PS.
I
inform you that my brother is travelling to Leipzig on business
for his office and that I have given him a pianoforte arrangement
of the overture to my opera, my oratorio [Op. 85], and a new pianoforte
concerto [Op. 58] - Furthermore, you may discuss with him the
question of new violin quartets, one of which I have already finished;
[the first three of String Quartets Op. 59, begun May 26, 1806];
and indeed I am thinking of devoting myself almost entirely to
this type of composition - As soon as you have come to an agreement
with my brother, I will send you the whole pianoforte arrangement
of the opera - and you can have the score as well -
I
hear that in the Musikalische Zeitung some one has railed violently
against the symphony which I sent you last year and which you
returned to me. [Op. 55] I have not read the article. If you fancy
that you can injure me by publishing articles of that kind, you
are very much mistaken. On the contrary, by so doing you merely
bring your journal into disrepute, the more so as I have made
no secret whatever of the fact that you returned to me that particular
symphony together with some other compositions - Be so kind as
to give my compliments to Herr von Rochlitz. I trust that his
angry feelings about me will have subsided a little. Tell him
that I am not quite so ignorant about foreign literature as not
to know that Herr von Rochlitz has written some very fine articles
and that, should I ever go to Leipzig, I am convinced that we
should certainly become quite good friends, 'without prejudice
to or disparagement of his criticism' - Please give my compliments
also to the cantor Herr Müller, for whom I cherish a great
regard - All good wishes.
With
best respects your most devoted
Ludwig
van Beethoven
Let
me add that if the negotiations with my brother lead to a definite
arrangement, I should like you to send me your printed scores
of Haydn and Mozart.