to apply to myself. Be so good as to forward all his letters through Herr Steiner & Co., Pater Noster Ga.s.sel, auf'm Graben.

Your obedient

BEETHOVEN,

_Sole guardian of my nephew Carl Van Beethoven._

N.B. Any outlay will be at once repaid.

277.

Vienna, Sept. 21, 1819.

In honor of the visit of Herr Schlesinger of Berlin.

[Music: Four staves (SATB), B-flat major, 4/4 time, repeating.

Glaube und hoffe Glaube und hoffe und hoffe Glaube und hoffe, Glaube und hoffe Glaube und hoffe, ]

L. V. BEETHOVEN.

278.

TO HERR ARTARIA,--VIENNA.

Oct. 1, 1819.

MOST EXCELLENT AND MOST VIRTUOUS OF VIRTUOSI, AND NO HUMBUG!

While informing you of all sorts of things from which we hope you will draw the best conclusions, we request you to send us six (say 6) copies of the Sonata in B flat major, and also six copies of the variations on the Scotch songs, as the author's right. We beg you to forward them to Steiner, in Pater Noster Ga.s.sel, whence they will be sent to us with some other things.

In the hope that you are conducting yourself with all due propriety and decorum, we are your, &c.,

B----.

279.

A SKETCH WRITTEN BY BEETHOVEN,--

Corrected by Artaria's Bookkeeper, Wuister.

1819.

Having heard from Herr B. that Y.R. Highness [the Archduke Rudolph] has written a most masterly work, we wish to be the first to have the great honor of publis.h.i.+ng Y.R. Highness's composition, that the world may become acquainted with the admirable talents of so ill.u.s.trious a Prince. We trust Y. Royal Highness will comply with our respectful solicitation.

FALSTAFF--[1]

_Ragged Rascal!_