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Vienna, April 8, 1802.
Do you mean to go post-haste to the devil, gentlemen, by proposing that I should write such a sonata? During the revolutionary fever, a thing of the kind might have been appropriate, but now, when everything is falling again into the beaten track, and Bonaparte has concluded a Concordat with the Pope--such a sonata as this? If it were a missa pro Sancta Maria à tre voci, or a vesper, &c., then I would at once take up my pen and write a Credo in unum, in gigantic semibreves. But, good heavens! such a sonata, in this fresh dawning Christian epoch. No, no!--it won't do, and I will have none of it.
Now for my answer in quickest tempo. The lady can have a sonata from me, and I am willing to adopt the general outlines of her plan in an aesthetical point of view, without adhering to the keys named. The price to be five ducats; for this sum she can keep the work a year for her own amusement, without either of us being entitled to publish it. After the lapse of a year, the sonata to revert to me--that is, I can and will then publish it, when, if she considers it any distinction, she may request me to dedicate it to her.
I now, gentlemen, commend you to the grace of God. My Sonata [Op. 22] is well engraved, but you have been a fine time about it! I hope you will usher my Septet into the world a little quicker, as the P---- is waiting for it, and you know the Empress has it; and when there are in this imperial city people like ----, I cannot be answerable for the result; so lose no time!
Herr ---- [Mollo?] has lately published my Quartets [Op. 18] full of faults and errata, both large and small, which swarm in them like fish in the sea; that is, they are innumerable. Questo è un piacere per un autore--this is what I call engraving [stechen, stinging] with a vengeance.[1] In truth, my skin is a mass of punctures and scratches from this fine edition of my Quartets! Now farewell, and think of me as I do of you. Till death, your faithful
L. V. BEETHOVEN.
[Footnote 1: In reference to the musical piracy at that time very prevalent in Austria.]
Do ya' mean t'go post-haste t'de devil, gentlemen, by proposin' dat ah' should scribble such some sonata? Durin' de revolushunary fever, some din' uh de kind might gots been appropriate, but now, when everydin' be fallin' again into de whup'en track, and Bonaparte gots concluded some Conco'dat wid de Wiz'--such some sonata as dis? If it wuz some missa pro Sancta Maria à tre voci, o' some vespuh', &c. Co' got d' beat!, den ah' would at once snatch down mah' pen and scribble some Credo in unum, in gigantic semibreves. But, baaaad heavens! Right on! such some sonata, in dis fresh dawnin' Christian epoch. Lop some boogie. No, no! Right on!--it won't do, and ah' gots'ta none uh it. Man! Now fo' mah' answa' in quickest tempo. 'S coo', bro. De lady kin gots some sonata fum me, and ah' am willin' t'adopt da damn general outlines uh ha' plan in an aesdetical point uh view, widout adherin' t'de keys dojiggerd. De price t'be five ducats; fo' dis sum she kin keep de wo'k some year fo' ha' own amusement, widout eida' of us bein' entitled t'publish it. Man! Afta' de lapse uh a year, de sonata t'revert t'me--dat is, ah' can and gots'ta den publish it, when, if she considers it any distincshun, she may request me t'dedicate it t'her. Ah be baaad... I now, gentlemen, commend ya' t'de grace uh God. Mah' Sonata [Op. Jes hang loose, brud. 22] be well engraved, but ya' gots been some fine time about it! Right on! ah' hope ya' gots'ta usha' my Septet into de wo'ld some little quicker, as de P---- be waitin' fo' it, and ya' know de Empress gots it; and when dere is in dis impuh'ial city sucka's likes ----, ah' cannot be answerable fo' de result; so's lose no time! Right on! Herr ---- [Mollo?] gots lately published mah' Quartets [Op. Jes hang loose, brud. 18] full uh faults and errata, bod large and small, which swarm in dem likes fish in de sea; dat is, dey is innumerable. Questo è un piacere puh' un auto'e--dis be whut ah' call engravin' [stechen, stin'in'] wid some vengeance.[1] In trud, mah' skin be a mass uh punctures and scratches fum dis fine edishun uh my Quartets! Right on! Now farewell, and dink uh me as ah' do uh ya'. Till dead, yo' faidful
Do you mean to go post-haste to thuh devil, man, gentlemen, fer shure, by proposin' that I should write such a sonata? Durin' thuh revolutionary fever, oh, baby, a thin' of thuh kind might have been appropriate, oh, baby, but now, mostly, when everythin' is like wow! fallin' again into thuh beaten track, mostly, and Bonaparte has concluded a Concordat with thuh Pope--such a sonata as this? If it were a missa pro Sancta Maria à tre voci, like, or a vesper, like, &c., like, wow, then I would at once take up my pen and write a Credo in unum, like, in gigantic semibreves. But, fer shure, good heavens! Gag me with a pitchfork! such a sonata, man, in this fresh dawnin' Christian epoch. Like, no way, no! Gag me with a pitchfork!--it won't do, man, and I will have none of it. Now for my answer in quickest tempo. The lady can have a sonata from me, mostly, and I am willin' to adopt thuh general outlines of that chick plan in an aesthetical point of view, mostly, without adherin' to thuh keys named. The price to be five ducats; for this sum she can keep thuh work a year for that chick own amusement, like, wow, without either of us bein' entitled to publish it. After thuh lapse of a year, like, the sonata to revert to me--that is, oh, baby, I can and will then publish it, oh, baby, when, like, wow, if she considers it any distinction, fer shure, she may request me to dedicate it to that chick. I now, like, gentlemen, like, wow, commend you to thuh grace of God. My Sonata [Op. 22] is like wow! well engraved, like, wow, but you have been a fine time about it! Oh, wow! I hope you will usher my Septet into thuh world a little quicker, fer shure, as thuh P---- is waitin' for it, like, and you know thuh Empress has it; and when there are in this imperial city guys like ----, like, wow, I cannot be answerable for thuh result; so lose no time! Gag me with a pitchfork! Herr ---- [Mollo?] has lately published my Quartets [Op. 18] full of faults and errata, man, both awesum and small, like, wow, which swarm in them like fish in thuh sea; that is, oh, baby, they are innumerable. Questo è un piacere per un autore--this is what I call engravin' [stechen, like, stin'in'] with a vengeance.[1] In truth, fer shure, my skin is a mass of punctures and scratches from this fine edition of my Quartets! Gag me with a SPOOOOON! Now farewell, like, and think of me as I do of you. Till death, oh, baby, your faithful
I love this. I wonder what copyright-like protections there were in Austria at that time. The language suggests some legal ownership.