Young Beethoven - User contributions [en]

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)

2026-06-04T13:01:50Z

JDWpianist:

{{Primary Source
|Source:Name=D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)
|Source:Description='''Location:''' Duisburg, Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen (D-DGla), Abteilung Rheinland, Kurköln II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55

'''Extent:''' five nested bifolia, last five leaves blank and unnumbered

This set of documents involves a curious inquiry from Würzburg that appears to have puzzled Bonn court officials, but which raises interesting new questions about the Beethoven household in the 1770s and 1780s.

The initial inquiry (fols. 53/55]) came from a certain "N. Rovantini," who claims to represent an unspecified number of orphaned children of "Hofmusikus Rovantini." Ever since their parents' death, they had gotten permission from Maximilian Friedrich to receive 3 measures of grain per year as an in-kind pension payment (a common practice known as "Gnaden-Korn"). After the death in November 1792 of Johann van Beethoven, who had usually drawn it on their behalf, the allotment stopped coming, and the children presumed that the Oberkellner had halted it for that reason; they therefore asked whether Ernst Haveck could collect it instead. Inlaid in this request (fol. 54) is the copy of a power of attorney granted to Haveck by N. Rovantini.

The initial answer from the court, as written in the relevant entry in the protocol books, indicated that they were unaware of the Rovantini children's existence, and they therefore commissioned a report from Vogel and from the Oberkellner (head of the food stores). Vogel (fol. 52) reports that he looked into old issues of the Hofkalender and believed they must be the children of Franz Georg Rovantini (1757–1781), but he knew nothing further about the circumstances of the matter, nor indeed who took care of these children after their father's death.

Unbeknownst to Vogel, Franz Georg died unmarried. His father, however, was also a Bonn court musician named Johann Conrad Rovantini, who died in 1766. When his widow, Anna Rovantini (née Daubach) died in Bonn in 1772, she left behind five children between the ages of 10 and 17. The "N. Rovantini" who sent the inquiry could only refer to Johann Nicolaus Rovantini, then a successful 33-year-old surgeon in Würzburg. None of the other siblings were legal minors in 1793, so whatever claim they might have had to ''Gnaden-Korn'' would have long since lapsed. That they still asserted an entitlement at this time is unusual, and the vagueness with which they addressed the inquiry suggests they hoped the court would not be able to identify them and would take their claim on trust.

The statement on the matter by Haveck, which is only recorded in the protocol books, suggests a further layer of deception was afoot: "[Haveck alleges that] Beethoven’s heirs, through the false pretense that their father had acquired this grain for himself, taken it for their own uses, thereby depriving Rovandini’s children of it. Haveck is aware of two living Rovandini children, one of whom is not yet able to provide for his most basic needs."<ref>die Erben des Bethoven hätten durch unwahre Vorstellung, als hätte ihr Vater dieses Korn für sich bezogen, die beybehaltung deselbigen erwirkt, und also die Kinder Rovandini davon beraubt. Wie ihm Haveck bekannt sei, so lebten noch 2 von des Rovandini Kindern, wovon einer noch nicht im Stande sey, sich die notwendigste Bedürfnisse anzuschaffen.</ref> This contradicts the Rovantinis' letter, which claimed that Haveck had successfully acquired the allotment after Johann's death.

The payment of the ''Gnaden-Korn'' via Johann van Beethoven as intermediary suggests that the children were for a time in the care of the Beethoven household.

TO BE CONTINUED
|Source:Location=Bonn
|Source:Date=1793-11-08
|Source:DisplayDate=8 November 1793
|Source:Transcription=[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=85&cHash=6700e24bd692325faf0732cf7d5ed694 51r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'><u>'''2197'''</u></div>
[top left]
''ad sup.''
Kinder des verstorbenen Hof-
Musikanten ''Rovantini''

[right side]
an die Kurfürstl. Hofkammer Rath
''Vogel'' zum g[e]h[orsam]sten Bericht.
Bonn den 8.<sup>ten</sup> 9.<sup>ber</sup> 1793.
''expediatur''

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=86&cHash=100a5b3db66ee29c9954544514fbf07b 52r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'>Hochwürdigst Durchlauchtigster Ertzbischoff und Kurfürst
<div style='text-align: center;'>gnädigster Fürst und Herr Herr</div></div>
Zur unterthänigst gehorsambsten Befolgung des von Euer Kurfürst.
Durch.[laucht] mir zugekommenen gnädigsten Befehls hab ich ohnerman-
gelen wollen hierdurch gehorsambst einzuberichten, daß zwaren ein
sicherer ''Violonist Frantz Rovantini'' vom Jahr 1778 bis 1782 in der
Liste deren Kurfürstl. Hof''Musicant''en laut denen derjahrigen Hof-
kalender sich vorfinde, deßen Sterbjahr mir aber unbewust, und noch
weniger bekannt seye, ob deßen hinterlaßenen Kinderen von weil.[and]
Sr Kurf. Gnaden ''Max Friderich'' glor. ge. einiges Gnaden Korn zu ihrer
Erziehung mildest ausgeworfen gewesen seye, und ob der Verstor-
bener Hof''Musicus Beethoven'' oder ein anderer den Empfang sothanen
Korns besorget habe.
Nebst dem erinnere ich mich gar nicht, daß jemalen die Frage gewesen
unter weßen ''Direction'' die Vatterlose Kinder auferzogen werden solten,
von deren Aufenthalt ich niemalen etwas gewust oder gehöret habe.
Und wird es also auf die Höchste Kurmilde Eu.[er] Kurf.[ürstliche] Durchl.[aucht] lediglich ankommen
ob ged.[achten] Rovandinischen Kinderen gem.[eldetes] Gnaden Korn weiterhin zu belaßen
seye.
Ich empfehle mich übrigens zu fortwehrender Kurfürst. Höchsten Hulden und
Gnaden, und bestehe in unterthänigster erniedrigung.
Euer Kurfürstl. Durchl.
meines gnädigsten Fürsten und Herren Herren

<div style='text-align: right;'>Unterthänigst treugehorsambster
<div style='text-align: right;'>Diener
<div style='text-align: right;'>''JPN Vogel''</div></div></div>

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=87&cHash=60cb8eba2bd9c73e65bc63083d5c53fa 53r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'>An
Seine Kurfürstlichen Durchlaucht zu Köln p.p.p.
Unterthänigste Bitte
von Seiten
<div style='text-align: right;'>des höchst dero Verstorbenen
Hofmusicanten Rovandini
hinterlaßenen Kinder</div></div>
[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=88&cHash=d51c5e5a5e75c33a061a4458fcb7d7ab 53v]]
<div style='text-align: center;'>Hochwürdigst Durchlauchtigster Kurfürst,
Gnädigster Herr !</div>

Da höchst dero Hofmusicant ''van Bethoven'', die
von weiland seiner Kurfürstlichen Gnaden Maximilian
Friedrig uns gnädigst verliehene drei Malder Gnaden
Rogen an höchst dero OberKöllnerei zu ''Bonn'' bis hierhin
vor uns empfangen hat, bei Eintrith dieses Jahrs
mit Todt abginge, so ersuchten wir zu diesem Ende
mit Versehung in Copia beiligender Vollmacht höchst
dero Hofmusicanten Ernest Haveck dieses besagte
Gnaden Rogen nun mehr vor uns zu empfangen,
welche Vollmacht auch von höchst dero OberKöllnern ist
bei Vorzeugung gut befunden und anerkant
worden, da sich nun die Zeit des Empfangs
nähert, so findet höchst dero Oberköllnern

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=89&cHash=b4a741567d5da2af082849bac783997f 55r]]
- uns aus unbekantem Grund - anstandt (ausstand?)
So ergehet unsere unterthänigste Bitte an
Euer Kurfürstligen Durchlaucht, an höchst dero
Oberkellnern die gnädigste Weisung ergehen zu lassen,
die drey Malder Gnaden Rogen an unsern nun-
mehro bestelten Bevollmächtigten Ernest Haveck
verabfolgen zu lassen:

Euer Kurfürstligen Durchlaucht

Unterthänigste des
höchst dero Verstorbenen Hof-
Musicanten Rovandini hinter-
laßene Kindern.

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=88&cHash=d51c5e5a5e75c33a061a4458fcb7d7ab 54r]]

Copia

Da wir den Todt des Hofmusicus van
Bethoven als unseren bishörigen Korn
gehalt Empfänger zu Bonn vernommen, so über-
tragen wir hiermit Kraft eigenhändiger Unter-
schrieft, dem Herrn Ernest Haveck Hofmusicus
daselbst die Vollmacht vor jetzt und immer
besagtes Korn bestehent in drey Malder
vor uns bey Kurfürstlicher Oberkellnerey zu Bonn
in Empfang zu nehmen. Würzburg den 15ten 8bris
1793
N: Rovantini

[55v]

An den Kurf. HofKammerRath Vogel
zum gehorsambsten Berichte Bonn
den 8. 9ber 1793

Aus Kurf. gnädigstem Befehl

? J. G. J. for.......en Waldeufel

Siegel

Kinder des verstorbenen
HofMusikanten Rovantini
2197
|Source:Translation=[51r]
<div style='text-align: center;'><u>'''2197'''</u></div>
[top left]
''ad sup.''
Children of deceased Court
Musician Rovantini

[right side]
To the Electoral Chamber Advisor
Vogel for obedient report.
Bonn, 8 November 1793.
''expediatur''

[52r]
<div style='text-align: center;'>Most Reverend and Most Illustrious Archbishop and Elector,
<div style='text-align: center;'>Most Gracious Prince and Lord,</div></div>

In most humble and obedient compliance with the gracious
command received from Your Electoral Highness, I hereby most
obediently report that a certain skilled violinist,
Franz Rovantini, was indeed listed among the Electoral
court musicians from 1778 to 1782, as per the court calendar
of those years, but I am unaware of the year of his death,
and even less do I know whether his surviving children,
by the grace of His Elector Max Friedrich, may he rest in glory,
were graciously provided some grain for their upbringing,
and whether the late court musician Beethoven or another
had arranged for the receipt of said grain.

Furthermore, I do not recall at all that the question ever
arose as to under whose direction the fatherless children
were to be raised, of whose whereabouts I have never known
or heard anything.

And it will thus depend solely on the highest mercy of
Your Electoral Highness whether the aforementioned Rovandini
children are to continue to receive the said generous allowance.
I remain, moreover, your most humble servant.

With the highest respect and grace, and in the most submissive humility.
Your Electoral Highness,

my most gracious Prince and Lord

<div style='text-align: right;'>Your most humble and faithful
<div style='text-align: right;'>Servant
<div style='text-align: right;'>JPN Vogel</div></div></div>
IN PROGRESS
}}
___
=Notes=
<references responsive="0" />

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)

2026-06-04T12:56:20Z

JDWpianist:

{{Primary Source
|Source:Name=D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)
|Source:Description='''Location:''' Duisburg, Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen (D-DGla), Abteilung Rheinland, Kurköln II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55

'''Extent:''' five nested bifolia, last five leaves blank and unnumbered

This set of documents involves a curious inquiry from Würzburg that appears to have puzzled Bonn court officials, but which raises interesting new questions about the Beethoven household in the 1770s and 1780s.

The initial inquiry (fols. 53/55]) came from a certain "N. Rovantini," who claims to represent an unspecified number of orphaned children of "Hofmusikus Rovantini." Ever since their parents' death, they had gotten permission from Maximilian Friedrich to receive 3 measures of grain per year as an in-kind pension payment (a common practice known as "Gnaden-Korn"). After the death in November 1792 of Johann van Beethoven, who had usually drawn it on their behalf, the allotment stopped coming, and the children presumed that the Oberkellner had halted it for that reason; they therefore asked whether Ernst Haveck could collect it instead. Inlaid in this request (fol. 54) is the copy of a power of attorney granted to Haveck by N. Rovantini.

The initial answer from the court, as written in the relevant entry in the protocol books, indicated that they were unaware of the Rovantini children's existence, and they therefore commissioned a report from Vogel and from the Oberkellner (head of the food stores). Vogel (fol. 52) reports that he looked into old issues of the Hofkalender and believed they must be the children of Franz Georg Rovantini (1757–1781), but he knew nothing further about the circumstances of the matter, nor indeed who took care of these children after their father's death.

Unbeknownst to Vogel, Franz Georg died unmarried. His father, however, was also a Bonn court musician named Johann Conrad Rovantini, who died in 1766. When his widow, Anna Rovantini (née Daubach) died in Bonn in 1772, she left behind five children between the ages of 10 and 17. The "N. Rovantini" who sent the inquiry could only refer to Johann Nicolaus Rovantini, then a successful 33-year-old surgeon in Würzburg. None of the other siblings were legal minors in 1793, so whatever claim they might have had to ''Gnaden-Korn'' would have long since lapsed. That they still asserted an entitlement at this time is unusual, and the vagueness with which they addressed the inquiry suggests they hoped the court would not be able to identify them and would take their claim on trust.

The statement on the matter by Haveck, which is only recorded in the protocol books, suggests a further layer of deception was afoot: "Beethoven’s heirs had, through the false pretense that their father had acquired this grain for himself, secured its retention, thereby depriving Rovandini’s children of it. As Haveck was aware, two of Rovandini’s children were still alive, one of whom was not yet able to provide for his most basic needs."<ref>die Erben des Bethoven hätten durch unwahre Vorstellung, als hätte ihr Vater dieses Korn für sich bezogen, die beybehaltung deselbigen erwirkt, und also die Kinder Rovandini davon beraubt. Wie ihm Haveck bekannt sei, so lebten noch 2 von des Rovandini Kindern, wovon einer noch nicht im Stande sey, sich die notwendigste Bedürfnisse anzuschaffen.</ref>

The payment of the ''Gnaden-Korn'' via Johann van Beethoven as intermediary suggests that the children were for a time in the care of the Beethoven household.

TO BE CONTINUED
|Source:Location=Bonn
|Source:Date=1793-11-08
|Source:DisplayDate=8 November 1793
|Source:Transcription=[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=85&cHash=6700e24bd692325faf0732cf7d5ed694 51r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'><u>'''2197'''</u></div>
[top left]
''ad sup.''
Kinder des verstorbenen Hof-
Musikanten ''Rovantini''

[right side]
an die Kurfürstl. Hofkammer Rath
''Vogel'' zum g[e]h[orsam]sten Bericht.
Bonn den 8.<sup>ten</sup> 9.<sup>ber</sup> 1793.
''expediatur''

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=86&cHash=100a5b3db66ee29c9954544514fbf07b 52r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'>Hochwürdigst Durchlauchtigster Ertzbischoff und Kurfürst
<div style='text-align: center;'>gnädigster Fürst und Herr Herr</div></div>
Zur unterthänigst gehorsambsten Befolgung des von Euer Kurfürst.
Durch.[laucht] mir zugekommenen gnädigsten Befehls hab ich ohnerman-
gelen wollen hierdurch gehorsambst einzuberichten, daß zwaren ein
sicherer ''Violonist Frantz Rovantini'' vom Jahr 1778 bis 1782 in der
Liste deren Kurfürstl. Hof''Musicant''en laut denen derjahrigen Hof-
kalender sich vorfinde, deßen Sterbjahr mir aber unbewust, und noch
weniger bekannt seye, ob deßen hinterlaßenen Kinderen von weil.[and]
Sr Kurf. Gnaden ''Max Friderich'' glor. ge. einiges Gnaden Korn zu ihrer
Erziehung mildest ausgeworfen gewesen seye, und ob der Verstor-
bener Hof''Musicus Beethoven'' oder ein anderer den Empfang sothanen
Korns besorget habe.
Nebst dem erinnere ich mich gar nicht, daß jemalen die Frage gewesen
unter weßen ''Direction'' die Vatterlose Kinder auferzogen werden solten,
von deren Aufenthalt ich niemalen etwas gewust oder gehöret habe.
Und wird es also auf die Höchste Kurmilde Eu.[er] Kurf.[ürstliche] Durchl.[aucht] lediglich ankommen
ob ged.[achten] Rovandinischen Kinderen gem.[eldetes] Gnaden Korn weiterhin zu belaßen
seye.
Ich empfehle mich übrigens zu fortwehrender Kurfürst. Höchsten Hulden und
Gnaden, und bestehe in unterthänigster erniedrigung.
Euer Kurfürstl. Durchl.
meines gnädigsten Fürsten und Herren Herren

<div style='text-align: right;'>Unterthänigst treugehorsambster
<div style='text-align: right;'>Diener
<div style='text-align: right;'>''JPN Vogel''</div></div></div>

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=87&cHash=60cb8eba2bd9c73e65bc63083d5c53fa 53r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'>An
Seine Kurfürstlichen Durchlaucht zu Köln p.p.p.
Unterthänigste Bitte
von Seiten
<div style='text-align: right;'>des höchst dero Verstorbenen
Hofmusicanten Rovandini
hinterlaßenen Kinder</div></div>
[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=88&cHash=d51c5e5a5e75c33a061a4458fcb7d7ab 53v]]
<div style='text-align: center;'>Hochwürdigst Durchlauchtigster Kurfürst,
Gnädigster Herr !</div>

Da höchst dero Hofmusicant ''van Bethoven'', die
von weiland seiner Kurfürstlichen Gnaden Maximilian
Friedrig uns gnädigst verliehene drei Malder Gnaden
Rogen an höchst dero OberKöllnerei zu ''Bonn'' bis hierhin
vor uns empfangen hat, bei Eintrith dieses Jahrs
mit Todt abginge, so ersuchten wir zu diesem Ende
mit Versehung in Copia beiligender Vollmacht höchst
dero Hofmusicanten Ernest Haveck dieses besagte
Gnaden Rogen nun mehr vor uns zu empfangen,
welche Vollmacht auch von höchst dero OberKöllnern ist
bei Vorzeugung gut befunden und anerkant
worden, da sich nun die Zeit des Empfangs
nähert, so findet höchst dero Oberköllnern

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=89&cHash=b4a741567d5da2af082849bac783997f 55r]]
- uns aus unbekantem Grund - anstandt (ausstand?)
So ergehet unsere unterthänigste Bitte an
Euer Kurfürstligen Durchlaucht, an höchst dero
Oberkellnern die gnädigste Weisung ergehen zu lassen,
die drey Malder Gnaden Rogen an unsern nun-
mehro bestelten Bevollmächtigten Ernest Haveck
verabfolgen zu lassen:

Euer Kurfürstligen Durchlaucht

Unterthänigste des
höchst dero Verstorbenen Hof-
Musicanten Rovandini hinter-
laßene Kindern.

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=88&cHash=d51c5e5a5e75c33a061a4458fcb7d7ab 54r]]

Copia

Da wir den Todt des Hofmusicus van
Bethoven als unseren bishörigen Korn
gehalt Empfänger zu Bonn vernommen, so über-
tragen wir hiermit Kraft eigenhändiger Unter-
schrieft, dem Herrn Ernest Haveck Hofmusicus
daselbst die Vollmacht vor jetzt und immer
besagtes Korn bestehent in drey Malder
vor uns bey Kurfürstlicher Oberkellnerey zu Bonn
in Empfang zu nehmen. Würzburg den 15ten 8bris
1793
N: Rovantini

[55v]

An den Kurf. HofKammerRath Vogel
zum gehorsambsten Berichte Bonn
den 8. 9ber 1793

Aus Kurf. gnädigstem Befehl

? J. G. J. for.......en Waldeufel

Siegel

Kinder des verstorbenen
HofMusikanten Rovantini
2197
|Source:Translation=[51r]
<div style='text-align: center;'><u>'''2197'''</u></div>
[top left]
''ad sup.''
Children of deceased Court
Musician Rovantini

[right side]
To the Electoral Chamber Advisor
Vogel for obedient report.
Bonn, 8 November 1793.
''expediatur''

[52r]
<div style='text-align: center;'>Most Reverend and Most Illustrious Archbishop and Elector,
<div style='text-align: center;'>Most Gracious Prince and Lord,</div></div>

In most humble and obedient compliance with the gracious
command received from Your Electoral Highness, I hereby most
obediently report that a certain skilled violinist,
Franz Rovantini, was indeed listed among the Electoral
court musicians from 1778 to 1782, as per the court calendar
of those years, but I am unaware of the year of his death,
and even less do I know whether his surviving children,
by the grace of His Elector Max Friedrich, may he rest in glory,
were graciously provided some grain for their upbringing,
and whether the late court musician Beethoven or another
had arranged for the receipt of said grain.

Furthermore, I do not recall at all that the question ever
arose as to under whose direction the fatherless children
were to be raised, of whose whereabouts I have never known
or heard anything.

And it will thus depend solely on the highest mercy of
Your Electoral Highness whether the aforementioned Rovandini
children are to continue to receive the said generous allowance.
I remain, moreover, your most humble servant.

With the highest respect and grace, and in the most submissive humility.
Your Electoral Highness,

my most gracious Prince and Lord

<div style='text-align: right;'>Your most humble and faithful
<div style='text-align: right;'>Servant
<div style='text-align: right;'>JPN Vogel</div></div></div>
IN PROGRESS
}}

___
=Notes=
<references responsive="0" />

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)

2026-06-04T12:55:46Z

JDWpianist:

{{Primary Source
|Source:Name=D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)
|Source:Description='''Location:''' Duisburg, Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen (D-DGla), Abteilung Rheinland, Kurköln II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55

'''Extent:''' five nested bifolia, last five leaves blank and unnumbered

This set of documents involves a curious inquiry from Würzburg that appears to have puzzled Bonn court officials, but which raises interesting new questions about the Beethoven household in the 1770s and 1780s.

The initial inquiry (fols. 53/55]) came from a certain "N. Rovantini," who claims to represent an unspecified number of orphaned children of "Hofmusikus Rovantini." Ever since their parents' death, they had gotten permission from Maximilian Friedrich to receive 3 measures of grain per year as an in-kind pension payment (a common practice known as "Gnaden-Korn"). After the death in November 1792 of Johann van Beethoven, who had usually drawn it on their behalf, the allotment stopped coming, and the children presumed that the Oberkellner had halted it for that reason; they therefore asked whether Ernst Haveck could collect it instead. Inlaid in this request (fol. 54) is the copy of a power of attorney granted to Haveck by N. Rovantini.

The initial answer from the court, as written in the relevant entry in the protocol books, indicated that they were unaware of the Rovantini children's existence, and they therefore commissioned a report from Vogel and from the Oberkellner (head of the food stores). Vogel (fol. 52) reports that he looked into old issues of the Hofkalender and believed they must be the children of Franz Georg Rovantini (1757–1781), but he knew nothing further about the circumstances of the matter, nor indeed who took care of these children after their father's death.

Unbeknownst to Vogel, Franz Georg died unmarried. His father, however, was also a Bonn court musician named Johann Conrad Rovantini, who died in 1766. When his widow, Anna Rovantini (née Daubach) died in Bonn in 1772, she left behind five children between the ages of 10 and 17. The "N. Rovantini" who sent the inquiry could only refer to Johann Nicolaus Rovantini, then a successful 33-year-old surgeon in Würzburg. None of the other siblings were legal minors in 1793, so whatever claim they might have had to ''Gnaden-Korn'' would have long since lapsed. That they still asserted an entitlement at this time is unusual, and the vagueness with which they addressed the inquiry suggests they hoped the court would not be able to identify them and would take their claim on trust.

The statement on the matter by Haveck, which is only recorded in the protocol books, suggests a further layer of deception was afoot: "Beethoven’s heirs had, through the false pretense that their father had acquired this grain for himself, secured its retention, thereby depriving Rovandini’s children of it. As Haveck was aware, two of Rovandini’s children were still alive, one of whom was not yet able to provide for his most basic needs."<ref>die Erben des Bethoven hätten durch unwahre Vorstellung, als hätte ihr Vater dieses Korn für sich bezogen, die beybehaltung deselbigen erwirkt, und also die Kinder Rovandini davon beraubt. Wie ihm Haveck bekannt sei, so lebten noch 2 von des Rovandini Kindern, wovon einer noch nicht im Stande sey, sich die notwendigste Bedürfnisse anzuschaffen.</ref>

The payment of the ''Gnaden-Korn'' via Johann van Beethoven as intermediary suggests that the children were for a time in the care of the Beethoven household.

TO BE CONTINUED
|Source:Location=Bonn
|Source:Date=1793-11-08
|Source:DisplayDate=8 November 1793
|Source:Transcription=[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=85&cHash=6700e24bd692325faf0732cf7d5ed694 51r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'><u>'''2197'''</u></div>
[top left]
''ad sup.''
Kinder des verstorbenen Hof-
Musikanten ''Rovantini''

[right side]
an die Kurfürstl. Hofkammer Rath
''Vogel'' zum g[e]h[orsam]sten Bericht.
Bonn den 8.<sup>ten</sup> 9.<sup>ber</sup> 1793.
''expediatur''

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=86&cHash=100a5b3db66ee29c9954544514fbf07b 52r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'>Hochwürdigst Durchlauchtigster Ertzbischoff und Kurfürst
<div style='text-align: center;'>gnädigster Fürst und Herr Herr</div></div>
Zur unterthänigst gehorsambsten Befolgung des von Euer Kurfürst.
Durch.[laucht] mir zugekommenen gnädigsten Befehls hab ich ohnerman-
gelen wollen hierdurch gehorsambst einzuberichten, daß zwaren ein
sicherer ''Violonist Frantz Rovantini'' vom Jahr 1778 bis 1782 in der
Liste deren Kurfürstl. Hof''Musicant''en laut denen derjahrigen Hof-
kalender sich vorfinde, deßen Sterbjahr mir aber unbewust, und noch
weniger bekannt seye, ob deßen hinterlaßenen Kinderen von weil.[and]
Sr Kurf. Gnaden ''Max Friderich'' glor. ge. einiges Gnaden Korn zu ihrer
Erziehung mildest ausgeworfen gewesen seye, und ob der Verstor-
bener Hof''Musicus Beethoven'' oder ein anderer den Empfang sothanen
Korns besorget habe.
Nebst dem erinnere ich mich gar nicht, daß jemalen die Frage gewesen
unter weßen ''Direction'' die Vatterlose Kinder auferzogen werden solten,
von deren Aufenthalt ich niemalen etwas gewust oder gehöret habe.
Und wird es also auf die Höchste Kurmilde Eu.[er] Kurf.[ürstliche] Durchl.[aucht] lediglich ankommen
ob ged.[achten] Rovandinischen Kinderen gem.[eldetes] Gnaden Korn weiterhin zu belaßen
seye.
Ich empfehle mich übrigens zu fortwehrender Kurfürst. Höchsten Hulden und
Gnaden, und bestehe in unterthänigster erniedrigung.
Euer Kurfürstl. Durchl.
meines gnädigsten Fürsten und Herren Herren

<div style='text-align: right;'>Unterthänigst treugehorsambster
<div style='text-align: right;'>Diener
<div style='text-align: right;'>''JPN Vogel''</div></div></div>

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=87&cHash=60cb8eba2bd9c73e65bc63083d5c53fa 53r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'>An
Seine Kurfürstlichen Durchlaucht zu Köln p.p.p.
Unterthänigste Bitte
von Seiten
<div style='text-align: right;'>des höchst dero Verstorbenen
Hofmusicanten Rovandini
hinterlaßenen Kinder</div></div>
[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=88&cHash=d51c5e5a5e75c33a061a4458fcb7d7ab 53v]]
<div style='text-align: center;'>Hochwürdigst Durchlauchtigster Kurfürst,
Gnädigster Herr !</div>

Da höchst dero Hofmusicant ''van Bethoven'', die
von weiland seiner Kurfürstlichen Gnaden Maximilian
Friedrig uns gnädigst verliehene drei Malder Gnaden
Rogen an höchst dero OberKöllnerei zu ''Bonn'' bis hierhin
vor uns empfangen hat, bei Eintrith dieses Jahrs
mit Todt abginge, so ersuchten wir zu diesem Ende
mit Versehung in Copia beiligender Vollmacht höchst
dero Hofmusicanten Ernest Haveck dieses besagte
Gnaden Rogen nun mehr vor uns zu empfangen,
welche Vollmacht auch von höchst dero OberKöllnern ist
bei Vorzeugung gut befunden und anerkant
worden, da sich nun die Zeit des Empfangs
nähert, so findet höchst dero Oberköllnern

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=89&cHash=b4a741567d5da2af082849bac783997f 55r]]
- uns aus unbekantem Grund - anstandt (ausstand?)
So ergehet unsere unterthänigste Bitte an
Euer Kurfürstligen Durchlaucht, an höchst dero
Oberkellnern die gnädigste Weisung ergehen zu lassen,
die drey Malder Gnaden Rogen an unsern nun-
mehro bestelten Bevollmächtigten Ernest Haveck
verabfolgen zu lassen:

Euer Kurfürstligen Durchlaucht

Unterthänigste des
höchst dero Verstorbenen Hof-
Musicanten Rovandini hinter-
laßene Kindern.

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=88&cHash=d51c5e5a5e75c33a061a4458fcb7d7ab 54r]]

Copia

Da wir den Todt des Hofmusicus van
Bethoven als unseren bishörigen Korn
gehalt Empfänger zu Bonn vernommen, so über-
tragen wir hiermit Kraft eigenhändiger Unter-
schrieft, dem Herrn Ernest Haveck Hofmusicus
daselbst die Vollmacht vor jetzt und immer
besagtes Korn bestehent in drey Malder
vor uns bey Kurfürstlicher Oberkellnerey zu Bonn
in Empfang zu nehmen. Würzburg den 15ten 8bris
1793
N: Rovantini

[55v]

An den Kurf. HofKammerRath Vogel
zum gehorsambsten Berichte Bonn
den 8. 9ber 1793

Aus Kurf. gnädigstem Befehl

? J. G. J. for.......en Waldeufel

Siegel

Kinder des verstorbenen
HofMusikanten Rovantini
2197
|Source:Translation=[51r]
<div style='text-align: center;'><u>'''2197'''</u></div>
[top left]
''ad sup.''
Children of deceased Court
Musician Rovantini

[right side]
To the Electoral Chamber Advisor
Vogel for obedient report.
Bonn, 8 November 1793.
''expediatur''

[52r]
<div style='text-align: center;'>Most Reverend and Most Illustrious Archbishop and Elector,
<div style='text-align: center;'>Most Gracious Prince and Lord,</div></div>

In most humble and obedient compliance with the gracious
command received from Your Electoral Highness, I hereby most
obediently report that a certain skilled violinist,
Franz Rovantini, was indeed listed among the Electoral
court musicians from 1778 to 1782, as per the court calendar
of those years, but I am unaware of the year of his death,
and even less do I know whether his surviving children,
by the grace of His Elector Max Friedrich, may he rest in glory,
were graciously provided some grain for their upbringing,
and whether the late court musician Beethoven or another
had arranged for the receipt of said grain.

Furthermore, I do not recall at all that the question ever
arose as to under whose direction the fatherless children
were to be raised, of whose whereabouts I have never known
or heard anything.

And it will thus depend solely on the highest mercy of
Your Electoral Highness whether the aforementioned Rovandini
children are to continue to receive the said generous allowance.
I remain, moreover, your most humble servant.

