My Dear Sir,
You are indeed mistaken in supposing that I have been very well. For in the meantime we have been suffering misery in a most concentrated form. Let me tell you that since May 4th I have produced very little coherent work, at most a fragment here and there. The whole course of events has in my case affected both body and soul. I cannot yet give myself up to the enjoyment of country life which is so indispensable to me – The existence I had built up only a short time ago rests on shaky foundations – and even during this last short period I have not yet seen the promises made to me completely fulfilled – So far I have not received a farthing from Prince Kinsky, who is one of my patrons – and this happens just at a time when money is most needed – Heaven knows what is going to happen – Normally I should now be having a change of scene and air – The levies are beginning this very day – What a destructive, disorderly life I see and hear around me, nothing but drums, cannons, and human misery in every form – My present condition now compels me to be stingy with you again. Hence I am inclined to think that you could surely send me 250 gulden A.C. for the three major works – Indeed I consider that this is by no means an excessive sum; and just now I do need it – For at the moment I cannot count on receiving all that was granted to me in my certificate of appointment – So let me know if you will accept this offer. Why, I could have obtained a fee of 100 gulden A.C. for the Mass alone – You know that in matters of this kind I am always frank with you –
Here is a good plateful of misprints, to which, since I care not a jot about what I have already composed, my attention has been drawn by a good friend of mine. (They are in the violoncello sonata [Opus 69]. I am having this list copied or printed here and inserted in a newspaper, so that all those who have already bought the sonata may obtain a copy of the list – And that reminds me of the confirmation of my experience that the most correct engravings have been made of those compositions of mine which were written out in my own handwriting – No doubt you will find several mistakes in the copy which you possess. For when he looks over his own work the composer really does overlook the mistakes – You will soon receive the song ‘Ich denke dein’. It was to have been included in Prometheus which came to grief and which, if you had not reminded me, I should have entirely forgotten – Accept it as a small present – Only now am I thanking you for the really beautifully translated tragedies of Euripides; among the poems intended for me I have marked a few from ‘Kallirhoe’ which I propose to set to notes or tones – But I should like to know the name of the author or the translator of this tragedy – At Traeg’s office I took away the Messiah, using a privilege which you had already granted me here in a somewhat pressing manner (namely, when you were in Vienna); and for that very reason, I must confess, I have extended the privilege still further. I had begun to have a little singing party at my rooms every week – but that accursed war put a stop to everything – With this in view and in any case for many other reasons I should be delighted if you would send me by degrees most of the scores which you possess, such as, for instance Mozart’s Requiem and so forth, Haydn’s Masses, in short, all the scores you have, I mean, those of Haydn, Mozart, Johann Sebastian Bach, Emanuel Bach and so forth – I have only a few samples of Emanuel Bach’s compositions for the clavier; and yet some of them should certainly be in the possession of every true artist, not only for the sake of real enjoyment but also for the purpose of study. And my greatest pleasure is to play at the homes of some true friends of music works which I have never or seldom seen – You may rest assured that I shall arrange for you to be compensated in a way that will satisfy you – I hear that the first trio is now in Vienna. I have not received a copy, so I am asking you to send me one. I should be glad too if you would send me for correction the proofs of the other works which are to be published. In future you will receive all the scores in my own handwriting, unless I send you the written out parts which have been used by performers – If I change my address, I will let you know immediately – But, if you write at once, your reply will certainly find me still in Vienna – Perhaps Heaven may grant that after all I shall not have to abandon the idea of regarding Vienna as my permanent home – All good wishes. Indeed I wish you all that is good and beautiful, that is to say, as much as our tempestuous age permits. Do remember
your most devoted servant and friend
Beethoven