Ludwig van Beethoven
German composer and pianist, 1770-1827
Beethoven is a crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential of all composers. His best-known compositions include 9 symphonies, 5 concertos for piano, 1 violin concerto, 32 piano sonatas, and 16 string quartets. He also composed other chamber music, choral works (including the celebrated Missa solemnis), and songs. In about 1800 his hearing began to deteriorate, and by the last decade of his life he was almost totally deaf. He gave up conducting and performing in public but continued to compose; many of his most admired works come from this period.
Source: Wikipedia
Komponist (1770-1827). Autograph letter signed. [Vienna]. 4to. 4 pp (251 : 190 mm). Light browning and spotting, mounting remnants at edges.
$ 168,090 / 150.000 €
(100776)
To Count Ferdinand Palffy von Erdod, Director of the Imperial Opera. Beethoven begs the Director of the imperial Opera to disallow the performance of a melodrama based on the ,Ruins of Babylon’ as he plans to use the story ofr a new opera. Beethoven discusses with the Director of the Imperial Opera a new opera he intends to write. After purchasing no less than twelve books in search of the perfect drama Beethoven informs his correspondent he is very pleased to have found the drama Die Ruinen von Athen (A.
von Kotzebue) on which his new opera will be based. He informs Count Palffy von Erdod, that a melodrama based on the very same drama is scheduled to be presented at the Theater an der Wien by the actor Leopold Scholz. The great composer makes a dire plea to his correspondent to see that Scholz be prohibited from presenting his melodrama: „I am unsable to comprehend what is behind all this. I presume you know nothing about it […] you may rest assured that given a melodrama the music is bad, miserable. As an opera, it would become a lastig work; and it would certainly produce, even financially, incomparably more profitable results for your theater […] I hope that you will have the good judgment to disallow the actor Scholz to give this melodrama, since I had informed you earlier of my intention to wriite it in the form of an opera […]“ - Beethoven adds he has informed his patron, Archduke Rudolph of his new project, among others: „also other people of intellect and everyone thought it excellent. I have even written to foreign newspapers to announce it, so it will not be written as an opera anywhere else, and now I should recall it, and for such trifling reasons?“ - Beethoven closes requesting a prompt and kind reply so he may know how to proceed. Beethoven never completed his projected opera; however, the incidental music based on Kothebue’s Die Ruinen von Athen was performed on 10 February, 1812..
Komponist (1770-1827)]. Anschlagplakat für Beethovens große musikalische Akademie am 2. Jänner 1814 im großen Redoutensaal. Einblattdruck. [Wohl Wien. 1 S. Qu.-gr.-folio (406:483 mm).
$ 20,171 / 18.000 €
(90236/BN59707)
Extrem seltener, vermutlich unikaler Aushangzettel, für uns bibliographisch nicht nachweisbar. Am 31. Dezember 1813 hatte Beethoven im "Allgemeinen Intelligenzblatt zur Oesterreichisch-Kaiserlichen privilegirten Wiener Zeitung" (Nr. 209, 1317) unter dem Titel "Musikalische Akademie" folgende Anzeige veröffentlicht: "Der Wunsch zahlreicher, mir sehr verehrungswürdiger Freunde der Tonkunst, meine grosse Instrumental-Composition über Wellingtons Sieg bey Vittoria noch einmahl zu hören, macht es mir zur angenehmen Pflicht, dem schätzbaren Publikum hiermit anzukündigen, daß ich Sonntag den 2.
Januar, die Ehre haben werde, mit dem Beystande der vorzüglichsten Tonkünstler von Wien, besagte Composition, mit neuen Gesangstücken und Chören vermehrt, im k. k. Redouten-Saale, zu meinem Besten, aufzuführen". - Auf dem Programm standen: "Erstens: Die neue große Symphonie [d. i. die 7. oder 8. Sinfonie]. Zweytens: Ein neuer feyerlicher Einzugs-Marsch mit Chören [Marsch Nr. 1 in F-Dur, "Yorckscher Marsch"), Drittens: Eine noch nie gehörte Baß-Arie, mit Begleitung des Chors, aus der Oper: Die Ruinen von Athen, die Scene des Oberpriesters im Tempel der Musen, gesungen aus Gefälligkeit für den Conzertgeber von Herrn Weinmüller k. k. Hofkapell- und Kammersänger [d. i. Festspiel nach Kotzebue, op. 113, wohl die Arie des Hohepriesters, "Will unser Genius noch einen Wunsch gewähren"], Viertens: Eine große vollstimmige Instrumental-Composition, geschrieben auf Welllingtons Sieg in der Schlacht bey Vittoria [d. i. "Sinfonisches Schlachtengemälde", op. 91)". - Bei dem im Aushang erwähnten Sänger Weinmüller handelt es sich um den deutsch-österreichischen Bass und Theaterregisseur Carl Weinmüller, dessen vorzüglichste musikalische Tat darin bestand, dass er 1814 zusammen mit Ignaz Saal und Johann Michael Vogl Beethovens weitgehend vergessene Oper "Fidelio" für eine Benefizvorstellung wählte "und den Komponisten damit zu einer grundlegenden Überarbeitung des Werkes anregte. Diese dritte, endgültige Fassung kam am 23. Mai 1814 im Theater am Kärntnertor erstmals zur Aufführung" (Wikipedia). - Etwas fleckig und abgegriffen; gefaltet..
sold
Autograph sketchleaf for the Missa Solemnis containing drafts for the Sanctus and Benedictus and material for the Gloria.