With the highest respect and grace, and in the most submissive humility.
Your Electoral Highness,

my most gracious Prince and Lord

<div style='text-align: right;'>Your most humble and faithful
<div style='text-align: right;'>Servant
<div style='text-align: right;'>JPN Vogel</div></div></div>
IN PROGRESS
}}

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)

2026-06-04T12:43:18Z

JDWpianist:

{{Primary Source
|Source:Name=D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)
|Source:Description='''Location:''' Duisburg, Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen (D-DGla), Abteilung Rheinland, Kurköln II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55

'''Extent:''' five nested bifolia, last five leaves blank and unnumbered

This set of documents involves a curious inquiry from Würzburg that appears to have puzzled Bonn court officials, but which raises interesting new questions about the Beethoven household in the 1770s and 1780s.

The initial inquiry (fols. 53/55]) came from a certain "N. Rovantini," who claims to represent an unspecified number of orphaned children of "Hofmusikus Rovantini." Ever since their parents' death, they had gotten permission from Maximilian Friedrich to receive 3 measures of grain per year as an in-kind pension payment (a common practice known as "Gnaden-Korn"). After the death in November 1792 of Johann van Beethoven, who had usually drawn it on their behalf, the allotment stopped coming, and the children presumed that the Oberkellner had halted it for that reason; they therefore asked whether Ernst Haveck could collect it instead. Inlaid in this request (fol. 54) is the copy of a power of attorney granted to Haveck by N. Rovantini.

The initial answer from the court, as written in the relevant entry in the protocol books, indicated that they were unaware of the Rovantini children's existence, and they therefore commissioned a report from Vogel and from the Oberkellner (head of the food stores). Vogel (fol. 52) reports that he looked into old issues of the Hofkalender and believed they must be the children of Franz Georg Rovantini (1757–1781), but he knew nothing further about the circumstances of the matter, nor indeed who took care of these children after their father's death.

Unbeknownst to Vogel, Franz Georg died unmarried. His father, however, was also a Bonn court musician named Johann Conrad Rovantini, who died in 1766. When his widow, Anna Rovantini (née Daubach) died in Bonn in 1772, she left behind five children between the ages of 10 and 17. The "N. Rovantini" who sent the inquiry could only refer to Johann Nicolaus Rovantini, then a successful 33-year-old surgeon in Würzburg. None of the other siblings were minors in 1793, so whatever claim they might have had to ''Gnaden-Korn'' would have long since lapsed.

Despite the misunderstandings, the payment of the ''Gnaden-Korn'' via Johann van Beethoven as intermediary suggests that the children were for a time in the care of the Beethoven household.

TO BE CONTINUED
|Source:Location=Bonn
|Source:Date=1793-11-08
|Source:DisplayDate=8 November 1793
|Source:Transcription=[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=85&cHash=6700e24bd692325faf0732cf7d5ed694 51r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'><u>'''2197'''</u></div>
[top left]
''ad sup.''
Kinder des verstorbenen Hof-
Musikanten ''Rovantini''

[right side]
an die Kurfürstl. Hofkammer Rath
''Vogel'' zum g[e]h[orsam]sten Bericht.
Bonn den 8.<sup>ten</sup> 9.<sup>ber</sup> 1793.
''expediatur''

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=86&cHash=100a5b3db66ee29c9954544514fbf07b 52r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'>Hochwürdigst Durchlauchtigster Ertzbischoff und Kurfürst
<div style='text-align: center;'>gnädigster Fürst und Herr Herr</div></div>
Zur unterthänigst gehorsambsten Befolgung des von Euer Kurfürst.
Durch.[laucht] mir zugekommenen gnädigsten Befehls hab ich ohnerman-
gelen wollen hierdurch gehorsambst einzuberichten, daß zwaren ein
sicherer ''Violonist Frantz Rovantini'' vom Jahr 1778 bis 1782 in der
Liste deren Kurfürstl. Hof''Musicant''en laut denen derjahrigen Hof-
kalender sich vorfinde, deßen Sterbjahr mir aber unbewust, und noch
weniger bekannt seye, ob deßen hinterlaßenen Kinderen von weil.[and]
Sr Kurf. Gnaden ''Max Friderich'' glor. ge. einiges Gnaden Korn zu ihrer
Erziehung mildest ausgeworfen gewesen seye, und ob der Verstor-
bener Hof''Musicus Beethoven'' oder ein anderer den Empfang sothanen
Korns besorget habe.
Nebst dem erinnere ich mich gar nicht, daß jemalen die Frage gewesen
unter weßen ''Direction'' die Vatterlose Kinder auferzogen werden solten,
von deren Aufenthalt ich niemalen etwas gewust oder gehöret habe.
Und wird es also auf die Höchste Kurmilde Eu.[er] Kurf.[ürstliche] Durchl.[aucht] lediglich ankommen
ob ged.[achten] Rovandinischen Kinderen gem.[eldetes] Gnaden Korn weiterhin zu belaßen
seye.
Ich empfehle mich übrigens zu fortwehrender Kurfürst. Höchsten Hulden und
Gnaden, und bestehe in unterthänigster erniedrigung.
Euer Kurfürstl. Durchl.
meines gnädigsten Fürsten und Herren Herren

<div style='text-align: right;'>Unterthänigst treugehorsambster
<div style='text-align: right;'>Diener
<div style='text-align: right;'>''JPN Vogel''</div></div></div>

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=87&cHash=60cb8eba2bd9c73e65bc63083d5c53fa 53r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'>An
Seine Kurfürstlichen Durchlaucht zu Köln p.p.p.
Unterthänigste Bitte
von Seiten
<div style='text-align: right;'>des höchst dero Verstorbenen
Hofmusicanten Rovandini
hinterlaßenen Kinder</div></div>
[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=88&cHash=d51c5e5a5e75c33a061a4458fcb7d7ab 53v]]
<div style='text-align: center;'>Hochwürdigst Durchlauchtigster Kurfürst,
Gnädigster Herr !</div>

Da höchst dero Hofmusicant ''van Bethoven'', die
von weiland seiner Kurfürstlichen Gnaden Maximilian
Friedrig uns gnädigst verliehene drei Malder Gnaden
Rogen an höchst dero OberKöllnerei zu ''Bonn'' bis hierhin
vor uns empfangen hat, bei Eintrith dieses Jahrs
mit Todt abginge, so ersuchten wir zu diesem Ende
mit Versehung in Copia beiligender Vollmacht höchst
dero Hofmusicanten Ernest Haveck dieses besagte
Gnaden Rogen nun mehr vor uns zu empfangen,
welche Vollmacht auch von höchst dero OberKöllnern ist
bei Vorzeugung gut befunden und anerkant
worden, da sich nun die Zeit des Empfangs
nähert, so findet höchst dero Oberköllnern

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=89&cHash=b4a741567d5da2af082849bac783997f 55r]]
- uns aus unbekantem Grund - anstandt (ausstand?)
So ergehet unsere unterthänigste Bitte an
Euer Kurfürstligen Durchlaucht, an höchst dero
Oberkellnern die gnädigste Weisung ergehen zu lassen,
die drey Malder Gnaden Rogen an unsern nun-
mehro bestelten Bevollmächtigten Ernest Haveck
verabfolgen zu lassen:

Euer Kurfürstligen Durchlaucht

Unterthänigste des
höchst dero Verstorbenen Hof-
Musicanten Rovandini hinter-
laßene Kindern.

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=88&cHash=d51c5e5a5e75c33a061a4458fcb7d7ab 54r]]

Copia

Da wir den Todt des Hofmusicus van
Bethoven als unseren bishörigen Korn
gehalt Empfänger zu Bonn vernommen, so über-
tragen wir hiermit Kraft eigenhändiger Unter-
schrieft, dem Herrn Ernest Haveck Hofmusicus
daselbst die Vollmacht vor jetzt und immer
besagtes Korn bestehent in drey Malder
vor uns bey Kurfürstlicher Oberkellnerey zu Bonn
in Empfang zu nehmen. Würzburg den 15ten 8bris
1793
N: Rovantini

[55v]

An den Kurf. HofKammerRath Vogel
zum gehorsambsten Berichte Bonn
den 8. 9ber 1793

Aus Kurf. gnädigstem Befehl

? J. G. J. for.......en Waldeufel

Siegel

Kinder des verstorbenen
HofMusikanten Rovantini
2197
|Source:Translation=[51r]
<div style='text-align: center;'><u>'''2197'''</u></div>
[top left]
''ad sup.''
Children of deceased Court
Musician Rovantini

[right side]
To the Electoral Chamber Advisor
Vogel for obedient report.
Bonn, 8 November 1793.
''expediatur''

[52r]
<div style='text-align: center;'>Most Reverend and Most Illustrious Archbishop and Elector,
<div style='text-align: center;'>Most Gracious Prince and Lord,</div></div>

In most humble and obedient compliance with the gracious
command received from Your Electoral Highness, I hereby most
obediently report that a certain skilled violinist,
Franz Rovantini, was indeed listed among the Electoral
court musicians from 1778 to 1782, as per the court calendar
of those years, but I am unaware of the year of his death,
and even less do I know whether his surviving children,
by the grace of His Elector Max Friedrich, may he rest in glory,
were graciously provided some grain for their upbringing,
and whether the late court musician Beethoven or another
had arranged for the receipt of said grain.

Furthermore, I do not recall at all that the question ever
arose as to under whose direction the fatherless children
were to be raised, of whose whereabouts I have never known
or heard anything.

And it will thus depend solely on the highest mercy of
Your Electoral Highness whether the aforementioned Rovandini
children are to continue to receive the said generous allowance.
I remain, moreover, your most humble servant.

With the highest respect and grace, and in the most submissive humility.
Your Electoral Highness,

my most gracious Prince and Lord

<div style='text-align: right;'>Your most humble and faithful
<div style='text-align: right;'>Servant
<div style='text-align: right;'>JPN Vogel</div></div></div>
IN PROGRESS
}}

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)

2026-06-04T12:28:48Z

JDWpianist:

{{Primary Source
|Source:Name=D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)
|Source:Description='''Location:''' Duisburg, Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen (D-DGla), Abteilung Rheinland, Kurköln II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55

'''Extent:''' five nested bifolia, last five leaves blank and unnumbered

This set of documents involves a curious inquiry from Würzburg that appears to have puzzled Bonn court officials, but which raises interesting new questions about the Beethoven household in the 1770s and 1780s.

The initial inquiry (fols. 53/55]) came from a certain "N. Rovantini," who claims to represent an unspecified number of orphaned children of "Hofmusikus Rovantini." Ever since their parents' death, they had gotten permission from Maximilian Friedrich to receive 3 measures of grain per year as an in-kind pension payment (a common practice known as "Gnaden-Korn"). After the death in November 1792 of Johann van Beethoven, who had usually drawn it on their behalf, the allotment stopped coming, and the children presumed that the Oberkellner had halted it for that reason; they therefore asked whether Ernst Haveck could collect it instead. Inlaid in this request (fol. 54) is the copy of a power of attorney granted to Haveck by N. Rovantini.

The initial answer from the court, as written in the relevant entry in the protocol books, indicated that they were unaware of the Rovantini children's existence, and they therefore commissioned a report from Vogel and from the Oberkellner (head of the food stores). Vogel (fol. 52) reports that he looked into old issues of the Hofkalender and believed they must be the children of Franz Georg Rovantini, but he knew nothing further about the circumstances of the matter, nor indeed who took care of these children after their father's death. Unbeknownst to Vogel, Franz Georg died unmarried.

Despite the misunderstandings, the payment of the Gnaden-Korn via Johann van Beethoven as intermediary suggests that the children were for a time in the care of the Beethoven household. Their mother received a monetary pension until her death in 1776, after which pension payments kept flowing, before disappearing in 17XX.

TO BE CONTINUED
|Source:Location=Bonn
|Source:Date=1793-11-08
|Source:DisplayDate=8 November 1793
|Source:Transcription=[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=85&cHash=6700e24bd692325faf0732cf7d5ed694 51r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'><u>'''2197'''</u></div>
[top left]
''ad sup.''
Kinder des verstorbenen Hof-
Musikanten ''Rovantini''

[right side]
an die Kurfürstl. Hofkammer Rath
''Vogel'' zum g[e]h[orsam]sten Bericht.
Bonn den 8.<sup>ten</sup> 9.<sup>ber</sup> 1793.
''expediatur''

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=86&cHash=100a5b3db66ee29c9954544514fbf07b 52r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'>Hochwürdigst Durchlauchtigster Ertzbischoff und Kurfürst
<div style='text-align: center;'>gnädigster Fürst und Herr Herr</div></div>
Zur unterthänigst gehorsambsten Befolgung des von Euer Kurfürst.
Durch.[laucht] mir zugekommenen gnädigsten Befehls hab ich ohnerman-
gelen wollen hierdurch gehorsambst einzuberichten, daß zwaren ein
sicherer ''Violonist Frantz Rovantini'' vom Jahr 1778 bis 1782 in der
Liste deren Kurfürstl. Hof''Musicant''en laut denen derjahrigen Hof-
kalender sich vorfinde, deßen Sterbjahr mir aber unbewust, und noch
weniger bekannt seye, ob deßen hinterlaßenen Kinderen von weil.[and]
Sr Kurf. Gnaden ''Max Friderich'' glor. ge. einiges Gnaden Korn zu ihrer
Erziehung mildest ausgeworfen gewesen seye, und ob der Verstor-
bener Hof''Musicus Beethoven'' oder ein anderer den Empfang sothanen
Korns besorget habe.
Nebst dem erinnere ich mich gar nicht, daß jemalen die Frage gewesen
unter weßen ''Direction'' die Vatterlose Kinder auferzogen werden solten,
von deren Aufenthalt ich niemalen etwas gewust oder gehöret habe.
Und wird es also auf die Höchste Kurmilde Eu.[er] Kurf.[ürstliche] Durchl.[aucht] lediglich ankommen
ob ged.[achten] Rovandinischen Kinderen gem.[eldetes] Gnaden Korn weiterhin zu belaßen
seye.
Ich empfehle mich übrigens zu fortwehrender Kurfürst. Höchsten Hulden und
Gnaden, und bestehe in unterthänigster erniedrigung.
Euer Kurfürstl. Durchl.
meines gnädigsten Fürsten und Herren Herren

<div style='text-align: right;'>Unterthänigst treugehorsambster
<div style='text-align: right;'>Diener
<div style='text-align: right;'>''JPN Vogel''</div></div></div>

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=87&cHash=60cb8eba2bd9c73e65bc63083d5c53fa 53r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'>An
Seine Kurfürstlichen Durchlaucht zu Köln p.p.p.
Unterthänigste Bitte
von Seiten
<div style='text-align: right;'>des höchst dero Verstorbenen
Hofmusicanten Rovandini
hinterlaßenen Kinder</div></div>
[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=88&cHash=d51c5e5a5e75c33a061a4458fcb7d7ab 53v]]
<div style='text-align: center;'>Hochwürdigst Durchlauchtigster Kurfürst,
Gnädigster Herr !</div>

Da höchst dero Hofmusicant ''van Bethoven'', die
von weiland seiner Kurfürstlichen Gnaden Maximilian
Friedrig uns gnädigst verliehene drei Malder Gnaden
Rogen an höchst dero OberKöllnerei zu ''Bonn'' bis hierhin
vor uns empfangen hat, bei Eintrith dieses Jahrs
mit Todt abginge, so ersuchten wir zu diesem Ende
mit Versehung in Copia beiligender Vollmacht höchst
dero Hofmusicanten Ernest Haveck dieses besagte
Gnaden Rogen nun mehr vor uns zu empfangen,
welche Vollmacht auch von höchst dero OberKöllnern ist
bei Vorzeugung gut befunden und anerkant
worden, da sich nun die Zeit des Empfangs
nähert, so findet höchst dero Oberköllnern

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=89&cHash=b4a741567d5da2af082849bac783997f 55r]]
- uns aus unbekantem Grund - anstandt (ausstand?)
So ergehet unsere unterthänigste Bitte an
Euer Kurfürstligen Durchlaucht, an höchst dero
Oberkellnern die gnädigste Weisung ergehen zu lassen,
die drey Malder Gnaden Rogen an unsern nun-
mehro bestelten Bevollmächtigten Ernest Haveck
verabfolgen zu lassen:

Euer Kurfürstligen Durchlaucht

Unterthänigste des
höchst dero Verstorbenen Hof-
Musicanten Rovandini hinter-
laßene Kindern.

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=88&cHash=d51c5e5a5e75c33a061a4458fcb7d7ab 54r]]

Copia

Da wir den Todt des Hofmusicus van
Bethoven als unseren bishörigen Korn
gehalt Empfänger zu Bonn vernommen, so über-
tragen wir hiermit Kraft eigenhändiger Unter-
schrieft, dem Herrn Ernest Haveck Hofmusicus
daselbst die Vollmacht vor jetzt und immer
besagtes Korn bestehent in drey Malder
vor uns bey Kurfürstlicher Oberkellnerey zu Bonn
in Empfang zu nehmen. Würzburg den 15ten 8bris
1793
N: Rovantini

[55v]

An den Kurf. HofKammerRath Vogel
zum gehorsambsten Berichte Bonn
den 8. 9ber 1793

Aus Kurf. gnädigstem Befehl

? J. G. J. for.......en Waldeufel

Siegel

Kinder des verstorbenen
HofMusikanten Rovantini
2197
|Source:Translation=[51r]
<div style='text-align: center;'><u>'''2197'''</u></div>
[top left]
''ad sup.''
Children of deceased Court
Musician Rovantini

[right side]
To the Electoral Chamber Advisor
Vogel for obedient report.
Bonn, 8 November 1793.
''expediatur''

[52r]
<div style='text-align: center;'>Most Reverend and Most Illustrious Archbishop and Elector,
<div style='text-align: center;'>Most Gracious Prince and Lord,</div></div>

In most humble and obedient compliance with the gracious
command received from Your Electoral Highness, I hereby most
obediently report that a certain skilled violinist,
Franz Rovantini, was indeed listed among the Electoral
court musicians from 1778 to 1782, as per the court calendar
of those years, but I am unaware of the year of his death,
and even less do I know whether his surviving children,
by the grace of His Elector Max Friedrich, may he rest in glory,
were graciously provided some grain for their upbringing,
and whether the late court musician Beethoven or another
had arranged for the receipt of said grain.

Furthermore, I do not recall at all that the question ever
arose as to under whose direction the fatherless children
were to be raised, of whose whereabouts I have never known
or heard anything.

And it will thus depend solely on the highest mercy of
Your Electoral Highness whether the aforementioned Rovandini
children are to continue to receive the said generous allowance.
I remain, moreover, your most humble servant.

With the highest respect and grace, and in the most submissive humility.
Your Electoral Highness,

my most gracious Prince and Lord

<div style='text-align: right;'>Your most humble and faithful
<div style='text-align: right;'>Servant
<div style='text-align: right;'>JPN Vogel</div></div></div>
IN PROGRESS
}}

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)

2026-06-04T12:15:37Z

JDWpianist:

{{Primary Source
|Source:Name=D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)
|Source:Description='''Location:''' Duisburg, Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen (D-DGla), Abteilung Rheinland, Kurköln II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55

'''Extent:''' five nested bifolia (22/25, 23/24), last five leaves blank and unnumbered

This set of documents involves a curious inquiry from Würzburg that appears to have puzzled Bonn court officials, but which raises interesting new questions about the Beethoven household in the 1770s and 1780s. The initial inquiry came from a certain "N. Rovantini," who claims to represent an unspecified number of orphaned children of "Hofmusikus Rovantini." Ever since their parents' death, they had been receiving 3 measures of grain per year as an in-kind pension payment (a common practice known as "Gnaden-Korn"). After the death in November 1792 of Johann van Beethoven, who had usually drawn it on their behalf, the allotment stopped coming, and the children presumed that the Oberkellner had halted it for that reason; they therefore asked whether Ernst Haveck could collect it instead.

The initial answer from the court indicated that they were unaware of the Rovantini children's existence, and they therefore commissioned a report from Vogel. Vogel looked into old issues of the Hofkalender and assumed they must be the children of Franz Georg Rovantini, who (unbeknownst to Vogel) died unmarried in 1781.

Despite the misunderstandings, the payment of the Gnaden-Korn via Johann van Beethoven as intermediary suggests that the children were for a time in the care of the Beethoven household. Their mother received a monetary pension until her death in 1776, after which pension payments kept flowing, before disappearing in 17XX.

TO BE CONTINUED
|Source:Location=Bonn
|Source:Date=1793-11-08
|Source:DisplayDate=8 November 1793
|Source:Transcription=[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=85&cHash=6700e24bd692325faf0732cf7d5ed694 51r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'><u>'''2197'''</u></div>
[top left]
''ad sup.''
Kinder des verstorbenen Hof-
Musikanten ''Rovantini''

[right side]
an die Kurfürstl. Hofkammer Rath
''Vogel'' zum g[e]h[orsam]sten Bericht.
Bonn den 8.<sup>ten</sup> 9.<sup>ber</sup> 1793.
''expediatur''

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=86&cHash=100a5b3db66ee29c9954544514fbf07b 52r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'>Hochwürdigst Durchlauchtigster Ertzbischoff und Kurfürst
<div style='text-align: center;'>gnädigster Fürst und Herr Herr</div></div>
Zur unterthänigst gehorsambsten Befolgung des von Euer Kurfürst.
Durch.[laucht] mir zugekommenen gnädigsten Befehls hab ich ohnerman-
gelen wollen hierdurch gehorsambst einzuberichten, daß zwaren ein
sicherer ''Violonist Frantz Rovantini'' vom Jahr 1778 bis 1782 in der
Liste deren Kurfürstl. Hof''Musicant''en laut denen derjahrigen Hof-
kalender sich vorfinde, deßen Sterbjahr mir aber unbewust, und noch
weniger bekannt seye, ob deßen hinterlaßenen Kinderen von weil.[and]
Sr Kurf. Gnaden ''Max Friderich'' glor. ge. einiges Gnaden Korn zu ihrer
Erziehung mildest ausgeworfen gewesen seye, und ob der Verstor-
bener Hof''Musicus Beethoven'' oder ein anderer den Empfang sothanen
Korns besorget habe.
Nebst dem erinnere ich mich gar nicht, daß jemalen die Frage gewesen
unter weßen ''Direction'' die Vatterlose Kinder auferzogen werden solten,
von deren Aufenthalt ich niemalen etwas gewust oder gehöret habe.
Und wird es also auf die Höchste Kurmilde Eu.[er] Kurf.[ürstliche] Durchl.[aucht] lediglich ankommen
ob ged.[achten] Rovandinischen Kinderen gem.[eldetes] Gnaden Korn weiterhin zu belaßen
seye.
Ich empfehle mich übrigens zu fortwehrender Kurfürst. Höchsten Hulden und
Gnaden, und bestehe in unterthänigster erniedrigung.
Euer Kurfürstl. Durchl.
meines gnädigsten Fürsten und Herren Herren

<div style='text-align: right;'>Unterthänigst treugehorsambster
<div style='text-align: right;'>Diener
<div style='text-align: right;'>''JPN Vogel''</div></div></div>

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=87&cHash=60cb8eba2bd9c73e65bc63083d5c53fa 53r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'>An
Seine Kurfürstlichen Durchlaucht zu Köln p.p.p.
Unterthänigste Bitte
von Seiten
<div style='text-align: right;'>des höchst dero Verstorbenen
Hofmusicanten Rovandini
hinterlaßenen Kinder</div></div>
[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=88&cHash=d51c5e5a5e75c33a061a4458fcb7d7ab 53v]]
<div style='text-align: center;'>Hochwürdigst Durchlauchtigster Kurfürst,
Gnädigster Herr !</div>

Da höchst dero Hofmusicant ''van Bethoven'', die
von weiland seiner Kurfürstlichen Gnaden Maximilian
Friedrig uns gnädigst verliehene drei Malder Gnaden
Rogen an höchst dero OberKöllnerei zu ''Bonn'' bis hierhin
vor uns empfangen hat, bei Eintrith dieses Jahrs
mit Todt abginge, so ersuchten wir zu diesem Ende
mit Versehung in Copia beiligender Vollmacht höchst
dero Hofmusicanten Ernest Haveck dieses besagte
Gnaden Rogen nun mehr vor uns zu empfangen,
welche Vollmacht auch von höchst dero OberKöllnern ist
bei Vorzeugung gut befunden und anerkant
worden, da sich nun die Zeit des Empfangs
nähert, so findet höchst dero Oberköllnern

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=89&cHash=b4a741567d5da2af082849bac783997f 55r]]
- uns aus unbekantem Grund - anstandt (ausstand?)
So ergehet unsere unterthänigste Bitte an
Euer Kurfürstligen Durchlaucht, an höchst dero
Oberkellnern die gnädigste Weisung ergehen zu lassen,
die drey Malder Gnaden Rogen an unsern nun-
mehro bestelten Bevollmächtigten Ernest Haveck
verabfolgen zu lassen:

Euer Kurfürstligen Durchlaucht

Unterthänigste des
höchst dero Verstorbenen Hof-
Musicanten Rovandini hinter-
laßene Kindern.

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=88&cHash=d51c5e5a5e75c33a061a4458fcb7d7ab 54r]]

Copia

Da wir den Todt des Hofmusicus van
Bethoven als unseren bishörigen Korn
gehalt Empfänger zu Bonn vernommen, so über-
tragen wir hiermit Kraft eigenhändiger Unter-
schrieft, dem Herrn Ernest Haveck Hofmusicus
daselbst die Vollmacht vor jetzt und immer
besagtes Korn bestehent in drey Malder
vor uns bey Kurfürstlicher Oberkellnerey zu Bonn
in Empfang zu nehmen. Würzburg den 15ten 8bris
1793
N: Rovantini

[55v]

An den Kurf. HofKammerRath Vogel
zum gehorsambsten Berichte Bonn
den 8. 9ber 1793

Aus Kurf. gnädigstem Befehl

? J. G. J. for.......en Waldeufel

Siegel

Kinder des verstorbenen
HofMusikanten Rovantini
2197
|Source:Translation=[51r]
<div style='text-align: center;'><u>'''2197'''</u></div>
[top left]
''ad sup.''
Children of deceased Court
Musician Rovantini

[right side]
To the Electoral Chamber Advisor
Vogel for obedient report.
Bonn, 8 November 1793.
''expediatur''

[52r]
<div style='text-align: center;'>Most Reverend and Most Illustrious Archbishop and Elector,
<div style='text-align: center;'>Most Gracious Prince and Lord,</div></div>

In most humble and obedient compliance with the gracious
command received from Your Electoral Highness, I hereby most
obediently report that a certain skilled violinist,
Franz Rovantini, was indeed listed among the Electoral
court musicians from 1778 to 1782, as per the court calendar
of those years, but I am unaware of the year of his death,
and even less do I know whether his surviving children,
by the grace of His Elector Max Friedrich, may he rest in glory,
were graciously provided some grain for their upbringing,
and whether the late court musician Beethoven or another
had arranged for the receipt of said grain.

Furthermore, I do not recall at all that the question ever
arose as to under whose direction the fatherless children
were to be raised, of whose whereabouts I have never known
or heard anything.

And it will thus depend solely on the highest mercy of
Your Electoral Highness whether the aforementioned Rovandini
children are to continue to receive the said generous allowance.
I remain, moreover, your most humble servant.

With the highest respect and grace, and in the most submissive humility.
Your Electoral Highness,

my most gracious Prince and Lord

<div style='text-align: right;'>Your most humble and faithful
<div style='text-align: right;'>Servant
<div style='text-align: right;'>JPN Vogel</div></div></div>
IN PROGRESS
}}

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)

2026-06-04T12:10:07Z

JDWpianist:

{{Primary Source
|Source:Name=D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)
|Source:Description='''Location:''' Duisburg, Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen (D-DGla), Abteilung Rheinland, Kurköln II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55

'''Extent:''' five nested bifolia (22/25, 23/24), last five leaves blank and unnumbered

This set of documents involves a curious inquiry from Würzburg that appears to have puzzled Bonn court officials, but which raises interesting new questions about the Beethoven household in the 1770s and 1780s. The initial inquiry came from a certain "N. Rovantini," who claims to represent an unspecified number of orphaned children of "Hofmusikus Rovantini." Ever since their parents' death, they had been receiving 3 measures of grain per year as an in-kind pension payment (a common practice known as "Gnaden-Korn"). After the death in November 1792 of Johann van Beethoven, who had usually drawn it on their behalf, the allotment stopped coming, and the children presumed that the Oberkellner had halted it for that reason; they therefore asked whether Ernst Haveck could collect it instead.

The initial answer from the court indicated that they were unaware of the Rovantini children's existence, and they therefore commissioned a report from Vogel. Vogel looked into old issues of the Hofkalender and assumed they must be the children of Franz Georg Rovantini, who (unbeknownst to Vogel) died unmarried in 1781.

Despite the misunderstandings, the payment of the Gnaden-Korn via Johann van Beethoven as intermediary suggests that the children were for a time in the care of the Beethoven household. Their mother received a monetary pension until her death in 1776, after which pension payments kept flowing, before disappearing in 17XX.

TO BE CONTINUED
|Source:Location=Bonn
|Source:Date=1793-11-08
|Source:DisplayDate=8 November 1793
|Source:Transcription=[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=85&cHash=6700e24bd692325faf0732cf7d5ed694 51r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'><u>'''2197'''</u></div>
[top left]
''ad sup.''
Kinder des verstorbenen Hof-
Musikanten ''Rovantini''

[right side]
an die Kurfürstl. Hofkammer Rath
''Vogel'' zum g[e]h[orsam]sten Bericht.
Bonn den 8.<sup>ten</sup> 9.<sup>ber</sup> 1793.
''expediatur''

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=86&cHash=100a5b3db66ee29c9954544514fbf07b 52r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'>Hochwürdigst Durchlauchtigster Ertzbischoff und Kurfürst
<div style='text-align: center;'>gnädigster Fürst und Herr Herr</div></div>
Zur unterthänigst gehorsambsten Befolgung des von Euer Kurfürst.
Durch.[laucht] mir zugekommenen gnädigsten Befehls hab ich ohnerman-
gelen wollen hierdurch gehorsambst einzuberichten, daß zwaren ein
sicherer ''Violonist Frantz Rovantini'' vom Jahr 1778 bis 1782 in der
Liste deren Kurfürstl. Hof''Musicant''en laut denen derjahrigen Hof-
kalender sich vorfinde, deßen Sterbjahr mir aber unbewust, und noch
weniger bekannt seye, ob deßen hinterlaßenen Kinderen von weil.[and]
Sr Kurf. Gnaden ''Max Friderich'' glor. ge. einiges Gnaden Korn zu ihrer
Erziehung mildest ausgeworfen gewesen seye, und ob der Verstor-
bener Hof''Musicus Beethoven'' oder ein anderer den Empfang sothanen
Korns besorget habe.
Nebst dem erinnere ich mich gar nicht, daß jemalen die Frage gewesen
unter weßen ''Direction'' die Vatterlose Kinder auferzogen werden solten,
von deren Aufenthalt ich niemalen etwas gewust oder gehöret habe.
Und wird es also auf die Höchste Kurmilde Eu.[er] Kurf.[ürstliche] Durchl.[aucht] lediglich ankommen
ob ged.[achten] Rovandinischen Kinderen gem.[eldetes] Gnaden Korn weiterhin zu belaßen
seye.
Ich empfehle mich übrigens zu fortwehrender Kurfürst. Höchsten Hulden und
Gnaden, und bestehe in unterthänigster erniedrigung.
Euer Kurfürstl. Durchl.
meines gnädigsten Fürsten und Herren Herren

<div style='text-align: right;'>Unterthänigst treugehorsambster
<div style='text-align: right;'>Diener
<div style='text-align: right;'>''JPN Vogel''</div></div></div>

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=87&cHash=60cb8eba2bd9c73e65bc63083d5c53fa 53r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'>An
Seine Kurfürstlichen Durchlaucht zu Köln p.p.p.
Unterthänigste Bitte
von Seiten

<div style='text-align: right;'>des höchst dero Verstorbenen
Hofmusicanten Rovandini
hinterlaßenen Kinder</div></div>
[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=88&cHash=d51c5e5a5e75c33a061a4458fcb7d7ab 53v]]
Hochwürdigst Durchlauchtigster Kurfürst,
Gnädigster Herr !

