Most beloved
and worthy brother!
Many times
already I have intended to reply to your enquiries. But I am dreadfully
lazy about writing letters and it takes a long time to write down
instead of notes some dry letters of the alphabet. Well, at last
I have driven myself to apply with your desire -
Pro Primo,
I must inform you that I am very sorry that you, my beloved and
worthy brother in the art of music, did not let me know something
about this sooner, for I could have brought to your market my
quartets [Opus 18] and also many other works which I have already
disposed of. But if our worthy brother is as conscientious as
many other honorable engravers who hound us [Anderson footnote#4:
"Beethoven is indulging in one of his favourite puns on the
verb 'stechen' which can mean 'engrave' and 'goad'."]
poor composers into our graves, no doubt you too will know what
advantages to draw from these works when they appear - Hence I
will jot down briefly what works my worthy b[rother] can have
from me. 1. a septet for violin, viola, violoncello, double bass,
clarinet, horn, bassoon - tutti obbligati (I cannot compose anything
that is not obbligato, seeing that, as a matter of fact, I came
into the world with an obbligato accompaniment). This septet has
been very popular [Opus 20]. Four its more frequent use one could
arrange the three wind instrument parts, i.e. the bassoon, clarinet
and horn, for another violin, viola and violoncello - 2. A grand
symphony for full orchestra [Opus 21] - 3. A concerto for pianoforte,
which, it is true, I do not make out to be one of my best [Opus
19]; and also another one, which is to be published here by Mollo
( I am telling you this so that you may inform the Leipzig reviewers),
because I am still keeping back the better ones
until I myself undertake a journey. At the same time it
would not disgrace you to engrave this concerto - 4. A grand solo
sonata [Opus 22]. That is all that I can let you have for the
time being. A little later on you can have a quintet for stringed
instruments [Opus 29], and perhaps too a few quartets and some
other compositions which at the moment I have not been got beside
me - You yourself when replying may fix the prices as well; and
as you are neither a Jew nor an Italian and since I too
am neither, no doubt we shall come to some agreement.
Most beloved
and worthy brother, take good care of yourself; and rest assured
of the regard of your brother
L.
v. Beethoven