Sir!
To
your second offer made to me through Wagener I reply that I am willing
to release you entirely from everything connected with the Mass
- So I am making you a present of it [Opus 86]. Even the cost of
having it copied you need not defray; for I am absolutely convinced
that once you have had it performed at your winter concerts in Leipzig,
you will certainly provide it with a German text and publish it
- Whatever its fate may be, it now belongs to you. As soon as we
have come to an agreement, I will send you the score of the Mass
together with the other works; and I will also enter it in my list,
just as if you had purchased it -
The
reasons why I particularly wanted to bind you and no one else to
publish the Mass are 1) because notwithstanding the utterly frigid
attitude of our age to works of this kind, the Mass is especially
close to my heart; and 2) because I thought that by means of your
type-setting for printed notes you could produce it more easily
than other German publishers who in general know nothing about scores
-
Now
for the other matters. As the Mass has been removed, you are going
to receive two symphonies, a sonata with violoncello obbligato,
two trios for pianoforte, violin and violoncello (since such trios
are now rather scarce) [Opus 67, 68, 69, 70], or, instead of these
last two trios, a symphony, all for 600 gulden A.C., according to
the rate which I fixed in my two previous letters -
When
you have agreed to this proposal, and I have no doubt that you will,
you can make the payment in two installments, namely: as soon as
I have delivered to your agent here in Vienna the two symphonies
and the sonata with violoncello obbligato I shall receive a bill
of exchange for 400 gulden - A few weeks later I will deliver the
two trios or, if you like, the symphony; whereupon you can let me
have the remaining 200 gulden, also in a bill of exchange - Thus
all the doubtful points have now been cleared up - As soon as I
receive a reply, the score of the Mass will be copied and sent to
you without fail by the second consignment -
I
must be very much mistaken if there is now any point to which you
can still take exception; and surely you see that I am doing my
utmost to come to an agreement with you - Besides, you may rest
assured that here in Vienna I receive just as much, and even more,
for my compositions; but the annoying thing is that Viennese publisher
does not pay immediately, nay rather, very slowly - Well, now you
have been given a full explanation of this difficulty. I trust,
however, that you are too noble to abuse my frankness - Besides,
if I see that you really want to come to a definite agreement with
me, you will certainly often find me unselfish. I love my art too
dearly to be actuated solely by self-interest. But for the last
two years I have suffered a great many misfortunes, and, what is
more, here in V[ienna] -
However
I will say nothing more about that -
Do
let me have a reply immediately. For all this time solely on your
account I have not made any other arrangements. You are wrong if
you think that I cannot obtain the same fees in Vienna. The reason
why I prefer you is none other than the one I have given you - With
kindest regards
Your
most devoted
Ludwig
van Beethoven
In
order to avoid all complications I am asking you kindly to address
your reply to Wagener. He know how to forward the letter to me,
as I am in the country -