Da höchst dero Hofmusicant van Bethoven, die
von weiland seiner Kurfürstlichen Gnaden Maximilian
Friedrig uns gnädigst verliehene drei Malder Gnaden
Rogen an höchst dero OberKöllnerei zu Bonn bis hierhin
vor uns empfangen hat, bei Eintrith dieses Jahrs
mit Todt abginge, so ersuchten wir zu diesem Ende
mit Versehung in Copia beiligender Vollmacht höchst
dero Hofmusicanten Ernest Haveck dieses besagte
Gnaden Rogen nun mehr vor uns zu empfangen,
welche Vollmacht auch von höchst dero OberKöllnern ist
bei Vorzeugung gut befunden und anerkant
worden, da sich nun die Zeit des Empfangs
nähert, so findet höchst dero Oberköllnern
55
- uns aus unbekantem Grund - anstandt (ausstand?)
So ergehet unsere unterthänigste Bitte an
Euer Kurfürstligen Durchlaucht, an höchst dero
Oberkellnern die gnädigste Weisung ergehen zu lassen,
die drey Malder Gnaden Rogen an unsern nun-
mehro bestelten Bevollmächtigten Ernest Haveck
verabfolgen zu lassen:

Euer Kurfürstligen Durchlaucht

Unterthänigste des
höchst dero Verstorbenen Hof-
Musicanten Rovandini hinter-
laßene Kindern.

[54r]

Copia

Da wir den Todt des Hofmusicus van
Bethoven als unseren bishörigen Korn
gehalt Empfänger zu Bonn vernommen, so über-
tragen wir hiermit Kraft eigenhändiger Unter-
schrieft, dem Herrn Ernest Haveck Hofmusicus
daselbst die Vollmacht vor jetzt und immer
besagtes Korn bestehent in drey Malder
vor uns bey Kurfürstlicher Oberkellnerey zu Bonn
in Empfang zu nehmen. Würzburg den 15ten 8bris
1793
N: Rovantini

[55v]

An den Kurf. HofKammerRath Vogel
zum gehorsambsten Berichte Bonn
den 8. 9ber 1793

Aus Kurf. gnädigstem Befehl

? J. G. J. for.......en Waldeufel

Siegel

Kinder des verstorbenen
HofMusikanten Rovantini
2197
|Source:Translation=[51r]
<div style='text-align: center;'><u>'''2197'''</u></div>
[top left]
''ad sup.''
Children of deceased Court
Musician Rovantini

[right side]
To the Electoral Chamber Advisor
Vogel for obedient report.
Bonn, 8 November 1793.
''expediatur''

[52r]
<div style='text-align: center;'>Most Reverend and Most Illustrious Archbishop and Elector,
<div style='text-align: center;'>Most Gracious Prince and Lord,</div></div>

In most humble and obedient compliance with the gracious
command received from Your Electoral Highness, I hereby most
obediently report that a certain skilled violinist,
Franz Rovantini, was indeed listed among the Electoral
court musicians from 1778 to 1782, as per the court calendar
of those years, but I am unaware of the year of his death,
and even less do I know whether his surviving children,
by the grace of His Elector Max Friedrich, may he rest in glory,
were graciously provided some grain for their upbringing,
and whether the late court musician Beethoven or another
had arranged for the receipt of said grain.

Furthermore, I do not recall at all that the question ever
arose as to under whose direction the fatherless children
were to be raised, of whose whereabouts I have never known
or heard anything.

And it will thus depend solely on the highest mercy of
Your Electoral Highness whether the aforementioned Rovandini
children are to continue to receive the said generous allowance.
I remain, moreover, your most humble servant.

With the highest respect and grace, and in the most submissive humility.
Your Electoral Highness,

my most gracious Prince and Lord

<div style='text-align: right;'>Your most humble and faithful
<div style='text-align: right;'>Servant
<div style='text-align: right;'>JPN Vogel</div></div></div>
IN PROGRESS
}}

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)

2026-06-04T12:08:40Z

JDWpianist:

{{Primary Source
|Source:Name=D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)
|Source:Description='''Location:''' Duisburg, Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen (D-DGla), Abteilung Rheinland, Kurköln II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55

'''Extent:''' five nested bifolia (22/25, 23/24), last five leaves blank and unnumbered

This set of documents involves a curious inquiry from Würzburg that appears to have puzzled Bonn court officials, but which raises interesting new questions about the Beethoven household in the 1770s and 1780s. The initial inquiry came from a certain "N. Rovantini," who claims to represent an unspecified number of orphaned children of "Hofmusikus Rovantini." Ever since their parents' death, they had been receiving 3 measures of grain per year as an in-kind pension payment (a common practice known as "Gnaden-Korn"). After the death in November 1792 of Johann van Beethoven, who had usually drawn it on their behalf, the allotment stopped coming, and the children presumed that the Oberkellner had halted it for that reason; they therefore asked whether Ernst Haveck could collect it instead.

The initial answer from the court indicated that they were unaware of the Rovantini children's existence, and they therefore commissioned a report from Vogel. Vogel looked into old issues of the Hofkalender and assumed they must be the children of Franz Georg Rovantini, who (unbeknownst to Vogel) died unmarried in 1781.

Despite the misunderstandings, the payment of the Gnaden-Korn via Johann van Beethoven as intermediary suggests that the children were for a time in the care of the Beethoven household. Their mother received a monetary pension until her death in 1776, after which pension payments kept flowing, before disappearing in 17XX.

TO BE CONTINUED
|Source:Location=Bonn
|Source:Date=1793-11-08
|Source:DisplayDate=8 November 1793
|Source:Transcription=[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=85&cHash=6700e24bd692325faf0732cf7d5ed694 51r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'><u>'''2197'''</u></div>
[top left]
''ad sup.''
Kinder des verstorbenen Hof-
Musikanten ''Rovantini''

[right side]
an die Kurfürstl. Hofkammer Rath
''Vogel'' zum g[e]h[orsam]sten Bericht.
Bonn den 8.<sup>ten</sup> 9.<sup>ber</sup> 1793.
''expediatur''

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=86&cHash=100a5b3db66ee29c9954544514fbf07b 52r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'>Hochwürdigst Durchlauchtigster Ertzbischoff und Kurfürst
<div style='text-align: center;'>gnädigster Fürst und Herr Herr</div></div>
Zur unterthänigst gehorsambsten Befolgung des von Euer Kurfürst.
Durch.[laucht] mir zugekommenen gnädigsten Befehls hab ich ohnerman-
gelen wollen hierdurch gehorsambst einzuberichten, daß zwaren ein
sicherer ''Violonist Frantz Rovantini'' vom Jahr 1778 bis 1782 in der
Liste deren Kurfürstl. Hof''Musicant''en laut denen derjahrigen Hof-
kalender sich vorfinde, deßen Sterbjahr mir aber unbewust, und noch
weniger bekannt seye, ob deßen hinterlaßenen Kinderen von weil.[and]
Sr Kurf. Gnaden ''Max Friderich'' glor. ge. einiges Gnaden Korn zu ihrer
Erziehung mildest ausgeworfen gewesen seye, und ob der Verstor-
bener Hof''Musicus Beethoven'' oder ein anderer den Empfang sothanen
Korns besorget habe.
Nebst dem erinnere ich mich gar nicht, daß jemalen die Frage gewesen
unter weßen ''Direction'' die Vatterlose Kinder auferzogen werden solten,
von deren Aufenthalt ich niemalen etwas gewust oder gehöret habe.
Und wird es also auf die Höchste Kurmilde Eu.[er] Kurf.[ürstliche] Durchl.[aucht] lediglich ankommen
ob ged.[achten] Rovandinischen Kinderen gem.[eldetes] Gnaden Korn weiterhin zu belaßen
seye.
Ich empfehle mich übrigens zu fortwehrender Kurfürst. Höchsten Hulden und
Gnaden, und bestehe in unterthänigster erniedrigung.
Euer Kurfürstl. Durchl.
meines gnädigsten Fürsten und Herren Herren

<div style='text-align: right;'>Unterthänigst treugehorsambster
<div style='text-align: right;'>Diener
<div style='text-align: right;'>''JPN Vogel''</div></div></div>

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=87&cHash=60cb8eba2bd9c73e65bc63083d5c53fa 53r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'>An
Seine Kurfürstlichen Durchlaucht zu Köln p.p.p.
Unterthänigste Bitte
von Seiten

<div style='text-align: right;'>des höchst dero Verstorbenen
Hofmusicanten Rovandini
hinterlaßenen Kinder

[53v]
Hochwürdigst Durchlauchtigster Kurfürst,
Gnädigster Herr !

Da höchst dero Hofmusicant van Bethoven, die
von weiland seiner Kurfürstlichen Gnaden Maximilian
Friedrig uns gnädigst verliehene drei Malder Gnaden
Rogen an höchst dero OberKöllnerei zu Bonn bis hierhin
vor uns empfangen hat, bei Eintrith dieses Jahrs
mit Todt abginge, so ersuchten wir zu diesem Ende
mit Versehung in Copia beiligender Vollmacht höchst
dero Hofmusicanten Ernest Haveck dieses besagte
Gnaden Rogen nun mehr vor uns zu empfangen,
welche Vollmacht auch von höchst dero OberKöllnern ist
bei Vorzeugung gut befunden und anerkant
worden, da sich nun die Zeit des Empfangs
nähert, so findet höchst dero Oberköllnern
55
- uns aus unbekantem Grund - anstandt (ausstand?)
So ergehet unsere unterthänigste Bitte an
Euer Kurfürstligen Durchlaucht, an höchst dero
Oberkellnern die gnädigste Weisung ergehen zu lassen,
die drey Malder Gnaden Rogen an unsern nun-
mehro bestelten Bevollmächtigten Ernest Haveck
verabfolgen zu lassen:

Euer Kurfürstligen Durchlaucht

Unterthänigste des
höchst dero Verstorbenen Hof-
Musicanten Rovandini hinter-
laßene Kindern.

[54r]

Copia

Da wir den Todt des Hofmusicus van
Bethoven als unseren bishörigen Korn
gehalt Empfänger zu Bonn vernommen, so über-
tragen wir hiermit Kraft eigenhändiger Unter-
schrieft, dem Herrn Ernest Haveck Hofmusicus
daselbst die Vollmacht vor jetzt und immer
besagtes Korn bestehent in drey Malder
vor uns bey Kurfürstlicher Oberkellnerey zu Bonn
in Empfang zu nehmen. Würzburg den 15ten 8bris
1793
N: Rovantini

[55v]

An den Kurf. HofKammerRath Vogel
zum gehorsambsten Berichte Bonn
den 8. 9ber 1793

Aus Kurf. gnädigstem Befehl

? J. G. J. for.......en Waldeufel

Siegel

Kinder des verstorbenen
HofMusikanten Rovantini
2197
|Source:Translation=[51r]
<div style='text-align: center;'><u>'''2197'''</u></div>
[top left]
''ad sup.''
Children of deceased Court
Musician Rovantini

[right side]
To the Electoral Chamber Advisor
Vogel for obedient report.
Bonn, 8 November 1793.
''expediatur''

[52r]
<div style='text-align: center;'>Most Reverend and Most Illustrious Archbishop and Elector,
<div style='text-align: center;'>Most Gracious Prince and Lord,</div></div>

In most humble and obedient compliance with the gracious
command received from Your Electoral Highness, I hereby most
obediently report that a certain skilled violinist,
Franz Rovantini, was indeed listed among the Electoral
court musicians from 1778 to 1782, as per the court calendar
of those years, but I am unaware of the year of his death,
and even less do I know whether his surviving children,
by the grace of His Elector Max Friedrich, may he rest in glory,
were graciously provided some grain for their upbringing,
and whether the late court musician Beethoven or another
had arranged for the receipt of said grain.

Furthermore, I do not recall at all that the question ever
arose as to under whose direction the fatherless children
were to be raised, of whose whereabouts I have never known
or heard anything.

And it will thus depend solely on the highest mercy of
Your Electoral Highness whether the aforementioned Rovandini
children are to continue to receive the said generous allowance.
I remain, moreover, your most humble servant.

With the highest respect and grace, and in the most submissive humility.
Your Electoral Highness,

my most gracious Prince and Lord

<div style='text-align: right;'>Your most humble and faithful
<div style='text-align: right;'>Servant
<div style='text-align: right;'>JPN Vogel</div></div></div>
IN PROGRESS
}}

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)

2026-06-04T09:42:18Z

JDWpianist:

{{Primary Source
|Source:Name=D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)
|Source:Description='''Location:''' Duisburg, Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen (D-DGla), Abteilung Rheinland, Kurköln II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55

'''Extent:''' five nested bifolia (22/25, 23/24), last five leaves blank and unnumbered

This set of documents involves a curious inquiry from Würzburg that appears to have puzzled Bonn court officials, but which raises interesting new questions about the Beethoven household in the 1770s and 1780s. The initial inquiry came from a certain "N. Rovantini," who claims to represent an unspecified number of orphaned children of "Hofmusikus Rovantini." Ever since their parents' death, they had been receiving 3 measures of grain per year as an in-kind pension payment (a common practice known as "Gnaden-Korn"). After the death in November 1792 of Johann van Beethoven, who had usually drawn it on their behalf, the allotment stopped coming, and the children presumed that the Oberkellner had halted it for that reason; they therefore asked whether Ernst Haveck could collect it instead.

The initial answer from the court indicated that they were unaware of the Rovantini children's existence, and they therefore commissioned a report from Vogel. Vogel looked into old issues of the Hofkalender and assumed they must be the children of Franz Georg Rovantini, who (unbeknownst to Vogel) died unmarried in 1781.

Despite the misunderstandings, the payment of the Gnaden-Korn via Johann van Beethoven as intermediary suggests that the children were for a time in the care of the Beethoven household. Their mother received a monetary pension until her death in 1776, after which pension payments kept flowing, before disappearing in 17XX.

TO BE CONTINUED
|Source:Location=Bonn
|Source:Date=1793-11-08
|Source:DisplayDate=8 November 1793
|Source:Transcription=[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=85&cHash=6700e24bd692325faf0732cf7d5ed694 51r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'><u>'''2197'''</u></div>
[top left]
''ad sup.''
Kinder des verstorbenen Hof-
Musikanten ''Rovantini''

[right side]
an die Kurfürstl. Hofkammer Rath
''Vogel'' zum g[e]h[orsam]sten Bericht.
Bonn den 8.<sup>ten</sup> 9.<sup>ber</sup> 1793.
''expediatur''

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=86&cHash=100a5b3db66ee29c9954544514fbf07b 52r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'>Hochwürdigst Durchlauchtigster Ertzbischoff und Kurfürst
<div style='text-align: center;'>gnädigster Fürst und Herr Herr</div></div>
Zur unterthänigst gehorsambsten Befolgung des von Euer Kurfürst.
Durch.[laucht] mir zugekommenen gnädigsten Befehls hab ich ohnerman-
gelen wollen hierdurch gehorsambst einzuberichten, daß zwaren ein
sicherer ''Violonist Frantz Rovantini'' vom Jahr 1778 bis 1782 in der
Liste deren Kurfürstl. Hof''Musicant''en laut denen derjahrigen Hof-
kalender sich vorfinde, deßen Sterbjahr mir aber unbewust, und noch
weniger bekannt seye, ob deßen hinterlaßenen Kinderen von weil.[and]
Sr Kurf. Gnaden ''Max Friderich'' glor. ge. einiges Gnaden Korn zu ihrer
Erziehung mildest ausgeworfen gewesen seye, und ob der Verstor-
bener Hof''Musicus Beethoven'' oder ein anderer den Empfang sothanen
Korns besorget habe.
Nebst dem erinnere ich mich gar nicht, daß jemalen die Frage gewesen
unter weßen ''Direction'' die Vatterlose Kinder auferzogen werden solten,
von deren Aufenthalt ich niemalen etwas gewust oder gehöret habe.
Und wird es also auf die Höchste Kurmilde Eu.[er] Kurf.[ürstliche] Durchl.[aucht] lediglich ankommen
ob ged.[achten] Rovandinischen Kinderen gem.[eldetes] Gnaden Korn weiterhin zu belaßen
seye.
Ich empfehle mich übrigens zu fortwehrender Kurfürst. Höchsten Hulden und
Gnaden, und bestehe in unterthänigster erniedrigung.
Euer Kurfürstl. Durchl.
meines gnädigsten Fürsten und Herren Herren

<div style='text-align: right;'>Unterthänigst treugehorsambster
<div style='text-align: right;'>Diener
<div style='text-align: right;'>''JPN Vogel''</div></div></div>

[53r]

An
Seine Kurfürstlichen Durchlaucht zu Köln p.p.p.
Unterthänigste Bitte
von Seiten

des höchst dero Verstorbenen
Hofmusicanten Rovandini
hinterlaßenen Kinder

[53v]
Hochwürdigst Durchlauchtigster Kurfürst,
Gnädigster Herr !

Da höchst dero Hofmusicant van Bethoven, die
von weiland seiner Kurfürstlichen Gnaden Maximilian
Friedrig uns gnädigst verliehene drei Malder Gnaden
Rogen an höchst dero OberKöllnerei zu Bonn bis hierhin
vor uns empfangen hat, bei Eintrith dieses Jahrs
mit Todt abginge, so ersuchten wir zu diesem Ende
mit Versehung in Copia beiligender Vollmacht höchst
dero Hofmusicanten Ernest Haveck dieses besagte
Gnaden Rogen nun mehr vor uns zu empfangen,
welche Vollmacht auch von höchst dero OberKöllnern ist
bei Vorzeugung gut befunden und anerkant
worden, da sich nun die Zeit des Empfangs
nähert, so findet höchst dero Oberköllnern
55
- uns aus unbekantem Grund - anstandt (ausstand?)
So ergehet unsere unterthänigste Bitte an
Euer Kurfürstligen Durchlaucht, an höchst dero
Oberkellnern die gnädigste Weisung ergehen zu lassen,
die drey Malder Gnaden Rogen an unsern nun-
mehro bestelten Bevollmächtigten Ernest Haveck
verabfolgen zu lassen:

Euer Kurfürstligen Durchlaucht

Unterthänigste des
höchst dero Verstorbenen Hof-
Musicanten Rovandini hinter-
laßene Kindern.

[54r]

Copia

Da wir den Todt des Hofmusicus van
Bethoven als unseren bishörigen Korn
gehalt Empfänger zu Bonn vernommen, so über-
tragen wir hiermit Kraft eigenhändiger Unter-
schrieft, dem Herrn Ernest Haveck Hofmusicus
daselbst die Vollmacht vor jetzt und immer
besagtes Korn bestehent in drey Malder
vor uns bey Kurfürstlicher Oberkellnerey zu Bonn
in Empfang zu nehmen. Würzburg den 15ten 8bris
1793
N: Rovantini

[55v]

An den Kurf. HofKammerRath Vogel
zum gehorsambsten Berichte Bonn
den 8. 9ber 1793

Aus Kurf. gnädigstem Befehl

? J. G. J. for.......en Waldeufel

Siegel

Kinder des verstorbenen
HofMusikanten Rovantini
2197
|Source:Translation=[51r]
<div style='text-align: center;'><u>'''2197'''</u></div>
[top left]
''ad sup.''
Children of deceased Court
Musician Rovantini

[right side]
To the Electoral Chamber Advisor
Vogel for obedient report.
Bonn, 8 November 1793.
''expediatur''

[52r]
<div style='text-align: center;'>Most Reverend and Most Illustrious Archbishop and Elector,
<div style='text-align: center;'>Most Gracious Prince and Lord,</div></div>

In most humble and obedient compliance with the gracious
command received from Your Electoral Highness, I hereby most
obediently report that a certain skilled violinist,
Franz Rovantini, was indeed listed among the Electoral
court musicians from 1778 to 1782, as per the court calendar
of those years, but I am unaware of the year of his death,
and even less do I know whether his surviving children,
by the grace of His Elector Max Friedrich, may he rest in glory,
were graciously provided some grain for their upbringing,
and whether the late court musician Beethoven or another
had arranged for the receipt of said grain.

Furthermore, I do not recall at all that the question ever
arose as to under whose direction the fatherless children
were to be raised, of whose whereabouts I have never known
or heard anything.
And it will thus depend solely on the highest mercy of
Your Electoral Highness whether the aforementioned Rovandini
children are to continue to receive the said generous allowance.
I remain, moreover, your most humble servant.
With the highest respect and grace, and in the most submissive humility.
Your Electoral Highness,
my most gracious Prince and Lord

<div style='text-align: right;'>Your most humble and faithful
<div style='text-align: right;'>Servant
<div style='text-align: right;'>JPN Vogel</div></div></div>
IN PROGRESS
}}

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)

2026-06-04T09:41:04Z

JDWpianist:

{{Primary Source
|Source:Name=D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)
|Source:Description='''Location:''' Duisburg, Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen (D-DGla), Abteilung Rheinland, Kurköln II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55

'''Extent:''' five nested bifolia (22/25, 23/24), last five leaves blank and unnumbered

This set of documents involves a curious inquiry from Würzburg that appears to have puzzled Bonn court officials, but which raises interesting new questions about the Beethoven household in the 1770s and 1780s. The initial inquiry came from a certain "N. Rovantini," who claims to represent an unspecified number of orphaned children of "Hofmusikus Rovantini." Ever since their parents' death, they had been receiving 3 measures of grain per year as an in-kind pension payment (a common practice known as "Gnaden-Korn"). After the death in November 1792 of Johann van Beethoven, who had usually drawn it on their behalf, the allotment stopped coming, and the children presumed that the Oberkellner had halted it for that reason; they therefore asked whether Ernst Haveck could collect it instead.

The initial answer from the court indicated that they were unaware of the Rovantini children's existence, and they therefore commissioned a report from Vogel. Vogel looked into old issues of the Hofkalender and assumed they must be the children of Franz Georg Rovantini, who (unbeknownst to Vogel) died unmarried in 1781.

Despite the misunderstandings, the payment of the Gnaden-Korn via Johann van Beethoven as intermediary suggests that the children were for a time in the care of the Beethoven household. Their mother received a monetary pension until her death in 1776, after which pension payments kept flowing, before disappearing in 17XX.

TO BE CONTINUED
|Source:Location=Bonn
|Source:Date=1793-11-08
|Source:DisplayDate=8 November 1793
|Source:Transcription=[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=85&cHash=6700e24bd692325faf0732cf7d5ed694 51r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'><u>'''2197'''</u></div>
[top left]
''ad sup.''
Kinder des verstorbenen Hof-
Musikanten ''Rovantini''

[right side]
an die Kurfürstl. Hofkammer Rath
''Vogel'' zum g[e]h[orsam]sten Bericht.
Bonn den 8.<sup>ten</sup> 9.<sup>ber</sup> 1793.
''expediatur''

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=86&cHash=100a5b3db66ee29c9954544514fbf07b 52r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'>Hochwürdigst Durchlauchtigster Ertzbischoff und Kurfürst
<div style='text-align: center;'>gnädigster Fürst und Herr Herr</div></div>
Zur unterthänigst gehorsambsten Befolgung des von Euer Kurfürst.
Durch.[laucht] mir zugekommenen gnädigsten Befehls hab ich ohnerman-
gelen wollen hierdurch gehorsambst einzuberichten, daß zwaren ein
sicherer ''Violonist Frantz Rovantini'' vom Jahr 1778 bis 1782 in der
Liste deren Kurfürstl. Hof''Musicant''en laut denen derjahrigen Hof-
kalender sich vorfinde, deßen Sterbjahr mir aber unbewust, und noch
weniger bekannt seye, ob deßen hinterlaßenen Kinderen von weil.[and]
Sr Kurf. Gnaden ''Max Friderich'' glor. ge. einiges Gnaden Korn zu ihrer
Erziehung mildest ausgeworfen gewesen seye, und ob der Verstor-
bener Hof''Musicus Beethoven'' oder ein anderer den Empfang sothanen
Korns besorget habe.
Nebst dem erinnere ich mich gar nicht, daß jemalen die Frage gewesen
unter weßen ''Direction'' die Vatterlose Kinder auferzogen werden solten,
von deren Aufenthalt ich niemalen etwas gewust oder gehöret habe.
Und wird es also auf die Höchste Kurmilde Eu.[er] Kurf.[ürstliche] Durchl.[aucht] lediglich ankommen
ob ged.[achten] Rovandinischen Kinderen gem.[eldetes] Gnaden Korn weiterhin zu belaßen
seye.
Ich empfehle mich übrigens zu fortwehrender Kurfürst. Höchsten Hulden und
Gnaden, und bestehe in unterthänigster erniedrigung.
Euer Kurfürstl. Durchl.
meines gnädigsten Fürsten und Herren Herren

<div style='text-align: right;'>Unterthänigst treugehorsambster
<div style='text-align: right;'>Diener
<div style='text-align: right;'>''JPN Vogel''</div></div></div>

[53r]

An
Seine Kurfürstlichen Durchlaucht zu Köln p.p.p.
Unterthänigste Bitte
von Seiten

des höchst dero Verstorbenen
Hofmusicanten Rovandini
hinterlaßenen Kinder

[53v]
Hochwürdigst Durchlauchtigster Kurfürst,
Gnädigster Herr !

Da höchst dero Hofmusicant van Bethoven, die
von weiland seiner Kurfürstlichen Gnaden Maximilian
Friedrig uns gnädigst verliehene drei Malder Gnaden
Rogen an höchst dero OberKöllnerei zu Bonn bis hierhin
vor uns empfangen hat, bei Eintrith dieses Jahrs
mit Todt abginge, so ersuchten wir zu diesem Ende
mit Versehung in Copia beiligender Vollmacht höchst
dero Hofmusicanten Ernest Haveck dieses besagte
Gnaden Rogen nun mehr vor uns zu empfangen,
welche Vollmacht auch von höchst dero OberKöllnern ist
bei Vorzeugung gut befunden und anerkant
worden, da sich nun die Zeit des Empfangs
nähert, so findet höchst dero Oberköllnern
55
- uns aus unbekantem Grund - anstandt (ausstand?)
So ergehet unsere unterthänigste Bitte an
Euer Kurfürstligen Durchlaucht, an höchst dero
Oberkellnern die gnädigste Weisung ergehen zu lassen,
die drey Malder Gnaden Rogen an unsern nun-
mehro bestelten Bevollmächtigten Ernest Haveck
verabfolgen zu lassen:

Euer Kurfürstligen Durchlaucht

Unterthänigste des
höchst dero Verstorbenen Hof-
Musicanten Rovandini hinter-
laßene Kindern.

[54r]

Copia

Da wir den Todt des Hofmusicus van
Bethoven als unseren bishörigen Korn
gehalt Empfänger zu Bonn vernommen, so über-
tragen wir hiermit Kraft eigenhändiger Unter-
schrieft, dem Herrn Ernest Haveck Hofmusicus
daselbst die Vollmacht vor jetzt und immer
besagtes Korn bestehent in drey Malder
vor uns bey Kurfürstlicher Oberkellnerey zu Bonn
in Empfang zu nehmen. Würzburg den 15ten 8bris
1793
N: Rovantini

[55v]

An den Kurf. HofKammerRath Vogel
zum gehorsambsten Berichte Bonn
den 8. 9ber 1793

Aus Kurf. gnädigstem Befehl

? J. G. J. for.......en Waldeufel

Siegel

Kinder des verstorbenen
HofMusikanten Rovantini
2197
|Source:Translation=[51r]
<div style='text-align: center;'><u>'''2197'''</u></div>
[top left]
''ad sup.''
Children of deceased Court
Musician Rovantini

[right side]
To the Electoral Chamber Advisor
Vogel for obedient report.
Bonn, 8 November 1793.
''expediatur''

[52r]
<div style='text-align: center;'>Most Reverend and Most Illustrious Archbishop and Elector,
<div style='text-align: center;'>Most Gracious Prince and Lord,</div></div>

In most humble and obedient compliance with the gracious
command received from Your Electoral Highness, I hereby most
obediently report that a certain skilled violinist,
Franz Rovantini, was indeed listed among the Electoral
court musicians from 1778 to 1782, as per the court calendar
of those years, but I am unaware of the year of his death,
and even less do I know whether his surviving children were,
by the grace of His Elector Max Friedrich, may he rest in glory,
had graciously provided some grain for their upbringing,
and whether the late court musician Beethoven or another
had arranged for the receipt of said grain.

Furthermore, I do not recall at all that the question ever
arose as to under whose direction the fatherless children
were to be raised, of whose whereabouts I have never known
or heard anything.
And it will thus depend solely on the highest mercy of
Your Electoral Highness whether the aforementioned Rovandini
children are to continue to receive the said generous allowance.
I remain, moreover, your most humble servant.
With the highest respect and grace, and in the most submissive humility.
Your Electoral Highness,
my most gracious Prince and Lord

<div style='text-align: right;'>Your most humble and faithful
<div style='text-align: right;'>Servant
<div style='text-align: right;'>JPN Vogel</div></div></div>
IN PROGRESS
}}

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)

2026-06-04T09:37:45Z

JDWpianist:

{{Primary Source
|Source:Name=D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)
|Source:Description='''Location:''' Duisburg, Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen (D-DGla), Abteilung Rheinland, Kurköln II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55

'''Extent:''' five nested bifolia (22/25, 23/24), last five leaves blank and unnumbered

This set of documents involves a curious inquiry from Würzburg that appears to have puzzled Bonn court officials, but which raises interesting new questions about the Beethoven household in the 1770s and 1780s. The initial inquiry came from a certain "N. Rovantini," who claims to represent an unspecified number of orphaned children of "Hofmusikus Rovantini." Ever since their parents' death, they had been receiving 3 measures of grain per year as an in-kind pension payment (a common practice known as "Gnaden-Korn"). After the death in November 1792 of Johann van Beethoven, who had usually drawn it on their behalf, the allotment stopped coming, and the children presumed that the Oberkellner had halted it for that reason; they therefore asked whether Ernst Haveck could collect it instead.

The initial answer from the court indicated that they were unaware of the Rovantini children's existence, and they therefore commissioned a report from Vogel. Vogel looked into old issues of the Hofkalender and assumed they must be the children of Franz Georg Rovantini, who (unbeknownst to Vogel) died unmarried in 1781.

Despite the misunderstandings, the payment of the Gnaden-Korn via Johann van Beethoven as intermediary suggests that the children were for a time in the care of the Beethoven household. Their mother received a monetary pension until her death in 1776, after which pension payments kept flowing, before disappearing in 17XX.

