Biamonti 672 – Fragment, dated January 1817
The musical examples, analyses, and texts on this page are by Graziano Denini.
Biamonti 672 – Fragment, dated January 1817
The fragment is found at the end of a letter written by Beethoven to the publisher Steiner (Source: Anderson, I.L.T.E., page 736. The date is not further specified.) The autograph is preserved in the Bodmer collection of the Beethoven-Haus in Bonn, in a letter written presumably after January 9 and before January 23, catalogued as HCB BBr 55.
Commentary by the Beethoven-Haus (Julia Ronge): Beethoven asks his publisher Steiner to send him various pieces of music, both his own and by others. He essentially needs them to offer as gifts in the context of his legal disputes over the guardianship of his nephew Karl, and thus to gain the goodwill of various participants (“so that the wheels of the cart to get to the place and the place are greased”). Part of the music is also to be given to Countess Erdödy and to the composer Brauchle. As in all his letters to Steiner, Beethoven calls him “Lieutenant General” (abbreviated “g-l l-t”) and signs himself “Generalissimo” (“g-s”). Beethoven describes Steiner’s successful music business as “immeasurable mines.”
Original German Text:
“[Wien, nach dem 9. Januar 1817]1
Bester g — — l l — — t !
Ich bitte Sie mir einige duetten terzetten qartetten zum singen aus verschiedenen opern zu schicken, auch einige Ubersezungen derselben in violin quartetten oder quintetten, u. das lied von Merkenstein,der Mann von wort, an die Hoffnung u. an die ferne Geliebtebe y zufügen,2 alles zusammen bitte ich mir noch spätestens bis heute Nachmittag zukommen zu machen, da eine Gelegenheit da ist, solches fortzuschicken, der g — — l l — — t muß den g — — s schmieren, der g — — s wieder andere, wären die unermeßlichen Bergwerke3 des g — — l l — — t und der Schädel des g — — s nicht, wir wären schon längst verlohren – die Vormundschaft legt mir d.g. Geschenke auf,4 damit die Räder am wagen zum an Ort u. stelle kommen geschmiert werden – die Frau gräfin Erdody hat mir geschrieben, Es gibt dort auch allerley, der Magister Brauchle ist in schweren KindesNöthen,5 weswegen ich sogleich eine Hebamme hinzusenden habe. – gerne hätte ich Berichterstattung wegen der beyden Ex [e] cutionen , die 3te behalte mir vor, sobald ich wieder ausgehen kann –
ich bin Dero etc etc etc etc wünsche die Bergwerke des g — — l l — — t im Besten Flor.
v. Bthwn m.p.
wie siehts aus wegen der Correcturen der Sonate u. übrigen Zwiebeln6
- The mention of the “two executions” and the request for a report suggest that this letter was written after letter no. 1063.
- The requested pieces are likely: Op. 100, Op. 99, Op. 94, and Op. 98.
- The “immeasurable mines” refer to Steiner’s flourishing music publishing business.
- Beethoven likely intended to use these gifts to influence the inheritance settlement of Johann Paul Lamatsch in Retz and the people involved. Lamatsch was the great-grandfather of Beethoven’s nephew, who had inheritance claims. See also letter no. 1019 (December 28, 1816) and letter no. 1099. The recipient of the music was probably Leo Bayer, mayor of Retz.
- The reference to “labor pains” is an ironic allusion to the compositional activity of Joseph Xaver Brauchle.
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The “onions” are a humorous reference to the corrections of the original edition of Op. 101, and likely to the preparations for printing various editions of Op. 93.
