A chat with Ludwig
“ These books give a detailed reflection of Beethoven’s day-to-day doings until the tormented final weeks of his life”
‘Paper. Barber’s razor. Archduke’s receipt. Watch. Suspenders. Blotting paper. Shoe-horn for Karl. Chamber pot.’ In this to-do memo by the 49-year-old Beethoven, the humble items to be dealt with indicate the parameters of his universe. They touch on everything from his composition and business activities to his punctilious control of domestic matters; to his dishevelled dandyism, his attempts to keep dirt at bay and his avuncular concern for his needy nephew, Karl.
The daily list was his mainstay, and sometimes it has a terse kind of poetry: ‘Sugar. Spice. Wine. Macaroni. Tooth powder.’ Other times, especially when fuelled by drink, it can reflect manic impulses and nagging worries: ‘Fluff up mattresses. Pillow cases. Towels. Has a prohibition appeared at the cashier’s? [Piano device] of wood or brass. Look for white sugar – have a sugar tin made. Have a walking stick made. Dust-broom. Hemp cord. Lettuce, bread, she is bringing it too, but how much vinegar and oil does one need with it? Show around the catalogue [of my collected works].’ These lists, of course, reflected his