TO BE CONTINUED
|Source:Location=Bonn
|Source:Date=1793-11-08
|Source:DisplayDate=8 November 1793
|Source:Transcription=[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=85&cHash=6700e24bd692325faf0732cf7d5ed694 51r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'><u>'''2197'''</u></div>
[top left]
''ad sup.''
Kinder des verstorbenen Hof-
Musikanten ''Rovantini''

[right side]
an die Kurfürstl. Hofkammer Rath
''Vogel'' zum g[e]h[orsam]sten Bericht.
Bonn den 8.<sup>ten</sup> 9.<sup>ber</sup> 1793.
''expediatur''

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00471%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=86&cHash=100a5b3db66ee29c9954544514fbf07b 52r]]

<div style='text-align: center;'>Hochwürdigst Durchlauchtigster Ertzbischoff und Kurfürst
<div style='text-align: center;'>gnädigster Fürst und Herr Herr</div></div>
Zur unterthänigst gehorsambsten Befolgung des von Euer Kurfürst.
Durch.[laucht] mir zugekommenen gnädigsten Befehls hab ich ohnerman-
gelen wollen hierdurch gehorsambst einzuberichten, daß zwaren ein
sicherer ''Violonist Frantz Rovantini'' vom Jahr 1778 bis 1782 in der
Liste deren Kurfürstl. Hof''Musicant''en laut denen derjahrigen Hof-
kalender sich vorfinde, deßen Sterbjahr mir aber unbewust, und noch
weniger bekannt seye, ob deßen hinterlaßenen Kinderen von weil.[and]
Sr Kurf. Gnaden ''Max Friderich'' glor. ge. einiges Gnaden Korn zu ihrer
Erziehung mildest ausgeworfen gewesen seye, und ob der Verstor-
bener Hof''Musicus Beethoven'' oder ein anderer den Empfang sothanen
Korns besorget habe.
Nebst dem erinnere ich mich gar nicht, daß jemalen die Frage gewesen
unter weßen ''Direction'' die Vatterlose Kinder auferzogen werden solten,
von deren Aufenthalt ich niemalen etwas gewust oder gehöret habe.
Und wird es also auf die Höchste Kurmilde Eu.[er] Kurf.[ürstliche] Durchl.[aucht] lediglich ankommen
ob ged.[achten] Rovandinischen Kinderen gem.[eldetes] Gnaden Korn weiterhin zu belaßen
seye.
Ich empfehle mich übrigens zu fortwehrender Kurfürst. Höchsten Hulden und
Gnaden, und bestehe in unterthänigster erniedrigung.
Euer Kurfürstl. Durchl.
meines gnädigsten Fürsten und Herren Herren

<div style='text-align: right;'>Unterthänigst treugehorsambster
<div style='text-align: right;'>Diener
<div style='text-align: right;'>''JPN Vogel''</div></div></div>

[53r]

An
Seine Kurfürstlichen Durchlaucht zu Köln p.p.p.
Unterthänigste Bitte
von Seiten

des höchst dero Verstorbenen
Hofmusicanten Rovandini
hinterlaßenen Kinder

[53v]
Hochwürdigst Durchlauchtigster Kurfürst,
Gnädigster Herr !

Da höchst dero Hofmusicant van Bethoven, die
von weiland seiner Kurfürstlichen Gnaden Maximilian
Friedrig uns gnädigst verliehene drei Malder Gnaden
Rogen an höchst dero OberKöllnerei zu Bonn bis hierhin
vor uns empfangen hat, bei Eintrith dieses Jahrs
mit Todt abginge, so ersuchten wir zu diesem Ende
mit Versehung in Copia beiligender Vollmacht höchst
dero Hofmusicanten Ernest Haveck dieses besagte
Gnaden Rogen nun mehr vor uns zu empfangen,
welche Vollmacht auch von höchst dero OberKöllnern ist
bei Vorzeugung gut befunden und anerkant
worden, da sich nun die Zeit des Empfangs
nähert, so findet höchst dero Oberköllnern
55
- uns aus unbekantem Grund - anstandt (ausstand?)
So ergehet unsere unterthänigste Bitte an
Euer Kurfürstligen Durchlaucht, an höchst dero
Oberkellnern die gnädigste Weisung ergehen zu lassen,
die drey Malder Gnaden Rogen an unsern nun-
mehro bestelten Bevollmächtigten Ernest Haveck
verabfolgen zu lassen:

Euer Kurfürstligen Durchlaucht

Unterthänigste des
höchst dero Verstorbenen Hof-
Musicanten Rovandini hinter-
laßene Kindern.

[54r]

Copia

Da wir den Todt des Hofmusicus van
Bethoven als unseren bishörigen Korn
gehalt Empfänger zu Bonn vernommen, so über-
tragen wir hiermit Kraft eigenhändiger Unter-
schrieft, dem Herrn Ernest Haveck Hofmusicus
daselbst die Vollmacht vor jetzt und immer
besagtes Korn bestehent in drey Malder
vor uns bey Kurfürstlicher Oberkellnerey zu Bonn
in Empfang zu nehmen. Würzburg den 15ten 8bris
1793
N: Rovantini

[55v]

An den Kurf. HofKammerRath Vogel
zum gehorsambsten Berichte Bonn
den 8. 9ber 1793

Aus Kurf. gnädigstem Befehl

? J. G. J. for.......en Waldeufel

Siegel

Kinder des verstorbenen
HofMusikanten Rovantini
2197
|Source:Translation=[51r]
<div style='text-align: center;'><u>'''2197'''</u></div>
[top left]
''ad sup.''
Children of deceased Court
Musician Rovantini

[right side]
To the Electoral Chamber Advisor
Vogel for obedient report.
Bonn, 8 November 1793.
''expediatur''

[52r]
<div style='text-align: center;'>Most Reverend and Most Illustrious Archbishop and Elector,
<div style='text-align: center;'>Most Gracious Prince and Lord,</div></div>

In most humble and obedient compliance with the gracious
command received from Your Electoral Highness, I have hereby
most obediently reported that a certain violinist,
Franz Rovantini, was indeed listed among the Electoral
court musicians, as per the court calendar of that year,
but I am unaware of the year of his death, and even less
do I know whether his surviving children were, by the
grace of His Elector Max Friedrich, may he rest in glory,
had graciously provided some grain for their upbringing,
and whether the late court musician Beethoven or another
had arranged for the receipt of said grain.

Furthermore, I do not recall at all that the question ever
arose as to under whose direction the fatherless children
were to be raised, of whose whereabouts I have never known
or heard anything.
And it will thus depend solely on the highest mercy of
Your Electoral Highness whether the aforementioned Rovandini
children are to continue to receive the said generous allowance.
I remain, moreover, your most humble servant.
With the highest respect and grace, and in the most submissive humility.
Your Electoral Highness,
my most gracious Prince and Lord

<div style='text-align: right;'>Your most humble and faithful
<div style='text-align: right;'>Servant
<div style='text-align: right;'>JPN Vogel</div></div></div>
IN PROGRESS
}}

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)

2026-06-04T09:25:14Z

JDWpianist:

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)

2026-06-04T09:23:00Z

JDWpianist: Undo revision 1461 by JDWpianist (talk)

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)

2026-06-04T09:22:41Z

JDWpianist:

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)

2026-06-04T09:21:55Z

JDWpianist:

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)

2026-06-04T09:13:37Z

JDWpianist:

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 473, fols. 10-12 (Josef Reicha Employment Decree)

2026-06-03T20:21:11Z

JDWpianist:

{{Primary Source
|Source:Name=Josef Reicha Employment Decree
|Source:Description='''Location:''' Duisburg, Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen (D-DGla), Abteilung Rheinland, [https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_943f486b-3038-4d10-8ef6-78aac3a16089 Kurköln II Nr. 473], fols. 10–12.

This decree, contained in a collection of all documents on electoral concertmasters, establishes [[Josef Reicha]]'s appointment as “''Concert-Meister'',” changed afterwards to “''Concert-Directeur'',” at an annual salary of 1000 fl. Thayer, in a rare lapse, misinterpreted this source as merely a petition for a raise and change of job title, commenting that Reicha's start date is unknown.<ref>Alexander Wheelock Thayer, ''Ludwig van Beethovens Leben'', 3rd edition revised by Hermann Deiters and Hugo Riemann (Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1917), I: 199</ref> The subsequent amendment to Reicha's job title was obviously of no small importance, requiring a separate document (fol. 11) specifying the change. It has previously been suggested that, as a cellist, Reicha would have formally been ineligible for a concertmaster position.<ref>Claudia Valder-Knechtges, “Die Musikgeschichte,” in Dietrich Höroldt (ed.), ''Geschichte der Stadt Bonn'', vol. 3 (Bonn: Dümmler, 1989), 501.</ref> It is more likely, however, to have been more than a mere technicality, rather a meaningful semantic distinction pointing to his role in the founding of a regular court concert series, a major priority of [[Maximilian Franz of Austria|the elector's]].
|Source:Location=Bonn
|Source:Date=1785-06-28
|Source:DisplayDate=28 June 1785
|Source:Transcription=[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?id=9&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F%7E004%2F00473%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=17 10r]]

<u>'''1235'''</u>

[top left]
Decret, als ''Concert'' <s>Meister</s> ''Directeur''
für ''Joseph Reicha''
[later addition:] nebst einer Zulage von
1000 flor: jährlichs

[right side]
Demmach Wir ''Max. Franz''
''Kurfürst'' zu Kölln, Erzherzog
zu Oesterreich, &c.&c. den ''Jo''=
=''seph Reicha'', auf dessen un=
=terhänigstes Bitten, zu Unserem
''Concert'' <s>Meister</s> ''Directeur'' gnädigst aufge=
=nommen, und demselben in dieser
Eigenschaft eine jährliche Besol=
=dung von Ein Tausend Florin
mit Anfang des jüngst verlit=
=tenen Monats April mildest
zugelegt haben; gleichwie
Wir bemeldten ''Reicha'' hiermit
darzu aufnehmen, und ihm die
obbestimmte Besoldung zulegen.
Als wird ihm ''Reicha'' da=
=rüber gegenwärtiges ''Decret''
in Gnaden mitgetheilt,
wornach ein Jeder, den
es angehen mag, gehorsamst
zu achten, und die Churfürstl:en
Hofkammer der Zahlung halber
das fernere zu verfügen hat.
Urkund gelegt Handzeichnens
und Fürstl. Geheimen Kanzleÿ
siegels, Bonn den 28.
Juny 1785

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00473%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=18&cHash=8e89f4904766d65f95e3a1d0886e336d 11r]]
Für den ''Reicha'' ist das
[canceled illegible text] Dienst abzuwinden
''loco Concertmeister ponatur''
''Concertdirecteur''

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00473%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=19&cHash=59369ca4e87d4fd0b2cfb5d11861d022 12r]]
dem ''Concert'' Meister ''Reicha'' ist decret
auszufertigen mit einem jährl. Gehalt von
1000fn a ''prima'' April 1785 anzufangen.
Max: Franz Churfurst
|Source:Translation=[10r]

<u>'''1235'''</u>

[top left]
Decree, as Concert <s>Master</s> Director
For Joseph Reicha

[later addition:] with an annual salary of 1000 florins

[right side]
ETC.
}}
__NOTOC__

___
==Notes==
<references responsive="0" />

==Further Reading==
* Alexander Wheelock Thayer, ''Ludwig van Beethovens Leben'', 3rd edition revised by Hermann Deiters and Hugo Riemann (Leipzig: Breitkopf & Härtel, 1917), [http://www.zeno.org/Musik/M/Thayer,+Alexander+Wheelock/Ludwig+van+Beethovens+Leben/1.+Band/11.+Kapitel.+Max+Franz+und+die+Musik.+Die+Hofkapelle+im+Jahre+1784 I: 199].
* John D. Wilson, [https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108552813.002 “From the Chapel to the Theatre to the ''Akademiensaal'': Beethoven’s Musical Apprenticeship at the Bonn Electoral Court, 1784–1792,”] in David Wyn Jones and Keith Chapin (eds.) ''Beethoven Studies 4'' (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2020), 1–23, at 16f.

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fols. 2–4 (Lodewijk van Beethoven Confirmation of a Raise)

2026-06-03T20:14:58Z

JDWpianist:

{{Primary Source
|Source:Name=D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fol. 4 (Lodewijk van Beethoven Confirmation of a Raise), 1746
|Source:Description='''Location:''' Duisburg, Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen (D-DGla), Abteilung Rheinland, Kurköln II Nr. 481, fols. 2–4

'''Extent:''' 1 single leaf in a bifolium (2/4, 3), fols. 3–4 blank

Confirmation of Beethoven receiving a raise.
|Source:Location=Bonn
|Source:Date=1746-08-22
|Source:DisplayDate=22 Aug 1746
|Source:Transcription=[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00481%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=4&cHash=a1ecf35043641acfb5f3b8e3665742a3 2r]]
[left side]
Zulegung noch hundert Rtlhr.
järlich an den Kammer-
''musicum van Beethoven''

[right side]
22. Aug. 1746
Nachdemahlen seine Churfürstl.
Durchlt zu Cöln, Herzog ''Clement
Augus''t in Ob:und nider Banern,
unter gnädigster Herr, dero
Cammer-''Musico van Beethoven,''
nebst seinem geniessenden Gehalt
auch diejenige hundert Rtlhr. jährlich so
durch jüngst erfolgtes absterben
''Josephi Kaÿsor'' instrumenten
machern fällig worden, in
Gnaden zugelegt haben; als
wird es dem Churfürstl: Hof
Kammerrath und Zahlmeistern
Risach hiermit zu missen ge-
macht, und gnädigst befohlen
ihm van Beethoven auch obigejähr-
lichen 100 Rthr. quartalsmeise, von
behöriger Zeit an, gegen Quittung
zu zahlen, und, gebührend zu
verrechnen. Urfund etc. Doppel-
sdorf den 22. ''Augusti'' 1746
|Source:Translation=IN PROGRESS
}}

Category:Bonn Court Administration Files

2026-06-03T14:29:01Z

JDWpianist: /* Minutes of the Privy State Council */

The administrative archives of the Bonn Electoral Court, preserved today in the Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen in Duisburg, Germany (D-DGla), reach back to at least the tenth century. Extensive documentation of the court's operations, however, only really exists since the late seventeenth century — after the city of Bonn was besieged during the Nine Years' War and largely destroyed in 1689. As the eighteenth century progressed, the court's bookkeeping became increasingly thorough and transparent, or at least these documents are better preserved.

The Beethoven-related files in the court archives were surveyed by Hermann Deiters for the first volume of Alexander Wheelock Thayer's monumental biography, ''Ludwig van Beethovens Leben'', whose first edition appeared in 1866. Deiters cast his net wide and swept up an impressive array of materials pertaining both to the Beethoven family and some of their colleagues. His transcriptions, typically unabridged, were a model of accuracy for their time. They are in fact so good and so seemingly comprehensive that no later Beethoven biographer has felt the need to consult the original sources. This has one unfortunate consequence: after the archive's multiple reorganizations and one change of location (from Düsseldorf to Duisburg in 2014), even most Beethoven scholars would be hard-pressed to locate the modern shelf-mark of any document quoted by Thayer, making it difficult to retrace his footsteps to search for something Deiters might have missed or to seek broader context.

Around a century later, Max Braubach systematically reviewed the files on court musicians alongside Bonn parish records, resulting in a lexicon article which includes basic biographical information on all known musicians who worked at court under the last four electors, one that still provides a useful reference work even though he does not cite individual sources.<ref>Max Braubach, "Die Mitglieder der Hofmusik unter den letzten vier Kurfürsten von Köln," in Siegfried Kross and Hans Schmidt (eds.), ''Colloquium Amicorum. Joseph Schmidt-Görg zum 70. Geburtstag'' (Bonn: Beethoven-Haus, 1967), 26–63.</ref> More recently, over the course of the two research projects "[https://musikwissenschaft.univie.ac.at/forschung/projekte/abgeschlossene-projekte/the-music-library-of-elector-maximilian-franz/ The Music Library of Elector Maximilian Franz]," the team consulted the music- and musician-related files, with a special focus on opera and sacred music between 1784 and 1794. A brief overview of the Kurköln files is presented as an appendix to Volume 2 of the series "Musik am Bonner kurfürstlichen Hof."

The Bonn court administrative files here represent a curated collection of not only those documents that mention Beethoven's family, but also ones that illustrate the immediate context in which four generations of them worked. In so doing, they offer an overview of the entire court musical establishment since the late seventeenth century. Each document's contents are given a summary, and a large number are presented in a new or revised transcription and a new English translation. The transcriptions, as with all other primary texts on this website, are diplomatic, preserving the orthography, line breaks, differences in Kurrent or Latin script, cancellations, emendations, and layout of the original pages; they also attempt to convey the structure of multi-document sequences, since this frequently affects their interpretation. In 2022, the Landesarchiv placed digital scans of the entire sub-collection "Kurköln II" freely available online. In the transcriptions, the folio designations in square brackets function as hyperlinks to the relevant scans. The account books, located in Kurköln IV, have not been digitized, but their presentation here has been optimized for easy reference.

As might be expected, the process of reviewing archival sources that were last systematically checked over half a century ago has turned up no small number of documents that have previously escaped notice. Indeed, several of these overlooked files pertain directly to Ludwig van Beethoven and his family. More broadly, the act of preparing a large cross-section of these documents for an interlinked web publication has offered a better understanding of how the files in different collections relate to one another, and ultimately of how they encapsulate decision-making processes of the court. For the reconstruction of events is often not possible through a single source in isolation. On its own, a petition or decree can often seem ambiguous, since it must be understood as both the written starting point and lasting documentation of a primarily oral deliberation. In a certain sense, digital presentation of the written records is the most appropriate existing method of re-tying the cognitive threads that once linked them.

Finally, while the administrative archives in Duisburg are startlingly extensive, other sources must be considered alongside them. For the reign of Maximilian Franz (1784–1794), his own personal papers in Vienna's Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv contain many documents of relevance to court music and the court theater, as do some of his letters to Spiegel von Diesenberg in the Stadtarchiv Bonn. Finally, the lists of musicians in the court calendar (''Hofkalender'') often diverge from the payment records in interesting ways.

== Collected Petitions and Decrees ==

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 472 (Music Directors) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_911a9c0e-f37e-4714-88f4-120d85d5a387 Entry in Online Finding Aid]

1718–1784
*fol. 5 (26 August 1738): employment decree for Joseph Clemens Dall'Abaco

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 473 (Konzertmeister) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_943f486b-3038-4d10-8ef6-78aac3a16089 Entry in Online Finding Aid]
1715–1785
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 473, fols. 10-12 (Josef Reicha Employment Decree)|fols. 10–12]] (28 June 1785): Josef Reicha's Employment Decree

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 474 (Kapellmeister) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_d58e9bd3-41f8-420d-91f8-8a6b614229ca Entry in Online Finding Aid]

1695–1783
* fol. 1 (January 1695)
* fol. 2 (30 December 1729)
* fols. 3–4 (29 March 1732): employment decree for Girolamo Donini
* fols. 5–6 (21–29 November 1745): employment decree for Francisco Zoppi
* fol. 7 (3 April 1752): Zoppi resigns
* fol. 8 (24 June 1753): employment decree for Joseph Zudoli
* fols. 9–11 (6 May 1774): employment decree for Andrea Luchesi

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 475 (Music Librarians and Copyists) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_1bffde5b-158c-45fa-925d-45f1b1da67d1 Entry in Online Finding Aid]

1714–1740

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 476 (Composers) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_d1855b1a-0b54-433b-aa80-94ccacf1c7dd Entry in Online Finding Aid]

1723–1752

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 478 (Male singers) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_39fa5997-bb4f-42c4-8e4a-c1c6ad63d9a9 Entry in Online Finding Aid]

1694–1792

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 479 (Female singers) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_15e2b4e8-c77b-41cd-8137-666b7647b795 Entry in Online Finding Aid]

1730–1790
* fol. 1: Folder fragment
* fols. 2–3 (8 January 1736): Margarete Elisabeth Giesens
* fols. 4–5 (8 January 1736): Margarete Elisabeth Giesens
* fols. 6–7 (3 April 1745): Rosa Costa
* fols. 8–9 (15 July 1749): Rosa Costa
* fols. 10–13 (13 May 1755): Eleonore Walter (Walderin)
* fols. 14–15 (2 June 1758): Maria Eva Elisabeth Ansionin
* fols. 16–19 (9 September 1759): Johanna Antonia Lentner
* fols. 20–23 (24 April 1765): Anna Maria Ries
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 479, fols. 109–112 (Magdalena Willmann Employment Decree)|fols. 109–112]] (19 February 1790): Magdalena Willmann's employment decree

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 480 (Organists) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_b1c4a7fb-99b8-42b5-81f9-0101df720bd8 Entry in Online Finding Aid]

Decrees and petitions regarding organists (except Ludwig van Beethoven), 1698–1796.

* fols. 1–2 (16 July 1698): Domenikus Alberici
* fol. 3 (23 November 1700): Joseph Zierbst
* fol. 4 (18 February 1727): Ägidius van den Eeden
* fol. 5 (8 June 1728): Ägidius van den Eeden
* fols. 6–7 (undated): Ägidius van den Eeden
* fols. 10–12 (5 July 1729): Ägidius van den Eeden receives a raise
* fols. 13–14 (9 November 1740): Georg Graskampff
* fols. 15–22 (20 July to 14 August 1784): deliberations on purchasing a new organ for palace chapel
* fols. 23–28 (15 February 1781): Christian Gottlob Neefe
* fols. 29–32 (8–15 February 1781): Christian Gottlob Neefe
* fol. 33 (3 October 1796): Christian Gottlob Neefe

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 481 (Beethoven) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_4eadf0de-89b7-4c6b-8f92-d12dfbe8bfdf Entry in Online Finding Aid]

This file is a collection of most petitions and decrees that mention members of the Beethoven family.

* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fol. 1 (Lodewijk van Beethoven Employment Decree)|fol. 1]] (March 1733): Lodewijk van Beethoven's employment decree
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fols. 2–4 (Lodewijk van Beethoven Confirmation of a Raise)|fols. 2–4]] (22 August 1746): Confirmation of a raise for Lodewijk van Beethoven
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fols. 5–7 (Johann van Beethoven Employment Decree)|fols. 5–7]] (19–27 March 1756): Decree to hire Johann van Beethoven as an ''accessist''
* fols. 9–12 (27 March 1756): Recommendation letter by Joseph Gottwald on behalf of Johann van Beethoven and Ernst Haveck
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fols. 13–16 (Lodewijk van Beethoven as Hofkapellmeister)|fols. 13–16]] (16 July 1761): Lodewijk van Beethoven is elevated to rank of Hofkapellmeister
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fols. 17–18 (Johann van Beethoven Petition for a Raise)|fols. 17–18]] (27 November 1762): Johann van Beethoven's first, unsuccessful petition for a raise
* fols. 19–20 (undated, c. April 1764): Lodewijk van Beethoven petitions for a raise on behalf of his son
* fol. 21 (24 April 1764): Decree granting Johann van Beethoven a raise of 100 Reichstaler
* fols. 22–25 (27 April 1764): Decree installing Johann van Beethoven and Anna Maria Ries officially as court musicians
* fol. 26–29 (9 May 1764): Dispute regarding debts by court musician Johannes Zdenik (called here "Steneck") owed to Johann Gottlieb Walther
* fol. 30 (8 August 1764): Philippe Salomon petitions for a job
* fol. 31 (31 May 1765): Johannes Zdenik is fired
* fols. 32–36 (26 April 1768): Reports of disciplinary action by Lodewijk against Maximiliane Schwachhover for "impertinence"
* fols. 37–38 (4 February 1793 and 22 October 1792): regarding Ludwig van Beethoven's salary while in Vienna
* fols. 40–43 (26 April 1768): Further documents on the disciplinary action against Schwachhover
* fols. 44–48 (26 April to 11 May 1768): Lodewijk van Beethoven reports on dispute between court musicians Drewer and Willmann
* fols. 49–52 (17 November 1769): Johann van Beethoven receives a raise of 25 fl.
* fols. 53–54 (undated, winter 1773/74): Johann van Beethoven petitions court to be elevated to rank of Kapellmeister after his father's death
* fol. 55–60 (January 1774 to 5 June 1775): After much deliberation, Johann van Beethoven is to receive his mother's pension of 60 Rtlr. after her death as supplement to his salary
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fols. 62–67 ("Pro-Memoria" Report on Court Musicians)|fols. 62–67]] (undated, c. June 1784): Evaluation of all court musicians with notes on their abilities, age, deportment, and family situation
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fols. 69–74 (Ludwig van Beethoven Employment Petition)|fols. 69–74]] (23–29 February 1784): Deliberations around Ludwig van Beethoven's employment as assistant court organist (see also [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 22–24 (Collective Petition, 1784)|Kurköln II, Nr. 471, fols. 22–24]])
* fol. 75 (5 May 1788): Ludwig van Beethoven petitions unsuccessfully for a raise
* fols. 76–77 (20 November 1789): Petition to banish Johann van Beethoven and disperse half his salary to Ludwig
* fol. 78 (11 February 1790): Receipt of Johann van Beethoven's first quarterly salary payment
* fol. 83 (3 May 1793): Ludwig van Beethoven is to receive his deceased father's full salary in Vienna
* fols. 84–85 (undated, after February 1793): Ludwig van Beethoven petitions the court for said salary
* fol. 87 (24 May 1793): Decree by Count Salm for Johann van Beethoven's former salary to be forwarded to Ludwig in Vienna

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 482 (String Players) ===

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 483 (Woodwind and Brass Players) ===
* fols. 2/3: Petition on behalf of Trumpeter Franz Hoffstetter for employment, undated, refers in main text to Salm-Reifferscheid and is listed by Braubach as dating from 29 November 1784.
* fol. 4: Specification regarding 6 Trumpeters and one Timpanist dated 1689, including Sebastian Poll (!) with a salary of 400 R (reduced to 350). Watermark CM flanking a serpent over a post-horn
* fols. 5, 6: Petition regarding Trumpeter Philipp Gstettner from 12 March 1690, employed with a salary of 350 fl.
* fols. 7/8: Petition regarding Trumpeter Johann (illegible) from 20 May 1690
* fol. 9: Petition regarding Trumpeter (name unclear) from 1 July 1690
* fols. 10/13, 11/12: Decree from Schloss Berg dated 12 April 1691 regarding court trumpeters
* fols. 14/15: Decree regarding Trumpeter Johann Hagengassner from 12 August 1691
* fols. 16/21, 17/20, 18/19: Petition and Decree regarding Trumpeter Georg Hagengassner from 2 December 1692 in Freising
* fols. 22/23: Barely legible decree from 9 August 1697 (2?).(This might be the decree Braubach mentions employing Wasitzsky as trumpeter)
* fols. 24/27, 25/26: Decrees regarding Trumpeters Johann Herkel and Johann Kren from 13 November 1698 (now in Bonn)
* fols. 28/29: Decree regarding Trumpeter Michael Kren from 19 November 1698
* fol. 30: Petition on behalf of Trumpeter Michael Kren from 29 December 1698
* fol. 31: Decree regarding Trumpeter Johann Herkel from 29 December 1698
* fols. 32/43, 33/34, 35/36, 37, 38/39, 40, 41/42: Series of decrees regarding Trumpeters Franz Wastisky (sic), Michael Kren, “Sebastian Poll od. Boll,” and Veit Hochenberger from 29 December 1698, including constant mentions of some mysterious “gastis secretis” (Braubach mentions a document from this date associated with the move from a Leibgarde to court)
* fol. 44: Decree regarding Trumpeter Veit Hochenberger from 29 December 1698
* fol. 45: Decree regarding unidentifiable Trumpeter (Brun?), 20 December 1698
* fol. 46: Decree regarding the hiring of three oboists (Flammand, Fabry, and Biarelle) from 13 October 1700
* fols. 47/48: Decree regarding hiring of Oboist Philipp Wilhelm Purfürst from 19 November 1700 with salary of 150 fl.
* fol. 49: Petition by unnamed parties regarding oboists and instrumentalists from 13 March 1712
* fols. 50/55, 51/52, 53/54: Decree regarding Trumpeter Franz Wastizky from 23 June 1729
* fols. 51/52: regards Violinist Johann Philipp Haveck from 29 June 1729
* fols. 53/54: regards Violinist Josephus Gonsez Dubois. Watermark Arms of Amsterdam
* fols. 56/57: Decree regarding Trumpeter Johann Adam Beyer from 13 January 1730
* fols. 58/59: Decree regarding Trumpeter Stephan Gütich from 4 November 1734, hired for 192 Rt.
* fols. 60/61: Overview and evaluations dated 28 October 1735 of all Hoftrompter and Gardetrompeter working for the court
* fols. 62/65, 63/64: Petition and decree on behalf of Oboist Franz Salefeld dated 1 June 1736, hired with no salary specified
* fols. 66/67: Decree regarding Basoonist Hygini Christophori Stolte dated 14 March 1737, is brought over from Leibgarde to Hofmusik
* fols. 68/70, 69: Petition and decree regarding Trumpeter Johann Heinrich Baumgarten dated 14 March 1737, hired with no salary specified
* fols. 71/73, 72: Petition and decree regarding Trumpeter Johann Knechtel dated 3 April 1739, hired with no salary specified
* fols. 74/75: Petition by Gerhard Cadusch of Brühl (who seems to have been Kurkürstlicher Baumeister) dated 25 January 1743
* fols. 76/77: Petition by Trumpeter Stephan Gütig dated 12 June 1744, who wishes to marry Lucia Geismar, who (unbeknownst to him?) already had a son
* fols. 78/80, 79: Decree regarding Trumpeter Philipp Döpser (Töpser) dated 2 July 1744, hired with no salary specified. Watermark HSI : Arms of Amsterdam
* fols. 81/82: Petition on behalf of Trumpeter Johann Ries from 20 May 1747, hired with salary of 192 Rt. (pending release from apprenticeship?)
* fols. 83/84: Petition on behalf of Trumpeter Johann Ries from 7 May 1748, released from apprenticeship
* fols. 85/87, 86: Petition on behalf of Trumpeters Felix Peissner and Christian Pummerl dated March 1754, both hired with a salary of 192 Rt. Watermark IH : Arms of Amsterdam
* fols. 88/99, 89/96, 90/95, 91/94, 92/93, 97/98: Series of petitions regarding Trumpeter Johann Ries from 5 March 1754, is given extra responsibilities as Violinist and a raise to 300 fl.
* fols. 100/102, 101: Petition on behalf of Trumpeters Felix Beissner (Peissner) and Christian Pummerl dated 28 March 1761, both released from duty after 7 years of faithful service
* fols. 103/106, 104/105: Petition and decree regarding Waldhornist Joseph Riedel dated 2 July 1761, hired with a salary of 120 Rt.
* fols. 107/112, 108/111, 109/110: Petition and Decree regarding Oboist Matthias Meuser dated 12 December 1764 (including signed recommendation from 1 December by Ludwig van Beethoven the Elder), hired as Accessist
* fols. 113/122, 114/117, 115/116, 118/121, 119/120: Series of decrees regarding Waldhornist Godfried Menzel dated 16 January 1768, requests and receives his father’s old position
* fols. 123/128, 124/127, 125/126: Petition and decree on behalf of Bassoonist Theodor Zillicken (Zilleken) dated 14 December 1769, hired as Accessist after having sung several years in choir
* fols. 131/132: Petition on behalf of Bassoonist Theodor Zillicken (Zilleken) dated 26 June 1772, admitted to Hofmusik
* fols. 133/140, 134/139, 135/138, 136/137: Series of petitions and decrees regarding Trumpeter Christian Peissner dated 14 March 1775, hired with no salary specified
* fols. 141/148, 142/147, 143/146, 144/145: Series of petitions and decree (including a recommendation by Luchesi) regarding Waldhornists Nicholaus Simrock and Andreas Bamberger dated 23 May 1775, both hired with salary of 300 fl.
* fols. 149/154, 150/153, 151/152: Series of petitions and decree regarding Flutist Johann Sebastian Pfau dated 18 September 1780, hired with salary of 200 Fl (?, must check convoluted math again)
* fols. 155/160, 156/159, 157/158: Series of petitions regarding Waldhornists Nikolaus Simrock and Andreas Bamberger dated 2 June 1781, both given a raise (how much?)
* fols. 161/168, 162/167, 163/166, 164/165: Series of petitions and decree regarding Bassoonist Johann Kicheler (Küchler) dated 15 June 1781, granted a salary of 300 Fl. Johann Anton Meuris also mentioned (seems to be retiring)
* fols. 169/174, 170/173, 171/172: Petition and decree regarding Trumpeter Philipp Goepfert dated 14 March 1783, hired with unspecified salary
* fols. 175/176: Petition by Trumpeter Philipp Goepfert dated 6 May 1784, requesting salary of deceased Contrabassist Poletnich, denied
* fols. 177/179, 178: Petition by Waldhornist Nikolaus Simrock dated 1 July 1784, granted 40 Rt. (100 fl.) raise to deliver music for the court
* fols. 180/181: Petition by Bassoonist Johann Küchler dated 6 July 1784 to instate his son Friedrich with a salary of 300 fl
* fols. 182/183: Decree regarding Trumpeter Franz Hofstetter dated 29 September 1784, hired with unspecified salary
* fols. 184/185: Decree regarding Waldhornist Nikolaus Simrock dated 26 December 1784, specifying earlier agreement from July
* fols. 186/189, 187/188: Petition and decree regarding Oboists Joseph Bachmeyer (Pachmayer) and Georg Liebisch dated 14 January 1785, both hired with a salary of 200 fl.
* fols. 190/191: Petition regarding Christian Beissner (Peissner) dated 9 August 1785, is released after 10 years of faithful service.
* fols. 192/196, 193, 194/195: Petition and decree regarding Bassoonist Friedrich Küchler dated 20 January 1786, released after 1.5 years of faithful service.
* fols. 197/201, 198, 199, 200: Petition and decree regarding Trumpeter Michael Baltus dated 10 March 1786, hired.
* fols. 202/203: Decree regarding Trumpeter Michael Baltus dated 19 April 1786, granted salary of 240 fl.
* fols. 204/207, 205/206: Clarification dated 23 January 1787 of Simrock’s role in assigning and paying music copyists.
* fols. 208/209: Decree regarding Oboist Georg Liebisch dated 13 April 1787, Bestätigung (?)
* fols. 210/213, 211/212: Petition regarding Oboist Georg Bachmeyer (Pachmeyer) dated 23 May 1787, granted a raise of 200 fl. for 5 more years
* fols. 214/219, 215/218, 215/216: Petition regarding Bassoonist Johann Küchler dated 5 March 1788, released from service with a pension.