Autograph ist nicht mehr verfügbar
The recto of the leaf contains a passage in piano score of modulatory material in D major, followed by a long imitative passage in D and a setting of the words, "Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus, Dominus Deus Sabaoth;" additional material may relate to a setting of "Pleni sunt coeli". The verso of the leaf continues with triple time material without text; the second half of the page is marked by Beethoven in pencil "2te Theil Benedict[us]" followed by an additional four bars or more in 12/8 time. – Provenance: The present leaf was formerly in the possession of Anton Schindler (1795-1864), noted conductor, private secretary to Beethoven and author of the earliest biography of the composer. Schindler has annotated one side of the leaf with his identification: "Skizze zum Sanctus der 2ten Messe im 3/4 Takte" (Sketch for the Sanctus of the Second Mass in 3/4 meter) and, on the other side, written "Idee zum Benedictus 2ten Messe" (Idea for the Benedictus of the Second Mass). - A few minor tears to margins. In very good condition overall. - A highly important source, unknown until recently. Not in Douglas Johnson, Alan Tyson and Robert Winter: The Beethoven Sketchbooks, Oxford, 1985 or in Kinsky-Halm. Similar in proportion to Beethoven's large desk sketchbooks (rather than his smaller pocket-books), and in particular to the sketchbook known as "Artaria 195". – According Dr. William Kindermann, one of the most highly regarded authorities on Beethoven: "This is a noteworthy source that documents the genesis of the Sanctus as well as aspects of the genesis of the Benedictus and the Gloria. This sketchleaf was used repeatedly by Beethoven, and although it contains stab holes it is also folded down the middle, indicating that the composer at one point carried it about." Kindermann: Artaria 195 Beethoven's Sketchbook for the Missa Solemnis, pp. 43-46. – "The Missa Solemnis is a monumental work in every sense, and stands beside Bach's B minor Mass as one of the two towering pinnacles in the whole history of the genre. It cost Beethoven more time and energy than any other work, with the possible exception of Fidelio, and took nearly four years from conception to completion [1819-1823]." Cooper: The Beethoven Companion, p. 255.
Eigenh. Brief mit Unterschrift.
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To Franz Christian Kirchhoffer, in German, concerning the sending of the "Missa solemnis" to London: "Mein werther Kirchhoffer. Sollte es nicht möglich seyn, ein paquet durch die Englische Gesandtschaft nach London zu schicken, erkundigen sie sich gefälligst, ich werde deswegen morgen um Antwort schicken oder wenn sie es der Gelegenheit wegen für gut befinden? Auf Sonntag sehn wir sie gewiß mein Karl u. ich bey unß zu Tische, das Wetter scheint wieder günstig zu werden, u. es wird unß beyden ihre Gegenwart recht erfreulich seyn. - Ihr Ergebenster Beethoven" (Beethoven asks Kirchhoffer to inquire whether it might be possible to send a package to London through the British Embassy. He invites him to lunch with him at his flat on Sunday, with his nephew Karl: the weather appears promising, and his presence would be a great pleasure for both of them). -Kirchhoffer served as cashier at the Hofmann & Goldstein Bank in Vienna. Several times in 1823 he helped Beethoven to send funds as well as music to their mutual friend Ferdinand Ries (1784-1838) in London. The shipment in question is the just-completed "Missa solemnis", op. 123, for which Ries is to find a publisher. - Traces of folds and small hole, professionally restored and finely mounted on the reverse, with address panel covered.
Druch der „Musikalisch-declamatorische | Akademie“ vom 3. Mai 1827 im landständischen Saal in Wien „als Beytrag zur Errichtung eines Grabmahles | fuer Beethoven“.
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Autograph musical manuscript with autograph letter signed ("Beethoven").
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Eigenh. Brief mit Unterschrift.
Autograph ist nicht mehr verfügbar
To Karl Holz, who played the second violin in the Schuppanzigh Quartet since 1824, a close friend of Beethoven’s whom the composer frequently entrusted with his quotidian missions. The background of the letter is obscure: it probably refers to an episode involving Beethoven’s housekeeper, Ms Lindner, with whose work he was dissatisfied, and to the problem of supervising the lifestyle of Karl, Beethoven’s troubled young nephew. “As token payment the cane did its job yesterday. I would much prefer if you located somebody to trace the K. trail, perhaps we shall find something better than we expect – and only then is action to be taken according to conviction – whatever the cost, I will gladly refund all, only the matter must be approached cleverly. I ask you sincerely to instruct your sister, whom I send my regards, to buy two cubits of flannel according to this swatch; you can bring the cloth along when you visit me this noon – I only regret having to burden you in so many matters. In haste […]” Beethoven’s conversation notebooks reveal that Holz’s sister Anna attended to the requested purchase of the flannel in mid-February 1826. Beethoven, Briefwechsel, vol. 6, no. 2117 (“original unknown”), based on Kalischer’s inaccurate edition (1908), vol. 5, no. 1181. From the collection of Adolf Göttmann, Berlin (cf. MGG vol. 5, cols. 460f.).
A lock of hair, taken on the composer’s deathbed in 1827.
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His personal visiting card „Ludwig van Beethoven“.
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