This Archduke was Max Franz, youngest son of Maria Theresia, whose acquaintance Swinburne had made in Vienna, and who had just been chosen coadjutor to Max Friedrich. A curious proof of the liberality, not to say laxity, of the Elector’s sentiments in one direction is given by Stramberg in his “Rheinischer Antiquarius,” to wit, the possession of a mistress in common by him and his minister Belderbusch—the latter fathering the children—and this mistress was the Countess Caroline von Satzenhofen, Abbess of Vilich!
Chapelmaster Ludwig van Beethoven
The reduction which was made by Belderbusch upon the accession of Max Friedrich in the expenses of the theatre and other amusements does not appear, except in the case of the chapelmaster, to have extended to the court music proper, nor to have been long continued in respect to the “operetta and comedy.” The first in order of the documents and notices discovered relating to the musical establishment of this Elector are of no common interest, being the petition of a candidate for the vacant office of chapelmaster and the decree appointing him to that position. They are as follows:
Very Reverend Archbishop and Elector
most gracious Lord Lord!
May it please Your Electoral Grace to permit a representation of my faithfully and dutifully performed services for a considerable space as vocalist as well as, since the death of the chapelmaster, for more than a year his duties in Dupplo, that is to say by singing and wielding the baton concerning which my demand still remains ad referendum much less have I been assured of the position. Inasmuch as because of particular recommendation Dousmoulin was preferred over me, and indeed unjustly, I have been forced hitherto to submit to fate.
But now, gracious Elector and Lord, that because of the reduction in salaries Chapelmaster Dousmoulin has already asked his demission or will soon do so, and I at the command of Baron Belderbusch am to begin de novo to fill his office, and the same must surely be replaced,—Therefore
There reaches Your Electoral Grace my humble petition that you may graciously be pleased (: inasmuch as the “Toxal” must be sufficiently supplied with musique, and I must at all events take the lead in the occurring church ceremonies in puncto the chorales:) to grant me the justice of which I was deprived on the death of Your Highness’s antecessori of blessed memory, and appoint me chapelmaster with some augmentation of my lessened salary because of my services performed in Duplo. For which highest grace I shall pour out my prayers to God for the long continuing health and government of your Electoral Grace, while in deepest submission I throw myself at your feet.
Your
Electoral Grace’s
most humble servant
Ludwig van Beethoven
“Passist.”
M. F. Whereas We, Maximilian Friedrich, Elector of Cologne, on the demission of our former chapelmaster Touche Moulin, and the humble petition of our bass singer Ludwig van Beethoven have appointed the latter to be chapelmaster with the retention of his position as bass singer, and have added 97 rthlr. species 40 alb. to his former salary of 292 rthlr. species 40 alb. per annum divided in quartalien, which appointment is hereby made and payment ordered by our grace, our exchequer and all whom it may concern are called on to observe the fact and do what is required under the circumstances.
Attest, etc.