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 484 (Timpanists and Timpani Carriers) ===

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 485 (Calcants) ===

== Miscellaneous Court Music Documents ==
These are music-related files that for various reasons were not included in the other collections. Sometimes it is because they deal with multiple court musicians at once, such as frequently happened after the death of a musician, at which point their colleagues would collectively petition for the now-free funds to be divided among them. Other times the documents appear to have merely been separated by accident from their logical position. Four files in Nr. 471 (fols. 3–5, 22–24, 51–55) directly deal with Ludwig van Beethoven and his family, three of which were previously unknown.

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 468 (1717–1730) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_c665c3cf-943d-41f9-89bc-e3812c71a289 Entry in Online Finding Aid]
=== Kurköln II, Nr. 469 (1731–1764) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_63e437e2-223f-4f29-8e62-58d1d30154b7 Entry in Online Finding Aid]
* fol. 1 (25 January 1731): Risack
* fol. 2 (29 January 1735): Johann Joseph Leopoldi
* fol. 3 (4 November 1735): Commans
* fol. 4 (10 September 1736): Anton Raaf
* fols. 5–6 (14 March 1737): Christophorum Holske
* fol. 7 (9 November 1740): Josephum Verita Dubois
* fol. 8 (16 August 1742): Anton Raaf
* fol. 9 (1 September 1743): Risack
* fols. 10–12 (27 November 1744): Peter Joseph Ipp
* fol. 13 (26 May 1746): Joseph Meuris
* fols. 14–16 (26 September 1746): Franz Xaver Haveck
* fols. 17–8 (undated): Henrich Gruhs
* fols. 19–22: Mathias Poletnich
* fol. 23 (4 November 1746): Joseph and Franz Meuris
* fol. 24 (8 November 1748): Johann Anton Schamsdeburg
* fols. 25–30 (1749): accounting records
* fols. 31–32 (25 April 1752): Paul Kicheler
* fol. 33 (11 March 1754): Joseph Touchemoulin
* fol. 34 (4 June 1753): Jacob Tauber
* fols. 35–37 (24 February 1755): Johann Zdenick
* fols. 38–40 (9 February 1756): Mathias Poletnich petitions for a raise
* fols. 41–45 (1 March 1756): Ferdinand Trewes
* fols. 46–50 (27 March 1756): Ernst Haveck as ''Accessist''
* fols. 51–53 (24 March 1757): Philipp Drauste
* fol. 54 (28 March 1758): Ernest Riedel
* fols. 55–59 (2 September 1758): Johann Zdenick petitions for a raise
* fols. 60–62 (30 August 1758): Johann Peter Salomon
* fols. 63–65 (22 August 1759): Franz Gottwald
* fols. 66–68 (27 April 1762): Ernst Riedel
* fols. 69–72 (): Ferdinand Trewer and Lodewijk van Beethoven
* fol. 73 (19 September 1764): Neesen, Feuser, Bodife, Schulter, Zeppenfeld, Mastiaux, Brauman, Kugelgen
* fol. 74 (26 September 1764): Walther
* fol. 75... https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00469%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=110&cHash=6914342fc95fc8d84d5283d5ee4e306e

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 470 (1765–1779) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/archivsuche?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_6c9ce853-918b-441c-8748-bdaf18dad482 Entry in Online Finding Aid]
=== Kurköln II, Nr. 471 (1780–1794) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/archivsuche?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_862721b0-ae27-4a4b-8d55-2c8f02620ee5 Entry in Online Finding Aid]
* fols. 1–2 (October 1780): collective petition by nine court musicians
* fols. 3–5 (16 May 1782): collective petition by ten court musicians (including Johann van Beethoven)
* fols. 6–7 (September–October 1780): petition by widow of Tussy
* fols. 8–9 (24 March 1783): petition by Gertrud Poletnich
* fol. 10 (6 October 1783): approval for Drewer, Heller, and Ries to organize a concert
* fols. 11–12 (undated, c. June 1784): recommendations for salary adjustments
* fols. 13–14 (undated, c. 1790): Thomas Pokorny
* fols. 15–16 (undated, c. 1790): Friedrich Müller
* fols. 17–18 (August 1780): collective petition by sixteen musicians
* fols. 19–20 (12 September 1780): Peter Esch petition for raise
* fols. 20–21 (9 November 1783): Joseph Phillipart petition for full employment
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 22–24 (Collective Petition, 1784)|fols. 22–24 (15 February 1784)]]: collective petition by eleven musicians (including Ludwig van Beethoven)
* fols. 25–26 (27 June 1784): final determinations of musician salary adjustments
* fol. 27 (27 June 1784): confusion about Andrea Luchesi's new salary is cleared up
* fols. 28–30 (15 August 1786): Walter
* fols. 31–32 (undated, early eighteenth century): Elenora Walter
* fol. 33 (3 May 1786): Christoph Brandt
* unnumbered (5 September 1787): Veronica Beckenkam petition for raise
* fols. 34–43 (6 October to 15 November 1788): dispute over engagement of several Bonn court musicians in Frankfurt
* fols. 44–45 (2 October 1789): employment decree for Joseph Lux
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)|fols. 51–55]] (8 November 1793): custody of the late Franz Rovantini's children transferred from the Beethovens to Ernst Haveck

== Inventories and Lists ==
*[[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 340 (Inventory of the Electoral Palace, 1784)|Kurköln II, Nr. 340]]: Inventory of the entire electoral palace upon Maximilian Friedrich's death, May 1784. Includes separate listings of the music collection.

== Minutes of the Privy State Council ==
contains summaries of each petition and decree discussed between July 1784 and 1801, including some for which all other documentation is lost
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3016 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1784)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3016 (1784)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3017 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1785)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3017 (1785)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3018 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1786)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3018 (1786)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3019 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1787)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3019 (1787)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3020 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1788)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3020 (1788)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3021 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1789)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3021 (1789)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3022 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1790)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3022 (1790)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3025 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1793)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3025 (1793)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3033 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1800)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3033 (1800)]]

== Account Books ==

==Notes==
<references responsive="0" />

[[Category:Primary Source]]

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3025 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1793)

2026-06-03T13:37:41Z

JDWpianist:

{{Primary Source
|Source:Name=D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3025 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1793)
|Source:Description='''Location:''' Duisburg, Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen (D-DGla), Abteilung Rheinland, Kurköln II Nr. 3025, [https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_7190b42f-1487-4495-a7f3-5cc5723b519c I] and [https://www.archive.nrw.de/archivsuche?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_927af849-b5b9-4fe9-8ea7-69b6dcf2d81c II].

During the reign of [[Maximilian Franz of Austria|Elector Maximilian Franz]], most petitions and decrees were decided upon in meetings of the so-called ''Geheime Staats-Conferenz''. These bulky protocol books are seldom consulted by music historians, and were largely overlooked by Thayer for his Beethoven biography (and as a result they appear in no later scholarship that relies on him). Their value is especially critical when the corresponding petitions and decrees have not survived, as is very often the case with court musicians. In cases where they have survived, the records here can sometimes clarify points of chronology or details of the decision-making process. One important subtlety has to do with the chain of command. Most petitions were not handled by the elector directly, so when a first decision is marked "dependirt von höchster Gnad," which can be understood as "referred to the highest authority," it is a sign that the matter was considered unusually important.

An index, organized roughly alphabetically by last names of petitioners, appears in the second volume from [https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~030%2F03025-II%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=690&tx_dlf%5Bpagegrid%5D=0&cHash=5bdfccc6b9922a9b660d64eaba03b190 fol. 1082r].

Here, the entries pertaining to court musicians are excerpted.
|Source:Location=Bonn and Münster
|Source:Date=1793-01-01
|Source:DisplayDate=January to December 1793
|Source:Transcription=
[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~030%2F03025-I%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=365&cHash=017eab22101ee33d45161dcca4a195f9 305r]]

[<u>''Bonn'' den 6. ''Maÿ'' 1793</u>]

<u>'''715'''</u> Gdgste Gehalts-Zulage, von Hundert
Reichsthaler Jährlichs, für den
Hof-''Organisten L: van Beethoven''./.

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~030%2F03025-II%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=458&cHash=6cddc29dca981ceec6fb1c8a37596ad9 876r]]

[<u>''Bonn'' den 8<sup>ten</sup> ''9ber'' 1793</u>]

<u>'''2197'''</u> Kinder des Verstorbenen hiesigen
Hofmusicus Rovandini zeigen gdgst an,
daß sie bisher die ihnen, von Max.
Frider. H.A. jährlichs verliehenen 3.
Malter Korns, durch den Hofmusicus
Bethoven, bey der hiesigen Oberkellnerei
haben erheben lassen, seit nun dieser
verstorben hätten sie dem Hofmusicus
Haveck diesen Auftrag gegeben,
der dieses Korn auch empfangen habe,
dem aber neuerlich die Ablieferung
desselbigen von dem Oberkellnern aus
ihnen unbekannten Gründen verweigert
worden sei: bitten dahero: dem
Oberkellnern gdgst zu befehlen, daß
er ihrem Mandatario Haveck das ihnen
zugelegte Korn verabfolgen lassen solle.

[Left side]
An die Churf. HofKammer
um den Oberkellner
über die Angabe der
Supplicanten zu
vernehmen und zu
berichten.
An Vogel zum Bericht.
|Source:Translation=IN PROGRESS
}}

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3025 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1793)

2026-06-03T13:36:27Z

JDWpianist:

{{Primary Source
|Source:Name=D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3025 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1793)
|Source:Description='''Location:''' Duisburg, Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen (D-DGla), Abteilung Rheinland, Kurköln II Nr. 3025, [https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_7190b42f-1487-4495-a7f3-5cc5723b519c I] and [https://www.archive.nrw.de/archivsuche?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_927af849-b5b9-4fe9-8ea7-69b6dcf2d81c II].

During the reign of [[Maximilian Franz of Austria|Elector Maximilian Franz]], most petitions and decrees were decided upon in meetings of the so-called ''Geheime Staats-Conferenz''. These bulky protocol books are seldom consulted by music historians, and were largely overlooked by Thayer for his Beethoven biography (and as a result they appear in no later scholarship that relies on him). Their value is especially critical when the corresponding petitions and decrees have not survived, as is very often the case with court musicians. In cases where they have survived, the records here can sometimes clarify points of chronology or details of the decision-making process. One important subtlety has to do with the chain of command. Most petitions were not handled by the elector directly, so when a first decision is marked "dependirt von höchster Gnad," which can be understood as "referred to the highest authority," it is a sign that the matter was considered unusually important.

An index, organized roughly alphabetically by last names of petitioners, appears in the second volume from [https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~030%2F03025-II%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=690&tx_dlf%5Bpagegrid%5D=0&cHash=5bdfccc6b9922a9b660d64eaba03b190 fol. 1082r].

Here, the entries pertaining to court musicians are excerpted.
|Source:Location=Bonn and Münster
|Source:Date=1793-01-01
|Source:DisplayDate=January to December 1793
|Source:Transcription=
[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~030%2F03025-I%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=365&cHash=017eab22101ee33d45161dcca4a195f9 305r]]

[<u>''Bonn'' den 6. ''Maÿ'' 1793</u>]

<u>'''715'''</u> Gdgste Gehalts-Zulage, von Hundert
Reichsthaler Jährlichs, für den
Hof-''Organisten L: van Beethoven''./.

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~030%2F03025-II%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=458&cHash=6cddc29dca981ceec6fb1c8a37596ad9 876r]]

[<u>''Bonn'' den 8. ''9ber'' 1793</u>]

<u>'''2197'''</u> Kinder des Verstorbenen hiesigen
Hofmusicus Rovandini zeigen gdgst an,
daß sie bisher die ihnen, von Max.
Frider. H.A. jährlichs verliehenen 3.
Malter Korns, durch den Hofmusicus
Bethoven, bey der hiesigen Oberkellnerei
haben erheben lassen, seit nun dieser
verstorben hätten sie dem Hofmusicus
Haveck diesen Auftrag gegeben,
der dieses Korn auch empfangen habe,
dem aber neuerlich die Ablieferung
desselbigen von dem Oberkellnern aus
ihnen unbekannten Gründen verweigert
worden sei: bitten dahero: dem
Oberkellnern gdgst zu befehlen, daß
er ihrem Mandatario Haveck das ihnen
zugelegte Korn verabfolgen lassen solle.

[Left side]
An die Churf. HofKammer
um den Oberkellner
über die Angabe der
Supplicanten zu
vernehmen und zu
berichten.
An Vogel zum Bericht.
|Source:Translation=IN PROGRESS
}}

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3025 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1793)

2026-06-03T13:29:21Z

JDWpianist:

{{Primary Source
|Source:Name=D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3025 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1793)
|Source:Description='''Location:''' Duisburg, Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen (D-DGla), Abteilung Rheinland, Kurköln II Nr. 3025, [https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_7190b42f-1487-4495-a7f3-5cc5723b519c I] and [https://www.archive.nrw.de/archivsuche?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_927af849-b5b9-4fe9-8ea7-69b6dcf2d81c II].

During the reign of [[Maximilian Franz of Austria|Elector Maximilian Franz]], most petitions and decrees were decided upon in meetings of the so-called ''Geheime Staats-Conferenz''. These bulky protocol books are seldom consulted by music historians, and were largely overlooked by Thayer for his Beethoven biography (and as a result they appear in no later scholarship that relies on him). Their value is especially critical when the corresponding petitions and decrees have not survived, as is very often the case with court musicians. In cases where they have survived, the records here can sometimes clarify points of chronology or details of the decision-making process. One important subtlety has to do with the chain of command. Most petitions were not handled by the elector directly, so when a first decision is marked "dependirt von höchster Gnad," which can be understood as "referred to the highest authority," it is a sign that the matter was considered unusually important.

An index, organized roughly alphabetically by last names of petitioners, appears in the second volume from [https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~030%2F03025-II%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=690&tx_dlf%5Bpagegrid%5D=0&cHash=5bdfccc6b9922a9b660d64eaba03b190 fol. 1082r].

Here, the entries pertaining to court musicians are excerpted.
|Source:Location=Bonn and Münster
|Source:Date=1793-01-01
|Source:DisplayDate=January to December 1793
|Source:Transcription=
[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~030%2F03025-I%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=365&cHash=017eab22101ee33d45161dcca4a195f9 305r]]

<u>'''715'''</u> Gdgste Gehalts-Zulage, von Hundert
Reichsthaler Jährlichs, für den
Hof-''Organisten L: van Beethoven''./.

876

<u>'''2197'''</u> Kinder des Verstorbenen hiesigen
Hofmusicus Rovandini zeigen gdgst an,
daß sie bisher die ihnen, von Max.
Frider. H.A. jährlichs verliehenen 3.
Malter Korns, durch den Hofmusicus
Bethoven, bey der hiesigen Oberkellnerei
haben erheben lassen, seit nun dieser
verstorben hätten sie dem Hofmusicus
Haveck diesen Auftrag gegeben,
der dieses Korn auch empfangen habe,
dem aber neuerlich die Ablieferung
desselbigen von dem Oberkellnern aus
ihnen unbekannten Gründen verweigert
worden sei: bitten dahero: dem
Oberkellnern gdgst zu befehlen, daß
er ihrem Mandatario Haveck das ihnen
zugelegte Korn verabfolgen lassen solle.

[Left side]
An die Churf. HofKammer
um den Oberkellner
über die Angabe der
Supplicanten zu
vernehmen und zu
berichten.
An Vogel zum Bericht.
|Source:Translation=IN PROGRESS
}}

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3025 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1793)

2026-06-03T13:28:57Z

JDWpianist:

{{Primary Source
|Source:Name=D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3025 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1793)
|Source:Description='''Location:''' Duisburg, Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen (D-DGla), Abteilung Rheinland, Kurköln II Nr. 3025, [https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_7190b42f-1487-4495-a7f3-5cc5723b519c I] and [https://www.archive.nrw.de/archivsuche?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_927af849-b5b9-4fe9-8ea7-69b6dcf2d81c II].

During the reign of [[Maximilian Franz of Austria|Elector Maximilian Franz]], most petitions and decrees were decided upon in meetings of the so-called ''Geheime Staats-Conferenz''. These bulky protocol books are seldom consulted by music historians, and were largely overlooked by Thayer for his Beethoven biography (and as a result they appear in no later scholarship that relies on him). Their value is especially critical when the corresponding petitions and decrees have not survived, as is very often the case with court musicians. In cases where they have survived, the records here can sometimes clarify points of chronology or details of the decision-making process. One important subtlety has to do with the chain of command. Most petitions were not handled by the elector directly, so when a first decision is marked "dependirt von höchster Gnad," which can be understood as "referred to the highest authority," it is a sign that the matter was considered unusually important.

An index, organized roughly alphabetically by last names of petitioners, appears in the second volume from [https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~030%2F03025-II%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=690&tx_dlf%5Bpagegrid%5D=0&cHash=5bdfccc6b9922a9b660d64eaba03b190 fol. 1082r].

Here, the entries pertaining to court musicians are excerpted.
|Source:Location=Bonn and Münster
|Source:Date=1793-01-01
|Source:DisplayDate=January to December 1793
|Source:Transcription=
[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~030%2F03025-I%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=365&cHash=017eab22101ee33d45161dcca4a195f9 305r]]

<u>'''715'''</u> Gdgste Gehalts-Zulage, von Hundert
Reichsthaler Jährliche, für den
Hof-''Organisten L: van Beethoven''./.

876

<u>'''2197'''</u> Kinder des Verstorbenen hiesigen
Hofmusicus Rovandini zeigen gdgst an,
daß sie bisher die ihnen, von Max.
Frider. H.A. jährlichs verliehenen 3.
Malter Korns, durch den Hofmusicus
Bethoven, bey der hiesigen Oberkellnerei
haben erheben lassen, seit nun dieser
verstorben hätten sie dem Hofmusicus
Haveck diesen Auftrag gegeben,
der dieses Korn auch empfangen habe,
dem aber neuerlich die Ablieferung
desselbigen von dem Oberkellnern aus
ihnen unbekannten Gründen verweigert
worden sei: bitten dahero: dem
Oberkellnern gdgst zu befehlen, daß
er ihrem Mandatario Haveck das ihnen
zugelegte Korn verabfolgen lassen solle.

[Left side]
An die Churf. HofKammer
um den Oberkellner
über die Angabe der
Supplicanten zu
vernehmen und zu
berichten.
An Vogel zum Bericht.
|Source:Translation=IN PROGRESS
}}

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3025 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1793)

2026-06-03T13:28:12Z

JDWpianist:

{{Primary Source
|Source:Name=D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3025 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1793)
|Source:Description='''Location:''' Duisburg, Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen (D-DGla), Abteilung Rheinland, Kurköln II Nr. 3025, [https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_7190b42f-1487-4495-a7f3-5cc5723b519c I] and [https://www.archive.nrw.de/archivsuche?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_927af849-b5b9-4fe9-8ea7-69b6dcf2d81c II].

During the reign of [[Maximilian Franz of Austria|Elector Maximilian Franz]], most petitions and decrees were decided upon in meetings of the so-called ''Geheime Staats-Conferenz''. These bulky protocol books are seldom consulted by music historians, and were largely overlooked by Thayer for his Beethoven biography (and as a result they appear in no later scholarship that relies on him). Their value is especially critical when the corresponding petitions and decrees have not survived, as is very often the case with court musicians. In cases where they have survived, the records here can sometimes clarify points of chronology or details of the decision-making process. One important subtlety has to do with the chain of command. Most petitions were not handled by the elector directly, so when a first decision is marked "dependirt von höchster Gnad," which can be understood as "referred to the highest authority," it is a sign that the matter was considered unusually important.

An index, organized roughly alphabetically by last names of petitioners, appears in the second volume from [https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~030%2F03025-II%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=690&tx_dlf%5Bpagegrid%5D=0&cHash=5bdfccc6b9922a9b660d64eaba03b190 fol. 1082r].

Here, the entries pertaining to court musicians are excerpted.
|Source:Location=Bonn and Münster
|Source:Date=1793-01-01
|Source:DisplayDate=January to December 1793
|Source:Transcription=
[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~030%2F03025-I%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=365&cHash=017eab22101ee33d45161dcca4a195f9 305r]

<u>'''715'''</u> Gdgste Gehalts-Zulage, von Hundert
Reichsthaler Jährliche, für den
Hof-''Organisten L: van Beethoven''./.

876

<u>'''2197'''</u> Kinder des Verstorbenen hiesigen
Hofmusicus Rovandini zeigen gdgst an,
daß sie bisher die ihnen, von Max.
Frider. H.A. jährlichs verliehenen 3.
Malter Korns, durch den Hofmusicus
Bethoven, bey der hiesigen Oberkellnerei
haben erheben lassen, seit nun dieser
verstorben hätten sie dem Hofmusicus
Haveck diesen Auftrag gegeben,
der dieses Korn auch empfangen habe,
dem aber neuerlich die Ablieferung
desselbigen von dem Oberkellnern aus
ihnen unbekannten Gründen verweigert
worden sei: bitten dahero: dem
Oberkellnern gdgst zu befehlen, daß
er ihrem Mandatario Haveck das ihnen
zugelegte Korn verabfolgen lassen solle.

[Left side]
An die Churf. HofKammer
um den Oberkellner
über die Angabe der
Supplicanten zu
vernehmen und zu
berichten.
An Vogel zum Bericht.
|Source:Translation=IN PROGRESS
}}

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3022 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1790)

2026-06-03T13:21:44Z

JDWpianist:

{{Primary Source
|Source:Name=D-DGla, Kurköln II Nr. 3021 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1789)
|Source:Description='''Location:''' Duisburg, Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen (D-DGla), Abteilung Rheinland, Kurköln II Nr. 3022, [https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_81577a13-0e5e-4e32-a73c-7d654ca098e0 I], [https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_eef6ee92-b423-4f9d-a0eb-569907a33eb2 II], and [https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_d6ad18b0-3ab1-486f-9822-036de011f447 III] (the third volume is an unbound second copy of the January and December entries).

During the reign of [[Maximilian Franz of Austria|Elector Maximilian Franz]], most petitions and decrees were decided upon in meetings of the so-called ''Geheime Staats-Conferenz''. These bulky protocol books are seldom consulted by music historians, and were largely overlooked by Thayer for his Beethoven biography (and as a result they appear in no later scholarship that relies on him). Their value is especially critical when the corresponding petitions and decrees have not survived, as is very often the case with court musicians. In cases where they have survived, the records here can sometimes clarify points of chronology or details of the decision-making process. One important subtlety has to do with the chain of command. Most petitions were not handled by the elector directly, so when a first decision is marked "dependirt von höchster Gnad," which can be understood as "referred to the highest authority," it is a sign that the matter was considered unusually important.

An index, organized roughly alphabetically by last names of petitioners, appears in the second volume from [https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~030%2F03022-II%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=419&cHash=403a58c189f438a500395fdba1fc4d39 fol. 714r].

Here, the entries pertaining to court musicians are excerpted.
|Source:Location=Bonn and Münster
|Source:Date=1790-01-01
|Source:DisplayDate=January to December 1790
|Source:Transcription=[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~030%2F03022-I%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=50&cHash=e6d415f01721a002c2e1b9ab54942341 39r]]
Friedrich Müller

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?id=9&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F%7E030%2F03022-I%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=122 101v]]
<u>'''393'''</u> ''Decretum'' als Kurf[ürstliche] Hofsängerinn
nebst einer Zulage von 1000. fl. jährlichs
auf den Kurf[ürstliche] ''Cassier Klingler'' für
<u>''Magdalena Willmann''</u>./.

[left side]
Nachtrag./.

[right side]
<u>'''394'''</u> ''Decretum'' als Kurf[ürstliche] Hofgeiger
für <u>''Thomas Pokorni''</u>./.

[155]
Unnamed military musicians

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~030%2F03020-I%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=261&cHash=c2bafc1a6dc9b45aa61ced231ab9e659 221r]]
Organist Weiss zu Ahrweiler

[[https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~030%2F03022-II%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=310&cHash=442ccc1b5228248f34709a152f8a0359 621v]]
Rombergs
|Source:Translation=In Progress
}}

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3025 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1793)

2026-06-03T13:21:19Z

JDWpianist:

{{Primary Source
|Source:Name=D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3025 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1793)
|Source:Description='''Location:''' Duisburg, Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen (D-DGla), Abteilung Rheinland, Kurköln II Nr. 3025, [https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_7190b42f-1487-4495-a7f3-5cc5723b519c I] and [https://www.archive.nrw.de/archivsuche?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_927af849-b5b9-4fe9-8ea7-69b6dcf2d81c II].

During the reign of [[Maximilian Franz of Austria|Elector Maximilian Franz]], most petitions and decrees were decided upon in meetings of the so-called ''Geheime Staats-Conferenz''. These bulky protocol books are seldom consulted by music historians, and were largely overlooked by Thayer for his Beethoven biography (and as a result they appear in no later scholarship that relies on him). Their value is especially critical when the corresponding petitions and decrees have not survived, as is very often the case with court musicians. In cases where they have survived, the records here can sometimes clarify points of chronology or details of the decision-making process. One important subtlety has to do with the chain of command. Most petitions were not handled by the elector directly, so when a first decision is marked "dependirt von höchster Gnad," which can be understood as "referred to the highest authority," it is a sign that the matter was considered unusually important.

An index, organized roughly alphabetically by last names of petitioners, appears in the second volume from [https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~030%2F03025-II%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=690&tx_dlf%5Bpagegrid%5D=0&cHash=5bdfccc6b9922a9b660d64eaba03b190 fol. 1082r].

Here, the entries pertaining to court musicians are excerpted.
|Source:Location=Bonn and Münster
|Source:Date=1793-01-01
|Source:DisplayDate=January to December 1793
|Source:Transcription=876

<u>'''2197'''</u> Kinder des Verstorbenen hiesigen
Hofmusicus Rovandini zeigen gdgst an,
daß sie bisher die ihnen, von Max.
Frider. H.A. jährlichs verliehenen 3.
Malter Korns, durch den Hofmusicus
Bethoven, bey der hiesigen Oberkellnerei
haben erheben lassen, seit nun dieser
verstorben hätten sie dem Hofmusicus
Haveck diesen Auftrag gegeben,
der dieses Korn auch empfangen habe,
dem aber neuerlich die Ablieferung
desselbigen von dem Oberkellnern aus
ihnen unbekannten Gründen verweigert
worden sei: bitten dahero: dem
Oberkellnern gdgst zu befehlen, daß
er ihrem Mandatario Haveck das ihnen
zugelegte Korn verabfolgen lassen solle.

[Left side]
An die Churf. HofKammer
um den Oberkellner
über die Angabe der
Supplicanten zu
vernehmen und zu
berichten.
An Vogel zum Bericht.
|Source:Translation=IN PROGRESS
}}

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3025 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1793)

2026-06-03T13:20:10Z

JDWpianist:

{{Primary Source
|Source:Name=D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3025 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1793)
|Source:Description='''Location:''' D-DGla, Kurköln II Nr. 3025 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1793), [https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_7190b42f-1487-4495-a7f3-5cc5723b519c I] and [https://www.archive.nrw.de/archivsuche?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_927af849-b5b9-4fe9-8ea7-69b6dcf2d81c II].

During the reign of [[Maximilian Franz of Austria|Elector Maximilian Franz]], most petitions and decrees were decided upon in meetings of the so-called ''Geheime Staats-Conferenz''. These bulky protocol books are seldom consulted by music historians, and were largely overlooked by Thayer for his Beethoven biography (and as a result they appear in no later scholarship that relies on him). Their value is especially critical when the corresponding petitions and decrees have not survived, as is very often the case with court musicians. In cases where they have survived, the records here can sometimes clarify points of chronology or details of the decision-making process. One important subtlety has to do with the chain of command. Most petitions were not handled by the elector directly, so when a first decision is marked "dependirt von höchster Gnad," which can be understood as "referred to the highest authority," it is a sign that the matter was considered unusually important.

An index, organized roughly alphabetically by last names of petitioners, appears in the second volume from [https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~030%2F03025-II%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=690&tx_dlf%5Bpagegrid%5D=0&cHash=5bdfccc6b9922a9b660d64eaba03b190 fol. 1082r].

Here, the entries pertaining to court musicians are excerpted.
|Source:Location=Bonn and Münster
|Source:Date=1793-01-01
|Source:DisplayDate=January to December 1793
|Source:Transcription=876

<u>'''2197'''</u> Kinder des Verstorbenen hiesigen
Hofmusicus Rovandini zeigen gdgst an,
daß sie bisher die ihnen, von Max.
Frider. H.A. jährlichs verliehenen 3.
Malter Korns, durch den Hofmusicus
Bethoven, bey der hiesigen Oberkellnerei
haben erheben lassen, seit nun dieser
verstorben hätten sie dem Hofmusicus
Haveck diesen Auftrag gegeben,
der dieses Korn auch empfangen habe,
dem aber neuerlich die Ablieferung
desselbigen von dem Oberkellnern aus
ihnen unbekannten Gründen verweigert
worden sei: bitten dahero: dem
Oberkellnern gdgst zu befehlen, daß
er ihrem Mandatario Haveck das ihnen
zugelegte Korn verabfolgen lassen solle.

[Left side]
An die Churf. HofKammer
um den Oberkellner
über die Angabe der
Supplicanten zu
vernehmen und zu
berichten.
An Vogel zum Bericht.
|Source:Translation=IN PROGRESS
}}

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3025 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1793)

2026-06-03T13:17:33Z

JDWpianist: Created page with "{{Primary Source |Source:Name=D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3025 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1793) |Source:Location=Bonn and Münster |Source:Date=1793-01-01 |Source:DisplayDate=January to December 1793 |Source:Transcription=876 <u>'''2197'''</u> Kinder des Verstorbenen hiesigen Hofmusicus Rovandini zeigen gdgst an, daß sie bisher die ihnen, von Max. Frider. H.A. jährlichs verliehenen 3. Malter Korns, durch den Hofmusicus Bethoven, bey der hiesigen Oberkellnerei..."

{{Primary Source
|Source:Name=D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3025 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1793)
|Source:Location=Bonn and Münster
|Source:Date=1793-01-01
|Source:DisplayDate=January to December 1793
|Source:Transcription=876

<u>'''2197'''</u> Kinder des Verstorbenen hiesigen
Hofmusicus Rovandini zeigen gdgst an,
daß sie bisher die ihnen, von Max.
Frider. H.A. jährlichs verliehenen 3.
Malter Korns, durch den Hofmusicus
Bethoven, bey der hiesigen Oberkellnerei
haben erheben lassen, seit nun dieser
verstorben hätten sie dem Hofmusicus
Haveck diesen Auftrag gegeben,
der dieses Korn auch empfangen habe,
dem aber neuerlich die Ablieferung
desselbigen von dem Oberkellnern aus
ihnen unbekannten Gründen verweigert
worden sei: bitten dahero: dem
Oberkellnern gdgst zu befehlen, daß
er ihrem Mandatario Haveck das ihnen
zugelegte Korn verabfolgen lassen solle.

[Left side]
An die Churf. HofKammer
um den Oberkellner
über die Angabe der
Supplicanten zu
vernehmen und zu
berichten.
An Vogel zum Bericht.
|Source:Translation=IN PROGRESS
}}

Category:Bonn Court Administration Files

2026-06-03T13:11:34Z

JDWpianist: /* Kurköln II, Nr. 471 (1780–1794) */

The administrative archives of the Bonn Electoral Court, preserved today in the Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen in Duisburg, Germany (D-DGla), reach back to at least the tenth century. Extensive documentation of the court's operations, however, only really exists since the late seventeenth century — after the city of Bonn was besieged during the Nine Years' War and largely destroyed in 1689. As the eighteenth century progressed, the court's bookkeeping became increasingly thorough and transparent, or at least these documents are better preserved.

The Beethoven-related files in the court archives were surveyed by Hermann Deiters for the first volume of Alexander Wheelock Thayer's monumental biography, ''Ludwig van Beethovens Leben'', whose first edition appeared in 1866. Deiters cast his net wide and swept up an impressive array of materials pertaining both to the Beethoven family and some of their colleagues. His transcriptions, typically unabridged, were a model of accuracy for their time. They are in fact so good and so seemingly comprehensive that no later Beethoven biographer has felt the need to consult the original sources. This has one unfortunate consequence: after the archive's multiple reorganizations and one change of location (from Düsseldorf to Duisburg in 2014), even most Beethoven scholars would be hard-pressed to locate the modern shelf-mark of any document quoted by Thayer, making it difficult to retrace his footsteps to search for something Deiters might have missed or to seek broader context.

Around a century later, Max Braubach systematically reviewed the files on court musicians alongside Bonn parish records, resulting in a lexicon article which includes basic biographical information on all known musicians who worked at court under the last four electors, one that still provides a useful reference work even though he does not cite individual sources.<ref>Max Braubach, "Die Mitglieder der Hofmusik unter den letzten vier Kurfürsten von Köln," in Siegfried Kross and Hans Schmidt (eds.), ''Colloquium Amicorum. Joseph Schmidt-Görg zum 70. Geburtstag'' (Bonn: Beethoven-Haus, 1967), 26–63.</ref> More recently, over the course of the two research projects "[https://musikwissenschaft.univie.ac.at/forschung/projekte/abgeschlossene-projekte/the-music-library-of-elector-maximilian-franz/ The Music Library of Elector Maximilian Franz]," the team consulted the music- and musician-related files, with a special focus on opera and sacred music between 1784 and 1794. A brief overview of the Kurköln files is presented as an appendix to Volume 2 of the series "Musik am Bonner kurfürstlichen Hof."

The Bonn court administrative files here represent a curated collection of not only those documents that mention Beethoven's family, but also ones that illustrate the immediate context in which four generations of them worked. In so doing, they offer an overview of the entire court musical establishment since the late seventeenth century. Each document's contents are given a summary, and a large number are presented in a new or revised transcription and a new English translation. The transcriptions, as with all other primary texts on this website, are diplomatic, preserving the orthography, line breaks, differences in Kurrent or Latin script, cancellations, emendations, and layout of the original pages; they also attempt to convey the structure of multi-document sequences, since this frequently affects their interpretation. In 2022, the Landesarchiv placed digital scans of the entire sub-collection "Kurköln II" freely available online. In the transcriptions, the folio designations in square brackets function as hyperlinks to the relevant scans. The account books, located in Kurköln IV, have not been digitized, but their presentation here has been optimized for easy reference.

As might be expected, the process of reviewing archival sources that were last systematically checked over half a century ago has turned up no small number of documents that have previously escaped notice. Indeed, several of these overlooked files pertain directly to Ludwig van Beethoven and his family. More broadly, the act of preparing a large cross-section of these documents for an interlinked web publication has offered a better understanding of how the files in different collections relate to one another, and ultimately of how they encapsulate decision-making processes of the court. For the reconstruction of events is often not possible through a single source in isolation. On its own, a petition or decree can often seem ambiguous, since it must be understood as both the written starting point and lasting documentation of a primarily oral deliberation. In a certain sense, digital presentation of the written records is the most appropriate existing method of re-tying the cognitive threads that once linked them.

Finally, while the administrative archives in Duisburg are startlingly extensive, other sources must be considered alongside them. For the reign of Maximilian Franz (1784–1794), his own personal papers in Vienna's Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv contain many documents of relevance to court music and the court theater, as do some of his letters to Spiegel von Diesenberg in the Stadtarchiv Bonn. Finally, the lists of musicians in the court calendar (''Hofkalender'') often diverge from the payment records in interesting ways.

== Collected Petitions and Decrees ==

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 472 (Music Directors) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_911a9c0e-f37e-4714-88f4-120d85d5a387 Entry in Online Finding Aid]

1718–1784
*fol. 5 (26 August 1738): employment decree for Joseph Clemens Dall'Abaco

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 473 (Konzertmeister) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_943f486b-3038-4d10-8ef6-78aac3a16089 Entry in Online Finding Aid]
1715–1785
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 473, fols. 10-12 (Josef Reicha Employment Decree)|fols. 10–12]] (28 June 1785): Josef Reicha's Employment Decree

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 474 (Kapellmeister) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_d58e9bd3-41f8-420d-91f8-8a6b614229ca Entry in Online Finding Aid]

1695–1783
* fol. 1 (January 1695)
* fol. 2 (30 December 1729)
* fols. 3–4 (29 March 1732): employment decree for Girolamo Donini
* fols. 5–6 (21–29 November 1745): employment decree for Francisco Zoppi
* fol. 7 (3 April 1752): Zoppi resigns
* fol. 8 (24 June 1753): employment decree for Joseph Zudoli
* fols. 9–11 (6 May 1774): employment decree for Andrea Luchesi

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 475 (Music Librarians and Copyists) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_1bffde5b-158c-45fa-925d-45f1b1da67d1 Entry in Online Finding Aid]

1714–1740

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 476 (Composers) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_d1855b1a-0b54-433b-aa80-94ccacf1c7dd Entry in Online Finding Aid]

1723–1752

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 478 (Male singers) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_39fa5997-bb4f-42c4-8e4a-c1c6ad63d9a9 Entry in Online Finding Aid]

1694–1792

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 479 (Female singers) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_15e2b4e8-c77b-41cd-8137-666b7647b795 Entry in Online Finding Aid]

1730–1790
* fol. 1: Folder fragment
* fols. 2–3 (8 January 1736): Margarete Elisabeth Giesens
* fols. 4–5 (8 January 1736): Margarete Elisabeth Giesens
* fols. 6–7 (3 April 1745): Rosa Costa
* fols. 8–9 (15 July 1749): Rosa Costa
* fols. 10–13 (13 May 1755): Eleonore Walter (Walderin)
* fols. 14–15 (2 June 1758): Maria Eva Elisabeth Ansionin
* fols. 16–19 (9 September 1759): Johanna Antonia Lentner
* fols. 20–23 (24 April 1765): Anna Maria Ries
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 479, fols. 109–112 (Magdalena Willmann Employment Decree)|fols. 109–112]] (19 February 1790): Magdalena Willmann's employment decree

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 480 (Organists) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_b1c4a7fb-99b8-42b5-81f9-0101df720bd8 Entry in Online Finding Aid]

Decrees and petitions regarding organists (except Ludwig van Beethoven), 1698–1796.

* fols. 1–2 (16 July 1698): Domenikus Alberici
* fol. 3 (23 November 1700): Joseph Zierbst
* fol. 4 (18 February 1727): Ägidius van den Eeden
* fol. 5 (8 June 1728): Ägidius van den Eeden
* fols. 6–7 (undated): Ägidius van den Eeden
* fols. 10–12 (5 July 1729): Ägidius van den Eeden receives a raise
* fols. 13–14 (9 November 1740): Georg Graskampff
* fols. 15–22 (20 July to 14 August 1784): deliberations on purchasing a new organ for palace chapel
* fols. 23–28 (15 February 1781): Christian Gottlob Neefe
* fols. 29–32 (8–15 February 1781): Christian Gottlob Neefe
* fol. 33 (3 October 1796): Christian Gottlob Neefe

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 481 (Beethoven) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_4eadf0de-89b7-4c6b-8f92-d12dfbe8bfdf Entry in Online Finding Aid]

This file is a collection of most petitions and decrees that mention members of the Beethoven family.

* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fol. 1 (Lodewijk van Beethoven Employment Decree)|fol. 1]] (March 1733): Lodewijk van Beethoven's employment decree
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fols. 2–4 (Lodewijk van Beethoven Confirmation of a Raise)|fols. 2–4]] (22 August 1746): Confirmation of a raise for Lodewijk van Beethoven
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fols. 5–7 (Johann van Beethoven Employment Decree)|fols. 5–7]] (19–27 March 1756): Decree to hire Johann van Beethoven as an ''accessist''
* fols. 9–12 (27 March 1756): Recommendation letter by Joseph Gottwald on behalf of Johann van Beethoven and Ernst Haveck
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fols. 13–16 (Lodewijk van Beethoven as Hofkapellmeister)|fols. 13–16]] (16 July 1761): Lodewijk van Beethoven is elevated to rank of Hofkapellmeister
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fols. 17–18 (Johann van Beethoven Petition for a Raise)|fols. 17–18]] (27 November 1762): Johann van Beethoven's first, unsuccessful petition for a raise
* fols. 19–20 (undated, c. April 1764): Lodewijk van Beethoven petitions for a raise on behalf of his son
* fol. 21 (24 April 1764): Decree granting Johann van Beethoven a raise of 100 Reichstaler
* fols. 22–25 (27 April 1764): Decree installing Johann van Beethoven and Anna Maria Ries officially as court musicians
* fol. 26–29 (9 May 1764): Dispute regarding debts by court musician Johannes Zdenik (called here "Steneck") owed to Johann Gottlieb Walther
* fol. 30 (8 August 1764): Philippe Salomon petitions for a job
* fol. 31 (31 May 1765): Johannes Zdenik is fired
* fols. 32–36 (26 April 1768): Reports of disciplinary action by Lodewijk against Maximiliane Schwachhover for "impertinence"
* fols. 37–38 (4 February 1793 and 22 October 1792): regarding Ludwig van Beethoven's salary while in Vienna
* fols. 40–43 (26 April 1768): Further documents on the disciplinary action against Schwachhover
* fols. 44–48 (26 April to 11 May 1768): Lodewijk van Beethoven reports on dispute between court musicians Drewer and Willmann
* fols. 49–52 (17 November 1769): Johann van Beethoven receives a raise of 25 fl.
* fols. 53–54 (undated, winter 1773/74): Johann van Beethoven petitions court to be elevated to rank of Kapellmeister after his father's death
* fol. 55–60 (January 1774 to 5 June 1775): After much deliberation, Johann van Beethoven is to receive his mother's pension of 60 Rtlr. after her death as supplement to his salary
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fols. 62–67 ("Pro-Memoria" Report on Court Musicians)|fols. 62–67]] (undated, c. June 1784): Evaluation of all court musicians with notes on their abilities, age, deportment, and family situation
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fols. 69–74 (Ludwig van Beethoven Employment Petition)|fols. 69–74]] (23–29 February 1784): Deliberations around Ludwig van Beethoven's employment as assistant court organist (see also [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 22–24 (Collective Petition, 1784)|Kurköln II, Nr. 471, fols. 22–24]])
* fol. 75 (5 May 1788): Ludwig van Beethoven petitions unsuccessfully for a raise
* fols. 76–77 (20 November 1789): Petition to banish Johann van Beethoven and disperse half his salary to Ludwig
* fol. 78 (11 February 1790): Receipt of Johann van Beethoven's first quarterly salary payment
* fol. 83 (3 May 1793): Ludwig van Beethoven is to receive his deceased father's full salary in Vienna
* fols. 84–85 (undated, after February 1793): Ludwig van Beethoven petitions the court for said salary
* fol. 87 (24 May 1793): Decree by Count Salm for Johann van Beethoven's former salary to be forwarded to Ludwig in Vienna

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 482 (String Players) ===

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 483 (Woodwind and Brass Players) ===
* fols. 2/3: Petition on behalf of Trumpeter Franz Hoffstetter for employment, undated, refers in main text to Salm-Reifferscheid and is listed by Braubach as dating from 29 November 1784.
* fol. 4: Specification regarding 6 Trumpeters and one Timpanist dated 1689, including Sebastian Poll (!) with a salary of 400 R (reduced to 350). Watermark CM flanking a serpent over a post-horn
* fols. 5, 6: Petition regarding Trumpeter Philipp Gstettner from 12 March 1690, employed with a salary of 350 fl.
* fols. 7/8: Petition regarding Trumpeter Johann (illegible) from 20 May 1690
* fol. 9: Petition regarding Trumpeter (name unclear) from 1 July 1690
* fols. 10/13, 11/12: Decree from Schloss Berg dated 12 April 1691 regarding court trumpeters
* fols. 14/15: Decree regarding Trumpeter Johann Hagengassner from 12 August 1691
* fols. 16/21, 17/20, 18/19: Petition and Decree regarding Trumpeter Georg Hagengassner from 2 December 1692 in Freising
* fols. 22/23: Barely legible decree from 9 August 1697 (2?).(This might be the decree Braubach mentions employing Wasitzsky as trumpeter)
* fols. 24/27, 25/26: Decrees regarding Trumpeters Johann Herkel and Johann Kren from 13 November 1698 (now in Bonn)
* fols. 28/29: Decree regarding Trumpeter Michael Kren from 19 November 1698
* fol. 30: Petition on behalf of Trumpeter Michael Kren from 29 December 1698
* fol. 31: Decree regarding Trumpeter Johann Herkel from 29 December 1698
* fols. 32/43, 33/34, 35/36, 37, 38/39, 40, 41/42: Series of decrees regarding Trumpeters Franz Wastisky (sic), Michael Kren, “Sebastian Poll od. Boll,” and Veit Hochenberger from 29 December 1698, including constant mentions of some mysterious “gastis secretis” (Braubach mentions a document from this date associated with the move from a Leibgarde to court)
* fol. 44: Decree regarding Trumpeter Veit Hochenberger from 29 December 1698
* fol. 45: Decree regarding unidentifiable Trumpeter (Brun?), 20 December 1698
* fol. 46: Decree regarding the hiring of three oboists (Flammand, Fabry, and Biarelle) from 13 October 1700
* fols. 47/48: Decree regarding hiring of Oboist Philipp Wilhelm Purfürst from 19 November 1700 with salary of 150 fl.
* fol. 49: Petition by unnamed parties regarding oboists and instrumentalists from 13 March 1712
* fols. 50/55, 51/52, 53/54: Decree regarding Trumpeter Franz Wastizky from 23 June 1729
* fols. 51/52: regards Violinist Johann Philipp Haveck from 29 June 1729
* fols. 53/54: regards Violinist Josephus Gonsez Dubois. Watermark Arms of Amsterdam
* fols. 56/57: Decree regarding Trumpeter Johann Adam Beyer from 13 January 1730
* fols. 58/59: Decree regarding Trumpeter Stephan Gütich from 4 November 1734, hired for 192 Rt.
* fols. 60/61: Overview and evaluations dated 28 October 1735 of all Hoftrompter and Gardetrompeter working for the court
* fols. 62/65, 63/64: Petition and decree on behalf of Oboist Franz Salefeld dated 1 June 1736, hired with no salary specified
* fols. 66/67: Decree regarding Basoonist Hygini Christophori Stolte dated 14 March 1737, is brought over from Leibgarde to Hofmusik
* fols. 68/70, 69: Petition and decree regarding Trumpeter Johann Heinrich Baumgarten dated 14 March 1737, hired with no salary specified
* fols. 71/73, 72: Petition and decree regarding Trumpeter Johann Knechtel dated 3 April 1739, hired with no salary specified
* fols. 74/75: Petition by Gerhard Cadusch of Brühl (who seems to have been Kurkürstlicher Baumeister) dated 25 January 1743
* fols. 76/77: Petition by Trumpeter Stephan Gütig dated 12 June 1744, who wishes to marry Lucia Geismar, who (unbeknownst to him?) already had a son
* fols. 78/80, 79: Decree regarding Trumpeter Philipp Döpser (Töpser) dated 2 July 1744, hired with no salary specified. Watermark HSI : Arms of Amsterdam
* fols. 81/82: Petition on behalf of Trumpeter Johann Ries from 20 May 1747, hired with salary of 192 Rt. (pending release from apprenticeship?)
* fols. 83/84: Petition on behalf of Trumpeter Johann Ries from 7 May 1748, released from apprenticeship
* fols. 85/87, 86: Petition on behalf of Trumpeters Felix Peissner and Christian Pummerl dated March 1754, both hired with a salary of 192 Rt. Watermark IH : Arms of Amsterdam
* fols. 88/99, 89/96, 90/95, 91/94, 92/93, 97/98: Series of petitions regarding Trumpeter Johann Ries from 5 March 1754, is given extra responsibilities as Violinist and a raise to 300 fl.
* fols. 100/102, 101: Petition on behalf of Trumpeters Felix Beissner (Peissner) and Christian Pummerl dated 28 March 1761, both released from duty after 7 years of faithful service
* fols. 103/106, 104/105: Petition and decree regarding Waldhornist Joseph Riedel dated 2 July 1761, hired with a salary of 120 Rt.
* fols. 107/112, 108/111, 109/110: Petition and Decree regarding Oboist Matthias Meuser dated 12 December 1764 (including signed recommendation from 1 December by Ludwig van Beethoven the Elder), hired as Accessist
* fols. 113/122, 114/117, 115/116, 118/121, 119/120: Series of decrees regarding Waldhornist Godfried Menzel dated 16 January 1768, requests and receives his father’s old position
* fols. 123/128, 124/127, 125/126: Petition and decree on behalf of Bassoonist Theodor Zillicken (Zilleken) dated 14 December 1769, hired as Accessist after having sung several years in choir
* fols. 131/132: Petition on behalf of Bassoonist Theodor Zillicken (Zilleken) dated 26 June 1772, admitted to Hofmusik
* fols. 133/140, 134/139, 135/138, 136/137: Series of petitions and decrees regarding Trumpeter Christian Peissner dated 14 March 1775, hired with no salary specified
* fols. 141/148, 142/147, 143/146, 144/145: Series of petitions and decree (including a recommendation by Luchesi) regarding Waldhornists Nicholaus Simrock and Andreas Bamberger dated 23 May 1775, both hired with salary of 300 fl.
* fols. 149/154, 150/153, 151/152: Series of petitions and decree regarding Flutist Johann Sebastian Pfau dated 18 September 1780, hired with salary of 200 Fl (?, must check convoluted math again)
* fols. 155/160, 156/159, 157/158: Series of petitions regarding Waldhornists Nikolaus Simrock and Andreas Bamberger dated 2 June 1781, both given a raise (how much?)
* fols. 161/168, 162/167, 163/166, 164/165: Series of petitions and decree regarding Bassoonist Johann Kicheler (Küchler) dated 15 June 1781, granted a salary of 300 Fl. Johann Anton Meuris also mentioned (seems to be retiring)
* fols. 169/174, 170/173, 171/172: Petition and decree regarding Trumpeter Philipp Goepfert dated 14 March 1783, hired with unspecified salary
* fols. 175/176: Petition by Trumpeter Philipp Goepfert dated 6 May 1784, requesting salary of deceased Contrabassist Poletnich, denied
* fols. 177/179, 178: Petition by Waldhornist Nikolaus Simrock dated 1 July 1784, granted 40 Rt. (100 fl.) raise to deliver music for the court
* fols. 180/181: Petition by Bassoonist Johann Küchler dated 6 July 1784 to instate his son Friedrich with a salary of 300 fl
* fols. 182/183: Decree regarding Trumpeter Franz Hofstetter dated 29 September 1784, hired with unspecified salary
* fols. 184/185: Decree regarding Waldhornist Nikolaus Simrock dated 26 December 1784, specifying earlier agreement from July
* fols. 186/189, 187/188: Petition and decree regarding Oboists Joseph Bachmeyer (Pachmayer) and Georg Liebisch dated 14 January 1785, both hired with a salary of 200 fl.
* fols. 190/191: Petition regarding Christian Beissner (Peissner) dated 9 August 1785, is released after 10 years of faithful service.
* fols. 192/196, 193, 194/195: Petition and decree regarding Bassoonist Friedrich Küchler dated 20 January 1786, released after 1.5 years of faithful service.
* fols. 197/201, 198, 199, 200: Petition and decree regarding Trumpeter Michael Baltus dated 10 March 1786, hired.
* fols. 202/203: Decree regarding Trumpeter Michael Baltus dated 19 April 1786, granted salary of 240 fl.
* fols. 204/207, 205/206: Clarification dated 23 January 1787 of Simrock’s role in assigning and paying music copyists.
* fols. 208/209: Decree regarding Oboist Georg Liebisch dated 13 April 1787, Bestätigung (?)
* fols. 210/213, 211/212: Petition regarding Oboist Georg Bachmeyer (Pachmeyer) dated 23 May 1787, granted a raise of 200 fl. for 5 more years
* fols. 214/219, 215/218, 215/216: Petition regarding Bassoonist Johann Küchler dated 5 March 1788, released from service with a pension.

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 484 (Timpanists and Timpani Carriers) ===

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 485 (Calcants) ===

== Miscellaneous Court Music Documents ==
These are music-related files that for various reasons were not included in the other collections. Sometimes it is because they deal with multiple court musicians at once, such as frequently happened after the death of a musician, at which point their colleagues would collectively petition for the now-free funds to be divided among them. Other times the documents appear to have merely been separated by accident from their logical position. Four files in Nr. 471 (fols. 3–5, 22–24, 51–55) directly deal with Ludwig van Beethoven and his family, three of which were previously unknown.

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 468 (1717–1730) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_c665c3cf-943d-41f9-89bc-e3812c71a289 Entry in Online Finding Aid]
=== Kurköln II, Nr. 469 (1731–1764) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_63e437e2-223f-4f29-8e62-58d1d30154b7 Entry in Online Finding Aid]
* fol. 1 (25 January 1731): Risack
* fol. 2 (29 January 1735): Johann Joseph Leopoldi
* fol. 3 (4 November 1735): Commans
* fol. 4 (10 September 1736): Anton Raaf
* fols. 5–6 (14 March 1737): Christophorum Holske
* fol. 7 (9 November 1740): Josephum Verita Dubois
* fol. 8 (16 August 1742): Anton Raaf
* fol. 9 (1 September 1743): Risack
* fols. 10–12 (27 November 1744): Peter Joseph Ipp
* fol. 13 (26 May 1746): Joseph Meuris
* fols. 14–16 (26 September 1746): Franz Xaver Haveck
* fols. 17–8 (undated): Henrich Gruhs
* fols. 19–22: Mathias Poletnich
* fol. 23 (4 November 1746): Joseph and Franz Meuris
* fol. 24 (8 November 1748): Johann Anton Schamsdeburg
* fols. 25–30 (1749): accounting records
* fols. 31–32 (25 April 1752): Paul Kicheler
* fol. 33 (11 March 1754): Joseph Touchemoulin
* fol. 34 (4 June 1753): Jacob Tauber
* fols. 35–37 (24 February 1755): Johann Zdenick
* fols. 38–40 (9 February 1756): Mathias Poletnich petitions for a raise
* fols. 41–45 (1 March 1756): Ferdinand Trewes
* fols. 46–50 (27 March 1756): Ernst Haveck as ''Accessist''
* fols. 51–53 (24 March 1757): Philipp Drauste
* fol. 54 (28 March 1758): Ernest Riedel
* fols. 55–59 (2 September 1758): Johann Zdenick petitions for a raise
* fols. 60–62 (30 August 1758): Johann Peter Salomon
* fols. 63–65 (22 August 1759): Franz Gottwald
* fols. 66–68 (27 April 1762): Ernst Riedel
* fols. 69–72 (): Ferdinand Trewer and Lodewijk van Beethoven
* fol. 73 (19 September 1764): Neesen, Feuser, Bodife, Schulter, Zeppenfeld, Mastiaux, Brauman, Kugelgen
* fol. 74 (26 September 1764): Walther
* fol. 75... https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00469%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=110&cHash=6914342fc95fc8d84d5283d5ee4e306e

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 470 (1765–1779) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/archivsuche?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_6c9ce853-918b-441c-8748-bdaf18dad482 Entry in Online Finding Aid]
=== Kurköln II, Nr. 471 (1780–1794) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/archivsuche?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_862721b0-ae27-4a4b-8d55-2c8f02620ee5 Entry in Online Finding Aid]
* fols. 1–2 (October 1780): collective petition by nine court musicians
* fols. 3–5 (16 May 1782): collective petition by ten court musicians (including Johann van Beethoven)
* fols. 6–7 (September–October 1780): petition by widow of Tussy
* fols. 8–9 (24 March 1783): petition by Gertrud Poletnich
* fol. 10 (6 October 1783): approval for Drewer, Heller, and Ries to organize a concert
* fols. 11–12 (undated, c. June 1784): recommendations for salary adjustments
* fols. 13–14 (undated, c. 1790): Thomas Pokorny
* fols. 15–16 (undated, c. 1790): Friedrich Müller
* fols. 17–18 (August 1780): collective petition by sixteen musicians
* fols. 19–20 (12 September 1780): Peter Esch petition for raise
* fols. 20–21 (9 November 1783): Joseph Phillipart petition for full employment
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 22–24 (Collective Petition, 1784)|fols. 22–24 (15 February 1784)]]: collective petition by eleven musicians (including Ludwig van Beethoven)
* fols. 25–26 (27 June 1784): final determinations of musician salary adjustments
* fol. 27 (27 June 1784): confusion about Andrea Luchesi's new salary is cleared up
* fols. 28–30 (15 August 1786): Walter
* fols. 31–32 (undated, early eighteenth century): Elenora Walter
* fol. 33 (3 May 1786): Christoph Brandt
* unnumbered (5 September 1787): Veronica Beckenkam petition for raise
* fols. 34–43 (6 October to 15 November 1788): dispute over engagement of several Bonn court musicians in Frankfurt
* fols. 44–45 (2 October 1789): employment decree for Joseph Lux
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)|fols. 51–55]] (8 November 1793): custody of the late Franz Rovantini's children transferred from the Beethovens to Ernst Haveck

== Inventories and Lists ==
*[[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 340 (Inventory of the Electoral Palace, 1784)|Kurköln II, Nr. 340]]: Inventory of the entire electoral palace upon Maximilian Friedrich's death, May 1784. Includes separate listings of the music collection.

== Minutes of the Privy State Council ==
contains summaries of each petition and decree discussed between July 1784 and 1801, including some for which all other documentation is lost
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3016 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1784)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3016 (1784)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3017 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1785)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3017 (1785)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3018 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1786)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3018 (1786)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3019 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1787)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3019 (1787)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3020 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1788)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3020 (1788)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3021 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1789)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3021 (1789)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3022 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1790)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3022 (1790)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3033 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1800)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3033 (1800)]]

== Account Books ==

==Notes==
<references responsive="0" />

[[Category:Primary Source]]

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)

2026-06-03T13:07:41Z

JDWpianist:

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)

2026-06-03T13:05:34Z

JDWpianist:

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)

2026-06-03T12:35:16Z

JDWpianist:

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)

2026-06-03T12:33:05Z

JDWpianist:

D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793)

2026-06-03T12:08:50Z

JDWpianist: Created page with "{{Primary Source |Source:Name=D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 (Orphaned children of Rovantini, 1793) |Source:Description='''Location:''' Duisburg, Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen (D-DGla), Abteilung Rheinland, Kurköln II Nr. 471, fols. 51–55 '''Extent:''' five nested bifolia (22/25, 23/24), last five leaves blank and unnumbered |Source:Location=Bonn |Source:Date=1793-11-08 |Source:DisplayDate=8 November 1793 |Source:Transcription=https://dfg-viewer.de/show?..."

Category:Bonn Court Administration Files

2026-06-01T08:46:12Z

JDWpianist:

The administrative archives of the Bonn Electoral Court, preserved today in the Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen in Duisburg, Germany (D-DGla), reach back to at least the tenth century. Extensive documentation of the court's operations, however, only really exists since the late seventeenth century — after the city of Bonn was besieged during the Nine Years' War and largely destroyed in 1689. As the eighteenth century progressed, the court's bookkeeping became increasingly thorough and transparent, or at least these documents are better preserved.

The Beethoven-related files in the court archives were surveyed by Hermann Deiters for the first volume of Alexander Wheelock Thayer's monumental biography, ''Ludwig van Beethovens Leben'', whose first edition appeared in 1866. Deiters cast his net wide and swept up an impressive array of materials pertaining both to the Beethoven family and some of their colleagues. His transcriptions, typically unabridged, were a model of accuracy for their time. They are in fact so good and so seemingly comprehensive that no later Beethoven biographer has felt the need to consult the original sources. This has one unfortunate consequence: after the archive's multiple reorganizations and one change of location (from Düsseldorf to Duisburg in 2014), even most Beethoven scholars would be hard-pressed to locate the modern shelf-mark of any document quoted by Thayer, making it difficult to retrace his footsteps to search for something Deiters might have missed or to seek broader context.

Around a century later, Max Braubach systematically reviewed the files on court musicians alongside Bonn parish records, resulting in a lexicon article which includes basic biographical information on all known musicians who worked at court under the last four electors, one that still provides a useful reference work even though he does not cite individual sources.<ref>Max Braubach, "Die Mitglieder der Hofmusik unter den letzten vier Kurfürsten von Köln," in Siegfried Kross and Hans Schmidt (eds.), ''Colloquium Amicorum. Joseph Schmidt-Görg zum 70. Geburtstag'' (Bonn: Beethoven-Haus, 1967), 26–63.</ref> More recently, over the course of the two research projects "[https://musikwissenschaft.univie.ac.at/forschung/projekte/abgeschlossene-projekte/the-music-library-of-elector-maximilian-franz/ The Music Library of Elector Maximilian Franz]," the team consulted the music- and musician-related files, with a special focus on opera and sacred music between 1784 and 1794. A brief overview of the Kurköln files is presented as an appendix to Volume 2 of the series "Musik am Bonner kurfürstlichen Hof."

The Bonn court administrative files here represent a curated collection of not only those documents that mention Beethoven's family, but also ones that illustrate the immediate context in which four generations of them worked. In so doing, they offer an overview of the entire court musical establishment since the late seventeenth century. Each document's contents are given a summary, and a large number are presented in a new or revised transcription and a new English translation. The transcriptions, as with all other primary texts on this website, are diplomatic, preserving the orthography, line breaks, differences in Kurrent or Latin script, cancellations, emendations, and layout of the original pages; they also attempt to convey the structure of multi-document sequences, since this frequently affects their interpretation. In 2022, the Landesarchiv placed digital scans of the entire sub-collection "Kurköln II" freely available online. In the transcriptions, the folio designations in square brackets function as hyperlinks to the relevant scans. The account books, located in Kurköln IV, have not been digitized, but their presentation here has been optimized for easy reference.

As might be expected, the process of reviewing archival sources that were last systematically checked over half a century ago has turned up no small number of documents that have previously escaped notice. Indeed, several of these overlooked files pertain directly to Ludwig van Beethoven and his family. More broadly, the act of preparing a large cross-section of these documents for an interlinked web publication has offered a better understanding of how the files in different collections relate to one another, and ultimately of how they encapsulate decision-making processes of the court. For the reconstruction of events is often not possible through a single source in isolation. On its own, a petition or decree can often seem ambiguous, since it must be understood as both the written starting point and lasting documentation of a primarily oral deliberation. In a certain sense, digital presentation of the written records is the most appropriate existing method of re-tying the cognitive threads that once linked them.

Finally, while the administrative archives in Duisburg are startlingly extensive, other sources must be considered alongside them. For the reign of Maximilian Franz (1784–1794), his own personal papers in Vienna's Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv contain many documents of relevance to court music and the court theater, as do some of his letters to Spiegel von Diesenberg in the Stadtarchiv Bonn. Finally, the lists of musicians in the court calendar (''Hofkalender'') often diverge from the payment records in interesting ways.

== Collected Petitions and Decrees ==

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 472 (Music Directors) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_911a9c0e-f37e-4714-88f4-120d85d5a387 Entry in Online Finding Aid]

1718–1784
*fol. 5 (26 August 1738): employment decree for Joseph Clemens Dall'Abaco

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 473 (Konzertmeister) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_943f486b-3038-4d10-8ef6-78aac3a16089 Entry in Online Finding Aid]
1715–1785
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 473, fols. 10-12 (Josef Reicha Employment Decree)|fols. 10–12]] (28 June 1785): Josef Reicha's Employment Decree

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 474 (Kapellmeister) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_d58e9bd3-41f8-420d-91f8-8a6b614229ca Entry in Online Finding Aid]

1695–1783
* fol. 1 (January 1695)
* fol. 2 (30 December 1729)
* fols. 3–4 (29 March 1732): employment decree for Girolamo Donini
* fols. 5–6 (21–29 November 1745): employment decree for Francisco Zoppi
* fol. 7 (3 April 1752): Zoppi resigns
* fol. 8 (24 June 1753): employment decree for Joseph Zudoli
* fols. 9–11 (6 May 1774): employment decree for Andrea Luchesi

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 475 (Music Librarians and Copyists) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_1bffde5b-158c-45fa-925d-45f1b1da67d1 Entry in Online Finding Aid]

1714–1740

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 476 (Composers) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_d1855b1a-0b54-433b-aa80-94ccacf1c7dd Entry in Online Finding Aid]

1723–1752

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 478 (Male singers) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_39fa5997-bb4f-42c4-8e4a-c1c6ad63d9a9 Entry in Online Finding Aid]

1694–1792

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 479 (Female singers) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_15e2b4e8-c77b-41cd-8137-666b7647b795 Entry in Online Finding Aid]

1730–1790
* fol. 1: Folder fragment
* fols. 2–3 (8 January 1736): Margarete Elisabeth Giesens
* fols. 4–5 (8 January 1736): Margarete Elisabeth Giesens
* fols. 6–7 (3 April 1745): Rosa Costa
* fols. 8–9 (15 July 1749): Rosa Costa
* fols. 10–13 (13 May 1755): Eleonore Walter (Walderin)
* fols. 14–15 (2 June 1758): Maria Eva Elisabeth Ansionin
* fols. 16–19 (9 September 1759): Johanna Antonia Lentner
* fols. 20–23 (24 April 1765): Anna Maria Ries
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 479, fols. 109–112 (Magdalena Willmann Employment Decree)|fols. 109–112]] (19 February 1790): Magdalena Willmann's employment decree

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 480 (Organists) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_b1c4a7fb-99b8-42b5-81f9-0101df720bd8 Entry in Online Finding Aid]

Decrees and petitions regarding organists (except Ludwig van Beethoven), 1698–1796.

* fols. 1–2 (16 July 1698): Domenikus Alberici
* fol. 3 (23 November 1700): Joseph Zierbst
* fol. 4 (18 February 1727): Ägidius van den Eeden
* fol. 5 (8 June 1728): Ägidius van den Eeden
* fols. 6–7 (undated): Ägidius van den Eeden
* fols. 10–12 (5 July 1729): Ägidius van den Eeden receives a raise
* fols. 13–14 (9 November 1740): Georg Graskampff
* fols. 15–22 (20 July to 14 August 1784): deliberations on purchasing a new organ for palace chapel
* fols. 23–28 (15 February 1781): Christian Gottlob Neefe
* fols. 29–32 (8–15 February 1781): Christian Gottlob Neefe
* fol. 33 (3 October 1796): Christian Gottlob Neefe

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 481 (Beethoven) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_4eadf0de-89b7-4c6b-8f92-d12dfbe8bfdf Entry in Online Finding Aid]

This file is a collection of most petitions and decrees that mention members of the Beethoven family.

* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fol. 1 (Lodewijk van Beethoven Employment Decree)|fol. 1]] (March 1733): Lodewijk van Beethoven's employment decree
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fols. 2–4 (Lodewijk van Beethoven Confirmation of a Raise)|fols. 2–4]] (22 August 1746): Confirmation of a raise for Lodewijk van Beethoven
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fols. 5–7 (Johann van Beethoven Employment Decree)|fols. 5–7]] (19–27 March 1756): Decree to hire Johann van Beethoven as an ''accessist''
* fols. 9–12 (27 March 1756): Recommendation letter by Joseph Gottwald on behalf of Johann van Beethoven and Ernst Haveck
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fols. 13–16 (Lodewijk van Beethoven as Hofkapellmeister)|fols. 13–16]] (16 July 1761): Lodewijk van Beethoven is elevated to rank of Hofkapellmeister
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fols. 17–18 (Johann van Beethoven Petition for a Raise)|fols. 17–18]] (27 November 1762): Johann van Beethoven's first, unsuccessful petition for a raise
* fols. 19–20 (undated, c. April 1764): Lodewijk van Beethoven petitions for a raise on behalf of his son
* fol. 21 (24 April 1764): Decree granting Johann van Beethoven a raise of 100 Reichstaler
* fols. 22–25 (27 April 1764): Decree installing Johann van Beethoven and Anna Maria Ries officially as court musicians
* fol. 26–29 (9 May 1764): Dispute regarding debts by court musician Johannes Zdenik (called here "Steneck") owed to Johann Gottlieb Walther
* fol. 30 (8 August 1764): Philippe Salomon petitions for a job
* fol. 31 (31 May 1765): Johannes Zdenik is fired
* fols. 32–36 (26 April 1768): Reports of disciplinary action by Lodewijk against Maximiliane Schwachhover for "impertinence"
* fols. 37–38 (4 February 1793 and 22 October 1792): regarding Ludwig van Beethoven's salary while in Vienna
* fols. 40–43 (26 April 1768): Further documents on the disciplinary action against Schwachhover
* fols. 44–48 (26 April to 11 May 1768): Lodewijk van Beethoven reports on dispute between court musicians Drewer and Willmann
* fols. 49–52 (17 November 1769): Johann van Beethoven receives a raise of 25 fl.
* fols. 53–54 (undated, winter 1773/74): Johann van Beethoven petitions court to be elevated to rank of Kapellmeister after his father's death
* fol. 55–60 (January 1774 to 5 June 1775): After much deliberation, Johann van Beethoven is to receive his mother's pension of 60 Rtlr. after her death as supplement to his salary
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fols. 62–67 ("Pro-Memoria" Report on Court Musicians)|fols. 62–67]] (undated, c. June 1784): Evaluation of all court musicians with notes on their abilities, age, deportment, and family situation
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fols. 69–74 (Ludwig van Beethoven Employment Petition)|fols. 69–74]] (23–29 February 1784): Deliberations around Ludwig van Beethoven's employment as assistant court organist (see also [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 22–24 (Collective Petition, 1784)|Kurköln II, Nr. 471, fols. 22–24]])
* fol. 75 (5 May 1788): Ludwig van Beethoven petitions unsuccessfully for a raise
* fols. 76–77 (20 November 1789): Petition to banish Johann van Beethoven and disperse half his salary to Ludwig
* fol. 78 (11 February 1790): Receipt of Johann van Beethoven's first quarterly salary payment
* fol. 83 (3 May 1793): Ludwig van Beethoven is to receive his deceased father's full salary in Vienna
* fols. 84–85 (undated, after February 1793): Ludwig van Beethoven petitions the court for said salary
* fol. 87 (24 May 1793): Decree by Count Salm for Johann van Beethoven's former salary to be forwarded to Ludwig in Vienna

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 482 (String Players) ===

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 483 (Woodwind and Brass Players) ===
* fols. 2/3: Petition on behalf of Trumpeter Franz Hoffstetter for employment, undated, refers in main text to Salm-Reifferscheid and is listed by Braubach as dating from 29 November 1784.
* fol. 4: Specification regarding 6 Trumpeters and one Timpanist dated 1689, including Sebastian Poll (!) with a salary of 400 R (reduced to 350). Watermark CM flanking a serpent over a post-horn
* fols. 5, 6: Petition regarding Trumpeter Philipp Gstettner from 12 March 1690, employed with a salary of 350 fl.
* fols. 7/8: Petition regarding Trumpeter Johann (illegible) from 20 May 1690
* fol. 9: Petition regarding Trumpeter (name unclear) from 1 July 1690
* fols. 10/13, 11/12: Decree from Schloss Berg dated 12 April 1691 regarding court trumpeters
* fols. 14/15: Decree regarding Trumpeter Johann Hagengassner from 12 August 1691
* fols. 16/21, 17/20, 18/19: Petition and Decree regarding Trumpeter Georg Hagengassner from 2 December 1692 in Freising
* fols. 22/23: Barely legible decree from 9 August 1697 (2?).(This might be the decree Braubach mentions employing Wasitzsky as trumpeter)
* fols. 24/27, 25/26: Decrees regarding Trumpeters Johann Herkel and Johann Kren from 13 November 1698 (now in Bonn)
* fols. 28/29: Decree regarding Trumpeter Michael Kren from 19 November 1698
* fol. 30: Petition on behalf of Trumpeter Michael Kren from 29 December 1698
* fol. 31: Decree regarding Trumpeter Johann Herkel from 29 December 1698
* fols. 32/43, 33/34, 35/36, 37, 38/39, 40, 41/42: Series of decrees regarding Trumpeters Franz Wastisky (sic), Michael Kren, “Sebastian Poll od. Boll,” and Veit Hochenberger from 29 December 1698, including constant mentions of some mysterious “gastis secretis” (Braubach mentions a document from this date associated with the move from a Leibgarde to court)
* fol. 44: Decree regarding Trumpeter Veit Hochenberger from 29 December 1698
* fol. 45: Decree regarding unidentifiable Trumpeter (Brun?), 20 December 1698
* fol. 46: Decree regarding the hiring of three oboists (Flammand, Fabry, and Biarelle) from 13 October 1700
* fols. 47/48: Decree regarding hiring of Oboist Philipp Wilhelm Purfürst from 19 November 1700 with salary of 150 fl.
* fol. 49: Petition by unnamed parties regarding oboists and instrumentalists from 13 March 1712
* fols. 50/55, 51/52, 53/54: Decree regarding Trumpeter Franz Wastizky from 23 June 1729
* fols. 51/52: regards Violinist Johann Philipp Haveck from 29 June 1729
* fols. 53/54: regards Violinist Josephus Gonsez Dubois. Watermark Arms of Amsterdam
* fols. 56/57: Decree regarding Trumpeter Johann Adam Beyer from 13 January 1730
* fols. 58/59: Decree regarding Trumpeter Stephan Gütich from 4 November 1734, hired for 192 Rt.
* fols. 60/61: Overview and evaluations dated 28 October 1735 of all Hoftrompter and Gardetrompeter working for the court
* fols. 62/65, 63/64: Petition and decree on behalf of Oboist Franz Salefeld dated 1 June 1736, hired with no salary specified
* fols. 66/67: Decree regarding Basoonist Hygini Christophori Stolte dated 14 March 1737, is brought over from Leibgarde to Hofmusik
* fols. 68/70, 69: Petition and decree regarding Trumpeter Johann Heinrich Baumgarten dated 14 March 1737, hired with no salary specified
* fols. 71/73, 72: Petition and decree regarding Trumpeter Johann Knechtel dated 3 April 1739, hired with no salary specified
* fols. 74/75: Petition by Gerhard Cadusch of Brühl (who seems to have been Kurkürstlicher Baumeister) dated 25 January 1743
* fols. 76/77: Petition by Trumpeter Stephan Gütig dated 12 June 1744, who wishes to marry Lucia Geismar, who (unbeknownst to him?) already had a son
* fols. 78/80, 79: Decree regarding Trumpeter Philipp Döpser (Töpser) dated 2 July 1744, hired with no salary specified. Watermark HSI : Arms of Amsterdam
* fols. 81/82: Petition on behalf of Trumpeter Johann Ries from 20 May 1747, hired with salary of 192 Rt. (pending release from apprenticeship?)
* fols. 83/84: Petition on behalf of Trumpeter Johann Ries from 7 May 1748, released from apprenticeship
* fols. 85/87, 86: Petition on behalf of Trumpeters Felix Peissner and Christian Pummerl dated March 1754, both hired with a salary of 192 Rt. Watermark IH : Arms of Amsterdam
* fols. 88/99, 89/96, 90/95, 91/94, 92/93, 97/98: Series of petitions regarding Trumpeter Johann Ries from 5 March 1754, is given extra responsibilities as Violinist and a raise to 300 fl.
* fols. 100/102, 101: Petition on behalf of Trumpeters Felix Beissner (Peissner) and Christian Pummerl dated 28 March 1761, both released from duty after 7 years of faithful service
* fols. 103/106, 104/105: Petition and decree regarding Waldhornist Joseph Riedel dated 2 July 1761, hired with a salary of 120 Rt.
* fols. 107/112, 108/111, 109/110: Petition and Decree regarding Oboist Matthias Meuser dated 12 December 1764 (including signed recommendation from 1 December by Ludwig van Beethoven the Elder), hired as Accessist
* fols. 113/122, 114/117, 115/116, 118/121, 119/120: Series of decrees regarding Waldhornist Godfried Menzel dated 16 January 1768, requests and receives his father’s old position
* fols. 123/128, 124/127, 125/126: Petition and decree on behalf of Bassoonist Theodor Zillicken (Zilleken) dated 14 December 1769, hired as Accessist after having sung several years in choir
* fols. 131/132: Petition on behalf of Bassoonist Theodor Zillicken (Zilleken) dated 26 June 1772, admitted to Hofmusik
* fols. 133/140, 134/139, 135/138, 136/137: Series of petitions and decrees regarding Trumpeter Christian Peissner dated 14 March 1775, hired with no salary specified
* fols. 141/148, 142/147, 143/146, 144/145: Series of petitions and decree (including a recommendation by Luchesi) regarding Waldhornists Nicholaus Simrock and Andreas Bamberger dated 23 May 1775, both hired with salary of 300 fl.
* fols. 149/154, 150/153, 151/152: Series of petitions and decree regarding Flutist Johann Sebastian Pfau dated 18 September 1780, hired with salary of 200 Fl (?, must check convoluted math again)
* fols. 155/160, 156/159, 157/158: Series of petitions regarding Waldhornists Nikolaus Simrock and Andreas Bamberger dated 2 June 1781, both given a raise (how much?)
* fols. 161/168, 162/167, 163/166, 164/165: Series of petitions and decree regarding Bassoonist Johann Kicheler (Küchler) dated 15 June 1781, granted a salary of 300 Fl. Johann Anton Meuris also mentioned (seems to be retiring)
* fols. 169/174, 170/173, 171/172: Petition and decree regarding Trumpeter Philipp Goepfert dated 14 March 1783, hired with unspecified salary
* fols. 175/176: Petition by Trumpeter Philipp Goepfert dated 6 May 1784, requesting salary of deceased Contrabassist Poletnich, denied
* fols. 177/179, 178: Petition by Waldhornist Nikolaus Simrock dated 1 July 1784, granted 40 Rt. (100 fl.) raise to deliver music for the court
* fols. 180/181: Petition by Bassoonist Johann Küchler dated 6 July 1784 to instate his son Friedrich with a salary of 300 fl
* fols. 182/183: Decree regarding Trumpeter Franz Hofstetter dated 29 September 1784, hired with unspecified salary
* fols. 184/185: Decree regarding Waldhornist Nikolaus Simrock dated 26 December 1784, specifying earlier agreement from July
* fols. 186/189, 187/188: Petition and decree regarding Oboists Joseph Bachmeyer (Pachmayer) and Georg Liebisch dated 14 January 1785, both hired with a salary of 200 fl.
* fols. 190/191: Petition regarding Christian Beissner (Peissner) dated 9 August 1785, is released after 10 years of faithful service.
* fols. 192/196, 193, 194/195: Petition and decree regarding Bassoonist Friedrich Küchler dated 20 January 1786, released after 1.5 years of faithful service.
* fols. 197/201, 198, 199, 200: Petition and decree regarding Trumpeter Michael Baltus dated 10 March 1786, hired.
* fols. 202/203: Decree regarding Trumpeter Michael Baltus dated 19 April 1786, granted salary of 240 fl.
* fols. 204/207, 205/206: Clarification dated 23 January 1787 of Simrock’s role in assigning and paying music copyists.
* fols. 208/209: Decree regarding Oboist Georg Liebisch dated 13 April 1787, Bestätigung (?)
* fols. 210/213, 211/212: Petition regarding Oboist Georg Bachmeyer (Pachmeyer) dated 23 May 1787, granted a raise of 200 fl. for 5 more years
* fols. 214/219, 215/218, 215/216: Petition regarding Bassoonist Johann Küchler dated 5 March 1788, released from service with a pension.

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 484 (Timpanists and Timpani Carriers) ===

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 485 (Calcants) ===

== Miscellaneous Court Music Documents ==
These are music-related files that for various reasons were not included in the other collections. Sometimes it is because they deal with multiple court musicians at once, such as frequently happened after the death of a musician, at which point their colleagues would collectively petition for the now-free funds to be divided among them. Other times the documents appear to have merely been separated by accident from their logical position. Four files in Nr. 471 (fols. 3–5, 22–24, 51–55) directly deal with Ludwig van Beethoven and his family, three of which were previously unknown.

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 468 (1717–1730) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_c665c3cf-943d-41f9-89bc-e3812c71a289 Entry in Online Finding Aid]
=== Kurköln II, Nr. 469 (1731–1764) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_63e437e2-223f-4f29-8e62-58d1d30154b7 Entry in Online Finding Aid]
* fol. 1 (25 January 1731): Risack
* fol. 2 (29 January 1735): Johann Joseph Leopoldi
* fol. 3 (4 November 1735): Commans
* fol. 4 (10 September 1736): Anton Raaf
* fols. 5–6 (14 March 1737): Christophorum Holske
* fol. 7 (9 November 1740): Josephum Verita Dubois
* fol. 8 (16 August 1742): Anton Raaf
* fol. 9 (1 September 1743): Risack
* fols. 10–12 (27 November 1744): Peter Joseph Ipp
* fol. 13 (26 May 1746): Joseph Meuris
* fols. 14–16 (26 September 1746): Franz Xaver Haveck
* fols. 17–8 (undated): Henrich Gruhs
* fols. 19–22: Mathias Poletnich
* fol. 23 (4 November 1746): Joseph and Franz Meuris
* fol. 24 (8 November 1748): Johann Anton Schamsdeburg
* fols. 25–30 (1749): accounting records
* fols. 31–32 (25 April 1752): Paul Kicheler
* fol. 33 (11 March 1754): Joseph Touchemoulin
* fol. 34 (4 June 1753): Jacob Tauber
* fols. 35–37 (24 February 1755): Johann Zdenick
* fols. 38–40 (9 February 1756): Mathias Poletnich petitions for a raise
* fols. 41–45 (1 March 1756): Ferdinand Trewes
* fols. 46–50 (27 March 1756): Ernst Haveck as ''Accessist''
* fols. 51–53 (24 March 1757): Philipp Drauste
* fol. 54 (28 March 1758): Ernest Riedel
* fols. 55–59 (2 September 1758): Johann Zdenick petitions for a raise
* fols. 60–62 (30 August 1758): Johann Peter Salomon
* fols. 63–65 (22 August 1759): Franz Gottwald
* fols. 66–68 (27 April 1762): Ernst Riedel
* fols. 69–72 (): Ferdinand Trewer and Lodewijk van Beethoven
* fol. 73 (19 September 1764): Neesen, Feuser, Bodife, Schulter, Zeppenfeld, Mastiaux, Brauman, Kugelgen
* fol. 74 (26 September 1764): Walther
* fol. 75... https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00469%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=110&cHash=6914342fc95fc8d84d5283d5ee4e306e

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 470 (1765–1779) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/archivsuche?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_6c9ce853-918b-441c-8748-bdaf18dad482 Entry in Online Finding Aid]
=== Kurköln II, Nr. 471 (1780–1794) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/archivsuche?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_862721b0-ae27-4a4b-8d55-2c8f02620ee5 Entry in Online Finding Aid]
* fols. 1–2 (October 1780): collective petition by nine court musicians
* fols. 3–5 (16 May 1782): collective petition by ten court musicians (including Johann van Beethoven)
* fols. 6–7 (September–October 1780): petition by widow of Tussy
* fols. 8–9 (24 March 1783): petition by Gertrud Poletnich
* fol. 10 (6 October 1783): approval for Drewer, Heller, and Ries to organize a concert
* fols. 11–12 (undated, c. June 1784): recommendations for salary adjustments
* fols. 13–14 (undated, c. 1790): Thomas Pokorny
* fols. 15–16 (undated, c. 1790): Friedrich Müller
* fols. 17–18 (August 1780): collective petition by sixteen musicians
* fols. 19–20 (12 September 1780): Peter Esch petition for raise
* fols. 20–21 (9 November 1783): Joseph Phillipart petition for full employment
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 22–24 (Collective Petition, 1784)|fols. 22–24 (15 February 1784)]]: collective petition by eleven musicians (including Ludwig van Beethoven)
* fols. 25–26 (27 June 1784): final determinations of musician salary adjustments
* fol. 27 (27 June 1784): confusion about Andrea Luchesi's new salary is cleared up
* fols. 28–30 (15 August 1786): Walter
* fols. 31–32 (undated, early eighteenth century): Elenora Walter
* fol. 33 (3 May 1786): Christoph Brandt
* unnumbered (5 September 1787): Veronica Beckenkam petition for raise
* fols. 34–43 (6 October to 15 November 1788): dispute over engagement of several Bonn court musicians in Frankfurt
* fols. 44–45 (2 October 1789): employment decree for Joseph Lux
* fols. 51–55 (8 November 1793): custody of the late Franz Rovantini's children transferred from the Beethovens to Ernst Haveck

== Inventories and Lists ==
*[[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 340 (Inventory of the Electoral Palace, 1784)|Kurköln II, Nr. 340]]: Inventory of the entire electoral palace upon Maximilian Friedrich's death, May 1784. Includes separate listings of the music collection.

== Minutes of the Privy State Council ==
contains summaries of each petition and decree discussed between July 1784 and 1801, including some for which all other documentation is lost
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3016 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1784)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3016 (1784)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3017 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1785)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3017 (1785)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3018 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1786)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3018 (1786)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3019 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1787)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3019 (1787)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3020 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1788)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3020 (1788)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3021 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1789)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3021 (1789)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3022 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1790)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3022 (1790)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3033 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1800)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3033 (1800)]]

== Account Books ==

==Notes==
<references responsive="0" />

[[Category:Primary Source]]

Category:Bonn Court Administration Files

2026-05-06T10:40:00Z

JDWpianist:

The administrative archives of the Bonn Electoral Court, preserved today in the Landesarchiv Nordrhein-Westfalen in Duisburg, Germany (D-DGla), reach back to at least the tenth century. Extensive documentation of the court's operations, however, only really exists since the late seventeenth century — after the city of Bonn was besieged during the Nine Years' War and largely destroyed in 1689. As the eighteenth century progressed, the court's bookkeeping became increasingly thorough and transparent, or at least these documents are better preserved.

The Beethoven-related files in the court archives were surveyed by Hermann Deiters for the first volume of Alexander Wheelock Thayer's monumental biography, ''Ludwig van Beethovens Leben'', whose first edition appeared in 1866. Deiters cast his net wide and swept up an impressive array of materials pertaining both to the Beethoven family and some of their colleagues. His transcriptions, typically unabridged, were a model of accuracy for their time. They are in fact so good and so seemingly comprehensive that no later Beethoven biographer has felt the need to consult the original sources. This has one unfortunate consequence: after the archive's multiple reorganizations and one change of location (from Düsseldorf to Duisburg in 2014), even most Beethoven scholars would be hard-pressed to locate the modern shelf-mark of any document quoted by Thayer, making it difficult to retrace his footsteps to search for something Deiters might have missed or to seek broader context.

Around a century later, Max Braubach systematically reviewed the files on court musicians alongside Bonn parish records, resulting in a lexicon article which includes basic biographical information on all known musicians who worked at court under the last four electors, one that still provides a useful reference work even though he does not cite individual sources.<ref>Max Braubach, "Die Mitglieder der Hofmusik unter den letzten vier Kurfürsten von Köln," in Siegfried Kross and Hans Schmidt (eds.), ''Colloquium Amicorum. Joseph Schmidt-Görg zum 70. Geburtstag'' (Bonn: Beethoven-Haus, 1967), 26–63.</ref> More recently, over the course of the two research projects "[https://musikwissenschaft.univie.ac.at/forschung/projekte/abgeschlossene-projekte/the-music-library-of-elector-maximilian-franz/ The Music Library of Elector Maximilian Franz]," the research team consulted the music- and musician-related files, with a special focus on opera and sacred music between 1784 and 1794. A brief overview of the Kurköln files is presented as an appendix to Volume 2 of the series "Musik am Bonner kurfürstlichen Hof."

The Bonn court administrative files here represent a curated collection of not only those documents that mention Beethoven's family, but also ones that illustrate the immediate context in which four generations of them worked. In so doing, they offer an overview of the entire court musical establishment since the late seventeenth century. Each document's contents are given a summary, and a large number are presented in a new or revised transcription and a new English translation. The transcriptions, as with all other primary texts on this website, are diplomatic, preserving the orthography, line breaks, differences in Kurrent or Latin script, cancellations, emendations, and layout of the original pages; they also attempt to convey the structure of multi-document sequences, since this frequently affects their interpretation. In 2022, the Landesarchiv placed digital scans of the entire sub-collection "Kurköln II" freely available online. In the transcriptions, the folio designations in square brackets function as hyperlinks to the relevant scans. The account books, located in Kurköln IV, have not been digitized, but their presentation here has been optimized for easy reference.

As might be expected, the process of reviewing archival sources that were last systematically checked over half a century ago has turned up no small number of documents that have previously escaped notice. Indeed, several of these overlooked files pertain directly to Ludwig van Beethoven and his family. More broadly, the act of preparing a large cross-section of these documents for an interlinked web publication has offered a better understanding of how the files in different collections relate to one another, and ultimately of how they encapsulate decision-making processes of the court. For the reconstruction of events is often not possible through a single source in isolation. On its own, a petition or decree can often seem ambiguous, since it must be understood as both the written starting point and lasting documentation of a primarily oral deliberation. In a certain sense, digital presentation of the written records is the most appropriate existing method of re-tying the cognitive threads that once linked them.

Finally, while the administrative archives in Duisburg are startlingly extensive, other sources must be considered alongside them. For the reign of Maximilian Franz (1784–1794), his own personal papers in Vienna's Haus-, Hof- und Staatsarchiv contain many documents of relevance to court music and the court theater, as do some of his letters to Spiegel von Diesenberg in the Stadtarchiv Bonn. Finally, the lists of musicians in the court calendar (''Hofkalender'') often diverge from the payment records in interesting ways.

== Collected Petitions and Decrees ==

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 472 (Music Directors) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_911a9c0e-f37e-4714-88f4-120d85d5a387 Entry in Online Finding Aid]

1718–1784
*fol. 5 (26 August 1738): employment decree for Joseph Clemens Dall'Abaco

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 473 (Konzertmeister) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_943f486b-3038-4d10-8ef6-78aac3a16089 Entry in Online Finding Aid]
1715–1785
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 473, fols. 10-12 (Josef Reicha Employment Decree)|fols. 10–12]] (28 June 1785): Josef Reicha's Employment Decree

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 474 (Kapellmeister) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_d58e9bd3-41f8-420d-91f8-8a6b614229ca Entry in Online Finding Aid]

1695–1783
* fol. 1 (January 1695)
* fol. 2 (30 December 1729)
* fols. 3–4 (29 March 1732): employment decree for Girolamo Donini
* fols. 5–6 (21–29 November 1745): employment decree for Francisco Zoppi
* fol. 7 (3 April 1752): Zoppi resigns
* fol. 8 (24 June 1753): employment decree for Joseph Zudoli
* fols. 9–11 (6 May 1774): employment decree for Andrea Luchesi

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 475 (Music Librarians and Copyists) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_1bffde5b-158c-45fa-925d-45f1b1da67d1 Entry in Online Finding Aid]

1714–1740

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 476 (Composers) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_d1855b1a-0b54-433b-aa80-94ccacf1c7dd Entry in Online Finding Aid]

1723–1752

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 478 (Male singers) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_39fa5997-bb4f-42c4-8e4a-c1c6ad63d9a9 Entry in Online Finding Aid]

1694–1792

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 479 (Female singers) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_15e2b4e8-c77b-41cd-8137-666b7647b795 Entry in Online Finding Aid]

1730–1790
* fol. 1: Folder fragment
* fols. 2–3 (8 January 1736): Margarete Elisabeth Giesens
* fols. 4–5 (8 January 1736): Margarete Elisabeth Giesens
* fols. 6–7 (3 April 1745): Rosa Costa
* fols. 8–9 (15 July 1749): Rosa Costa
* fols. 10–13 (13 May 1755): Eleonore Walter (Walderin)
* fols. 14–15 (2 June 1758): Maria Eva Elisabeth Ansionin
* fols. 16–19 (9 September 1759): Johanna Antonia Lentner
* fols. 20–23 (24 April 1765): Anna Maria Ries
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 479, fols. 109–112 (Magdalena Willmann Employment Decree)|fols. 109–112]] (19 February 1790): Magdalena Willmann's employment decree

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 480 (Organists) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_b1c4a7fb-99b8-42b5-81f9-0101df720bd8 Entry in Online Finding Aid]

Decrees and petitions regarding organists (except Ludwig van Beethoven), 1698–1796.

* fols. 1–2 (16 July 1698): Domenikus Alberici
* fol. 3 (23 November 1700): Joseph Zierbst
* fol. 4 (18 February 1727): Ägidius van den Eeden
* fol. 5 (8 June 1728): Ägidius van den Eeden
* fols. 6–7 (undated): Ägidius van den Eeden
* fols. 10–12 (5 July 1729): Ägidius van den Eeden receives a raise
* fols. 13–14 (9 November 1740): Georg Graskampff
* fols. 15–22 (20 July to 14 August 1784): deliberations on purchasing a new organ for palace chapel
* fols. 23–28 (15 February 1781): Christian Gottlob Neefe
* fols. 29–32 (8–15 February 1781): Christian Gottlob Neefe
* fol. 33 (3 October 1796): Christian Gottlob Neefe

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 481 (Beethoven) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_4eadf0de-89b7-4c6b-8f92-d12dfbe8bfdf Entry in Online Finding Aid]

This file is a collection of most petitions and decrees that mention members of the Beethoven family.

* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fol. 1 (Lodewijk van Beethoven Employment Decree)|fol. 1]] (March 1733): Lodewijk van Beethoven's employment decree
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fols. 2–4 (Lodewijk van Beethoven Confirmation of a Raise)|fols. 2–4]] (22 August 1746): Confirmation of a raise for Lodewijk van Beethoven
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fols. 5–7 (Johann van Beethoven Employment Decree)|fols. 5–7]] (19–27 March 1756): Decree to hire Johann van Beethoven as an ''accessist''
* fols. 9–12 (27 March 1756): Recommendation letter by Joseph Gottwald on behalf of Johann van Beethoven and Ernst Haveck
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fols. 13–16 (Lodewijk van Beethoven as Hofkapellmeister)|fols. 13–16]] (16 July 1761): Lodewijk van Beethoven is elevated to rank of Hofkapellmeister
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fols. 17–18 (Johann van Beethoven Petition for a Raise)|fols. 17–18]] (27 November 1762): Johann van Beethoven's first, unsuccessful petition for a raise
* fols. 19–20 (undated, c. April 1764): Lodewijk van Beethoven petitions for a raise on behalf of his son
* fol. 21 (24 April 1764): Decree granting Johann van Beethoven a raise of 100 Reichstaler
* fols. 22–25 (27 April 1764): Decree installing Johann van Beethoven and Anna Maria Ries officially as court musicians
* fol. 26–29 (9 May 1764): Dispute regarding debts by court musician Johannes Zdenik (called here "Steneck") owed to Johann Gottlieb Walther
* fol. 30 (8 August 1764): Philippe Salomon petitions for a job
* fol. 31 (31 May 1765): Johannes Zdenik is fired
* fols. 32–36 (26 April 1768): Reports of disciplinary action by Lodewijk against Maximiliane Schwachhover for "impertinence"
* fols. 37–38 (4 February 1793 and 22 October 1792): regarding Ludwig van Beethoven's salary while in Vienna
* fols. 40–43 (26 April 1768): Further documents on the disciplinary action against Schwachhover
* fols. 44–48 (26 April to 11 May 1768): Lodewijk van Beethoven reports on dispute between court musicians Drewer and Willmann
* fols. 49–52 (17 November 1769): Johann van Beethoven receives a raise of 25 fl.
* fols. 53–54 (undated, winter 1773/74): Johann van Beethoven petitions court to be elevated to rank of Kapellmeister after his father's death
* fol. 55–60 (January 1774 to 5 June 1775): After much deliberation, Johann van Beethoven is to receive his mother's pension of 60 Rtlr. after her death as supplement to his salary
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fols. 62–67 ("Pro-Memoria" Report on Court Musicians)|fols. 62–67]] (undated, c. June 1784): Evaluation of all court musicians with notes on their abilities, age, deportment, and family situation
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 481, fols. 69–74 (Ludwig van Beethoven Employment Petition)|fols. 69–74]] (23–29 February 1784): Deliberations around Ludwig van Beethoven's employment as assistant court organist (see also [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 22–24 (Collective Petition, 1784)|Kurköln II, Nr. 471, fols. 22–24]])
* fol. 75 (5 May 1788): Ludwig van Beethoven petitions unsuccessfully for a raise
* fols. 76–77 (20 November 1789): Petition to banish Johann van Beethoven and disperse half his salary to Ludwig
* fol. 78 (11 February 1790): Receipt of Johann van Beethoven's first quarterly salary payment
* fol. 83 (3 May 1793): Ludwig van Beethoven is to receive his deceased father's full salary in Vienna
* fols. 84–85 (undated, after February 1793): Ludwig van Beethoven petitions the court for said salary
* fol. 87 (24 May 1793): Decree by Count Salm for Johann van Beethoven's former salary to be forwarded to Ludwig in Vienna

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 482 (String Players) ===

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 483 (Woodwind and Brass Players) ===
* fols. 2/3: Petition on behalf of Trumpeter Franz Hoffstetter for employment, undated, refers in main text to Salm-Reifferscheid and is listed by Braubach as dating from 29 November 1784.
* fol. 4: Specification regarding 6 Trumpeters and one Timpanist dated 1689, including Sebastian Poll (!) with a salary of 400 R (reduced to 350). Watermark CM flanking a serpent over a post-horn
* fols. 5, 6: Petition regarding Trumpeter Philipp Gstettner from 12 March 1690, employed with a salary of 350 fl.
* fols. 7/8: Petition regarding Trumpeter Johann (illegible) from 20 May 1690
* fol. 9: Petition regarding Trumpeter (name unclear) from 1 July 1690
* fols. 10/13, 11/12: Decree from Schloss Berg dated 12 April 1691 regarding court trumpeters
* fols. 14/15: Decree regarding Trumpeter Johann Hagengassner from 12 August 1691
* fols. 16/21, 17/20, 18/19: Petition and Decree regarding Trumpeter Georg Hagengassner from 2 December 1692 in Freising
* fols. 22/23: Barely legible decree from 9 August 1697 (2?).(This might be the decree Braubach mentions employing Wasitzsky as trumpeter)
* fols. 24/27, 25/26: Decrees regarding Trumpeters Johann Herkel and Johann Kren from 13 November 1698 (now in Bonn)
* fols. 28/29: Decree regarding Trumpeter Michael Kren from 19 November 1698
* fol. 30: Petition on behalf of Trumpeter Michael Kren from 29 December 1698
* fol. 31: Decree regarding Trumpeter Johann Herkel from 29 December 1698
* fols. 32/43, 33/34, 35/36, 37, 38/39, 40, 41/42: Series of decrees regarding Trumpeters Franz Wastisky (sic), Michael Kren, “Sebastian Poll od. Boll,” and Veit Hochenberger from 29 December 1698, including constant mentions of some mysterious “gastis secretis” (Braubach mentions a document from this date associated with the move from a Leibgarde to court)
* fol. 44: Decree regarding Trumpeter Veit Hochenberger from 29 December 1698
* fol. 45: Decree regarding unidentifiable Trumpeter (Brun?), 20 December 1698
* fol. 46: Decree regarding the hiring of three oboists (Flammand, Fabry, and Biarelle) from 13 October 1700
* fols. 47/48: Decree regarding hiring of Oboist Philipp Wilhelm Purfürst from 19 November 1700 with salary of 150 fl.
* fol. 49: Petition by unnamed parties regarding oboists and instrumentalists from 13 March 1712
* fols. 50/55, 51/52, 53/54: Decree regarding Trumpeter Franz Wastizky from 23 June 1729
* fols. 51/52: regards Violinist Johann Philipp Haveck from 29 June 1729
* fols. 53/54: regards Violinist Josephus Gonsez Dubois. Watermark Arms of Amsterdam
* fols. 56/57: Decree regarding Trumpeter Johann Adam Beyer from 13 January 1730
* fols. 58/59: Decree regarding Trumpeter Stephan Gütich from 4 November 1734, hired for 192 Rt.
* fols. 60/61: Overview and evaluations dated 28 October 1735 of all Hoftrompter and Gardetrompeter working for the court
* fols. 62/65, 63/64: Petition and decree on behalf of Oboist Franz Salefeld dated 1 June 1736, hired with no salary specified
* fols. 66/67: Decree regarding Basoonist Hygini Christophori Stolte dated 14 March 1737, is brought over from Leibgarde to Hofmusik
* fols. 68/70, 69: Petition and decree regarding Trumpeter Johann Heinrich Baumgarten dated 14 March 1737, hired with no salary specified
* fols. 71/73, 72: Petition and decree regarding Trumpeter Johann Knechtel dated 3 April 1739, hired with no salary specified
* fols. 74/75: Petition by Gerhard Cadusch of Brühl (who seems to have been Kurkürstlicher Baumeister) dated 25 January 1743
* fols. 76/77: Petition by Trumpeter Stephan Gütig dated 12 June 1744, who wishes to marry Lucia Geismar, who (unbeknownst to him?) already had a son
* fols. 78/80, 79: Decree regarding Trumpeter Philipp Döpser (Töpser) dated 2 July 1744, hired with no salary specified. Watermark HSI : Arms of Amsterdam
* fols. 81/82: Petition on behalf of Trumpeter Johann Ries from 20 May 1747, hired with salary of 192 Rt. (pending release from apprenticeship?)
* fols. 83/84: Petition on behalf of Trumpeter Johann Ries from 7 May 1748, released from apprenticeship
* fols. 85/87, 86: Petition on behalf of Trumpeters Felix Peissner and Christian Pummerl dated March 1754, both hired with a salary of 192 Rt. Watermark IH : Arms of Amsterdam
* fols. 88/99, 89/96, 90/95, 91/94, 92/93, 97/98: Series of petitions regarding Trumpeter Johann Ries from 5 March 1754, is given extra responsibilities as Violinist and a raise to 300 fl.
* fols. 100/102, 101: Petition on behalf of Trumpeters Felix Beissner (Peissner) and Christian Pummerl dated 28 March 1761, both released from duty after 7 years of faithful service
* fols. 103/106, 104/105: Petition and decree regarding Waldhornist Joseph Riedel dated 2 July 1761, hired with a salary of 120 Rt.
* fols. 107/112, 108/111, 109/110: Petition and Decree regarding Oboist Matthias Meuser dated 12 December 1764 (including signed recommendation from 1 December by Ludwig van Beethoven the Elder), hired as Accessist
* fols. 113/122, 114/117, 115/116, 118/121, 119/120: Series of decrees regarding Waldhornist Godfried Menzel dated 16 January 1768, requests and receives his father’s old position
* fols. 123/128, 124/127, 125/126: Petition and decree on behalf of Bassoonist Theodor Zillicken (Zilleken) dated 14 December 1769, hired as Accessist after having sung several years in choir
* fols. 131/132: Petition on behalf of Bassoonist Theodor Zillicken (Zilleken) dated 26 June 1772, admitted to Hofmusik
* fols. 133/140, 134/139, 135/138, 136/137: Series of petitions and decrees regarding Trumpeter Christian Peissner dated 14 March 1775, hired with no salary specified
* fols. 141/148, 142/147, 143/146, 144/145: Series of petitions and decree (including a recommendation by Luchesi) regarding Waldhornists Nicholaus Simrock and Andreas Bamberger dated 23 May 1775, both hired with salary of 300 fl.
* fols. 149/154, 150/153, 151/152: Series of petitions and decree regarding Flutist Johann Sebastian Pfau dated 18 September 1780, hired with salary of 200 Fl (?, must check convoluted math again)
* fols. 155/160, 156/159, 157/158: Series of petitions regarding Waldhornists Nikolaus Simrock and Andreas Bamberger dated 2 June 1781, both given a raise (how much?)
* fols. 161/168, 162/167, 163/166, 164/165: Series of petitions and decree regarding Bassoonist Johann Kicheler (Küchler) dated 15 June 1781, granted a salary of 300 Fl. Johann Anton Meuris also mentioned (seems to be retiring)
* fols. 169/174, 170/173, 171/172: Petition and decree regarding Trumpeter Philipp Goepfert dated 14 March 1783, hired with unspecified salary
* fols. 175/176: Petition by Trumpeter Philipp Goepfert dated 6 May 1784, requesting salary of deceased Contrabassist Poletnich, denied
* fols. 177/179, 178: Petition by Waldhornist Nikolaus Simrock dated 1 July 1784, granted 40 Rt. (100 fl.) raise to deliver music for the court
* fols. 180/181: Petition by Bassoonist Johann Küchler dated 6 July 1784 to instate his son Friedrich with a salary of 300 fl
* fols. 182/183: Decree regarding Trumpeter Franz Hofstetter dated 29 September 1784, hired with unspecified salary
* fols. 184/185: Decree regarding Waldhornist Nikolaus Simrock dated 26 December 1784, specifying earlier agreement from July
* fols. 186/189, 187/188: Petition and decree regarding Oboists Joseph Bachmeyer (Pachmayer) and Georg Liebisch dated 14 January 1785, both hired with a salary of 200 fl.
* fols. 190/191: Petition regarding Christian Beissner (Peissner) dated 9 August 1785, is released after 10 years of faithful service.
* fols. 192/196, 193, 194/195: Petition and decree regarding Bassoonist Friedrich Küchler dated 20 January 1786, released after 1.5 years of faithful service.
* fols. 197/201, 198, 199, 200: Petition and decree regarding Trumpeter Michael Baltus dated 10 March 1786, hired.
* fols. 202/203: Decree regarding Trumpeter Michael Baltus dated 19 April 1786, granted salary of 240 fl.
* fols. 204/207, 205/206: Clarification dated 23 January 1787 of Simrock’s role in assigning and paying music copyists.
* fols. 208/209: Decree regarding Oboist Georg Liebisch dated 13 April 1787, Bestätigung (?)
* fols. 210/213, 211/212: Petition regarding Oboist Georg Bachmeyer (Pachmeyer) dated 23 May 1787, granted a raise of 200 fl. for 5 more years
* fols. 214/219, 215/218, 215/216: Petition regarding Bassoonist Johann Küchler dated 5 March 1788, released from service with a pension.

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 484 (Timpanists and Timpani Carriers) ===

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 485 (Calcants) ===

== Miscellaneous Court Music Documents ==
These are music-related files that for various reasons were not included in the other collections. Sometimes it is because they deal with multiple court musicians at once, such as frequently happened after the death of a musician, at which point their colleagues would collectively petition for the now-free funds to be divided among them. Other times the documents appear to have merely been separated by accident from their logical position. Four files in Nr. 471 (fols. 3–5, 22–24, 51–55) directly deal with Ludwig van Beethoven and his family, three of which were previously unknown.

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 468 (1717–1730) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_c665c3cf-943d-41f9-89bc-e3812c71a289 Entry in Online Finding Aid]
=== Kurköln II, Nr. 469 (1731–1764) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/ms/search?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_63e437e2-223f-4f29-8e62-58d1d30154b7 Entry in Online Finding Aid]
* fol. 1 (25 January 1731): Risack
* fol. 2 (29 January 1735): Johann Joseph Leopoldi
* fol. 3 (4 November 1735): Commans
* fol. 4 (10 September 1736): Anton Raaf
* fols. 5–6 (14 March 1737): Christophorum Holske
* fol. 7 (9 November 1740): Josephum Verita Dubois
* fol. 8 (16 August 1742): Anton Raaf
* fol. 9 (1 September 1743): Risack
* fols. 10–12 (27 November 1744): Peter Joseph Ipp
* fol. 13 (26 May 1746): Joseph Meuris
* fols. 14–16 (26 September 1746): Franz Xaver Haveck
* fols. 17–8 (undated): Henrich Gruhs
* fols. 19–22: Mathias Poletnich
* fol. 23 (4 November 1746): Joseph and Franz Meuris
* fol. 24 (8 November 1748): Johann Anton Schamsdeburg
* fols. 25–30 (1749): accounting records
* fols. 31–32 (25 April 1752): Paul Kicheler
* fol. 33 (11 March 1754): Joseph Touchemoulin
* fol. 34 (4 June 1753): Jacob Tauber
* fols. 35–37 (24 February 1755): Johann Zdenick
* fols. 38–40 (9 February 1756): Mathias Poletnich petitions for a raise
* fols. 41–45 (1 March 1756): Ferdinand Trewes
* fols. 46–50 (27 March 1756): Ernst Haveck as ''Accessist''
* fols. 51–53 (24 March 1757): Philipp Drauste
* fol. 54 (28 March 1758): Ernest Riedel
* fols. 55–59 (2 September 1758): Johann Zdenick petitions for a raise
* fols. 60–62 (30 August 1758): Johann Peter Salomon
* fols. 63–65 (22 August 1759): Franz Gottwald
* fols. 66–68 (27 April 1762): Ernst Riedel
* fols. 69–72 (): Ferdinand Trewer and Lodewijk van Beethoven
* fol. 73 (19 September 1764): Neesen, Feuser, Bodife, Schulter, Zeppenfeld, Mastiaux, Brauman, Kugelgen
* fol. 74 (26 September 1764): Walther
* fol. 75... https://dfg-viewer.de/show?tx_dlf%5Bdouble%5D=0&tx_dlf%5Bid%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.landesarchiv-nrw.de%2Fdigitalisate%2FAbt_Rheinland%2FAA_0007%2F~004%2F00469%2Fmets.xml&tx_dlf%5Bpage%5D=110&cHash=6914342fc95fc8d84d5283d5ee4e306e

=== Kurköln II, Nr. 470 (1765–1779) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/archivsuche?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_6c9ce853-918b-441c-8748-bdaf18dad482 Entry in Online Finding Aid]
=== Kurköln II, Nr. 471 (1780–1794) ===
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/archivsuche?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_862721b0-ae27-4a4b-8d55-2c8f02620ee5 Entry in Online Finding Aid]
* fols. 1–2 (October 1780): collective petition by nine court musicians
* fols. 3–5 (16 May 1782): collective petition by ten court musicians (including Johann van Beethoven)
* fols. 6–7 (September–October 1780): petition by widow of Tussy
* fols. 8–9 (24 March 1783): petition by Gertrud Poletnich
* fol. 10 (6 October 1783): approval for Drewer, Heller, and Ries to organize a concert
* fols. 11–12 (undated, c. June 1784): recommendations for salary adjustments
* fols. 13–14 (undated, c. 1790): Thomas Pokorny
* fols. 15–16 (undated, c. 1790): Friedrich Müller
* fols. 17–18 (August 1780): collective petition by sixteen musicians
* fols. 19–20 (12 September 1780): Peter Esch petition for raise
* fols. 20–21 (9 November 1783): Joseph Phillipart petition for full employment
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 471, fols. 22–24 (Collective Petition, 1784)|fols. 22–24 (15 February 1784)]]: collective petition by eleven musicians (including Ludwig van Beethoven)
* fols. 25–26 (27 June 1784): final determinations of musician salary adjustments
* fol. 27 (27 June 1784): confusion about Andrea Luchesi's new salary is cleared up
* fols. 28–30 (15 August 1786): Walter
* fols. 31–32 (undated, early eighteenth century): Elenora Walter
* fol. 33 (3 May 1786): Christoph Brandt
* unnumbered (5 September 1787): Veronica Beckenkam petition for raise
* fols. 34–43 (6 October to 15 November 1788): dispute over engagement of several Bonn court musicians in Frankfurt
* fols. 44–45 (2 October 1789): employment decree for Joseph Lux
* fols. 51–55 (8 November 1793): custody of the late Franz Rovantini's children transferred from the Beethovens to Ernst Haveck

== Inventories and Lists ==
*[[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 340 (Inventory of the Electoral Palace, 1784)|Kurköln II, Nr. 340]]: Inventory of the entire electoral palace upon Maximilian Friedrich's death, May 1784. Includes separate listings of the music collection.

== Minutes of the Privy State Council ==
contains summaries of each petition and decree discussed between July 1784 and 1801, including some for which all other documentation is lost
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3016 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1784)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3016 (1784)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3017 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1785)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3017 (1785)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3018 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1786)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3018 (1786)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3019 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1787)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3019 (1787)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3020 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1788)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3020 (1788)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3021 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1789)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3021 (1789)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3022 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1790)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3022 (1790)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3033 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1800)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3033 (1800)]]

== Account Books ==

==Notes==
<references responsive="0" />

[[Category:Primary Source]]

Category:Contemporary Journals and Newspapers

2026-05-06T10:38:50Z

JDWpianist:

[[Category:Primary Source]]

Wail of Rivers

2026-05-06T10:38:08Z

JDWpianist:

{{Primary Source
|Source:Name=Wail of Rivers
|Source:Description=Full scan at National Library of Israel: https://www.nli.org.il/en/books/NNL_ALEPH990010736960205171/NLI
|Source:Location=Bonn
|Source:Date=1784-03-23
|Source:DisplayDate=23 March 1784
|Source:Transcription=<div dir=rtl>[[http://rosetta.nli.org.il/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_func=stream&dps_pid=FL60815111 א' ע"א]]</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">ספור
בכי נהרות
יסדתיו אף עשיתיו אני אני הוא
הזקן כמשמעו · במתא שמאי
הקטן שמעון ב"ר יעקב
אברהם זלה'ה
מק"קאפנהגן
נגמר ביום ג' ר'ח ניסן
הושיעני אלקי' כי באו מים עד נפש לפ'ק
פה ק"ק בונא יע"א
בבית ובדפוס
אלמנה עם יתמי
המנוח כהר"ר יעקב פרופס כ"ץ
זצ"ל
בשנת תקמ'ד לפ'ק
</div>
<div dir=rtl>
[א' ע"ב]
הסכמת
אדוננו מורינו ורבינו נזר ראשינו הגאון האמיתי
הנשר הגדול מאור הגולה המפורסם בדורו
מוהר'ר שאול נר'ו אב'ד ור'מ פה ק'ק
אמשטרדם יע'א:
|Source:Translation=[1]
<div style="text-align: center;">
The story of
The Wail of Rivers
I have founded and made it, I, I am he, the old one,
known by my name:
The little one, Simon, son of Rabbi Jacob Abraham, his memory be blessed in the afterlife;
From the sacred community of Copenhagen
Finished on Tuesday, 1 Nissan
“Save me, O God, for waters have come up to my soul.”
Here, in the sacred community of Bonn, may God protect her.

Published by the widow and orphans of the honorable Rabbi Jacob Proops Katz, his memory be blessed.
In the year (5)544.
</div>
}}

[[Category: Descriptions and Chronicles of Bonn]]

Category:Contemporary Journals and Newspapers

2026-05-06T10:37:23Z

JDWpianist: Created blank page

Theaterkalender 1791: Eröffnungsrede

2026-05-06T10:37:07Z

JDWpianist:

{{Primary Source
|Source:Name=Theaterkalender 1791: Eröffnungsrede
|Source:Description=This is the published version of a speech written by Christian Gottlob Neefe upon the re-opening of the Bonn Court Theater in January 1789, as it appeared in Heinrich August Ottokar Reichard's ''Theater-Kalender, auf das Jahr 1791'', pp. 10–15. This speech preceded a performance of Vicente Martín y Soler's ''L'arbore di Diana''.

The chorus by Joseph Reicha has survived.
|Source:Location=Bonn
|Source:Date=1789-01-03
|Source:DisplayDate=3 January 1789
|Source:Transcription=[[https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/view/bsb10121298?page=52 10]]
<div style='text-align: center;'><big>Rede</big></div>
bei Eröfnung der Nationalschaubühne
zu Bonn, von C. G. Neefe; gespro-
chen von Steiger, die Musik zum
Chore von Jos. Reicha 1789.
----

Sonst zog die arme Schauspielkunst
im lieben deutschen Vaterlande,
(gesaget sei es hier mit Gunst!)
so wie Nomaden, gleich der Zigeunerbande,
von einem Ort
zum andern fort.
Ihr ganzer Kram
war wundersam
gepackt auf einen Karren.
Da lagen ein'ge Kirchensparren,
bestimmt zur Dekoration;
Dort Pappendeckel, zum Kaisers- oder Königs-
Thron;
Kulissen, die des Tags zum Bettschirm dienten;
Eilt halb Rieß Goldpappier; zwei Stück leon'sche
Treffen,
Glanzleinewand und Damiß, knapp gemessen:
Ein Hannswurstkleid; von Spiegelglaß Ju-
welen;
Nur wenig tragische, und ein'ge kom'sche Klei-
der ––
Dieß war der ganze Schatz; dran soll nicht
viel mehr fehlen:
Denn jeder Künstler war zur Noth sein eigner
Schneider.

[[https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/view/bsb10121298?page=53 11]]
|Source:Translation=[10]
<div style='text-align: center;'><big>Speech</big></div>
upon the opening of the National Theater
at Bonn, by C. G. Neefe; recited
by Steiger, the music to the
chorus by Jos. Reicha 1789.
----

Once, the poor art of acting
in our beloved German fatherland,
(let it be said here with affection!)
moved about like nomads, like a band of Roma,
from one place
to another.
All their belongings
were wondrously
packed onto a cart.
Here lay a few wooden beams,
intended for decoration;
There, pieces of cardboard, for the emperor’s or king’s
throne;
Scenery that served as a bed canopy by day;
A stack of gold-foil paper; two pieces of Lyonese
fabric,
glossy canvas and damask, barely enough:
a Hans Wurst outfit<ref>A stock character in early improvised German comedy.</ref>; jewelry made of mirror glass;
just a few tragic and some comic
costumes ––
this was the entire treasure; not much more
was needed:
for every artist was, in a pinch, his own
tailor.

[11]

}}

___
=Notes=
<references responsive="0" />

[[Category:Contemporary Journals and Newspapers]]

Theaterkalender 1791: Eröffnungsrede

2026-05-06T10:34:31Z

JDWpianist:

Theaterkalender 1791: Eröffnungsrede

2026-05-06T10:28:21Z

JDWpianist:

{{Primary Source
|Source:Name=Theaterkalender 1791: Eröffnungsrede
|Source:Description=This is the published version of a speech written by Christian Gottlob Neefe upon the re-opening of the Bonn Court Theater in January 1789, as it appeared in Heinrich August Ottokar Reichard's ''Theater-Kalender, auf das Jahr 1791'', pp. 10–15. This speech preceded a performance of Vicente Martín y Soler's ''L'arbore di Diana''.

The chorus by Joseph Reicha has survived.
|Source:Location=Bonn
|Source:Date=1789-01-03
|Source:DisplayDate=3 January 1789
|Source:Transcription=[[https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/view/bsb10121298?page=52 10]]
<div style='text-align: center;'><big>Rede</big></div>
bei Eröfnung der Nationalschaubühne
zu Bonn, von C. G. Neefe; gespro-
chen von Steiger, die Musik zum
Chore von Jos. Reicha 1789.
----
Sonst zog die arme Schauspielkunst
im lieben deutschen Vaterlande,
(gesaget sei es hier mit Gunst!)
so wie Nomaden, gleich der Zigeunerbande,
von einem Ort
zum andern fort.
Ihr ganzer Kram
war wundersam
gepackt auf einen Karren.
Da lagen ein'ge Kirchensparren,
bestimmt zur Dekoration;
Dort Pappendeckel, zum Kaisers- oder Königs-
Thron;
Kulissen, die des Tags zum Bettschirm dienten;
Eilt halb Rieß Goldpappier; zwei Stück leon'sche
Treffen,
Glanzleinewand und Damiß, knapp gemessen:
Ein Hannswurstkleid; von Spiegelglaß Ju-
welen;
Nur wenig tragische, und ein'ge kom'sche Klei-
der ––
Dieß war der ganze Schatz; dran soll nicht
viel mehr fehlen:
Denn jeder Künstler war zur Noth sein eigner
Schneider.
|Source:Translation=[10]
<div style='text-align: center;'><big>Speech</big></div>
upon the opening of the National Theater
at Bonn, by C. G. Neefe; recited
by Steiger, the music to the
chorus by Jos. Reicha 1789.
----
Once, the poor art of acting
in our beloved German fatherland,
(let it be said here with affection!)
moved about like nomads, like a band of gypsies,
from one place
to another.
All their belongings
were wondrously
packed onto a cart.
Here lay a few wooden beams,
intended for decoration;
There, pieces of cardboard, for the emperor’s or king’s
throne;
Scenery that served as a bed canopy by day;
A stack of gold-foil paper; two pieces of Lyonese
fabric,
glossy canvas and damask, barely enough:
a Hans Wurst outfit<ref>A stock character in early improvised German comedy.</ref>; jewelry made of mirror glass;
just a few tragic and some comic
costumes ––
this was the entire treasure; not much more
was needed:
for every artist was, in a pinch, his own
tailor.

}}

___
=Notes=
<references responsive="0" />

Theaterkalender 1791: Eröffnungsrede

2026-05-06T10:24:47Z

JDWpianist:

{{Primary Source
|Source:Name=Theaterkalender 1791: Eröffnungsrede
|Source:Description=This is the published version of a speech written by Christian Gottlob Neefe upon the re-opening of the Bonn Court Theater in January 1789, as it appeared in Heinrich August Ottokar Reichard's ''Theater-Kalender, auf das Jahr 1791'', pp. 10–15. This speech preceded a performance of Vicente Martín y Soler's ''L'arbore di Diana''.

The chorus by Joseph Reicha has survived.
|Source:Location=Bonn
|Source:Date=1789-01-03
|Source:DisplayDate=3 January 1789
|Source:Transcription=[[https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/view/bsb10121298?page=52 10]]
<div style='text-align: center;'><big>Rede</big></div>
bei Eröfnung der Nationalschaubühne
zu Bonn, von C. G. Neefe; gespro-
chen von Steiger, die Musik zum
Chore von Jos. Reicha 1789.
----
Sonst zog die arme Schauspielkunst
im lieben deutschen Vaterlande,
(gesaget sei es hier mit Gunst!)
so wie Nomaden, gleich der Zigeunerbande,
von einem Ort
zum andern fort.
Ihr ganzer Kram
war wundersam
gepackt auf einen Karren.
Da lagen ein'ge Kirchensparren,
bestimmt zur Dekoration;
Dort Pappendeckel, zum Kaisers- oder Königs-
Thron;
Kulissen, die des Tags zum Bettschirm dienten;
Eilt halb Rieß Goldpappier; zwei Stück leon'sche
Treffen,
Glanzleinewand und Damiß, knapp gemessen:
Ein Hannswurstkleid; von Spiegelglaß Ju-
welen;
Nur wenig tragische, und ein'ge kom'sche Klei-
der ––
Dieß war der ganze Schatz; dran soll nicht
viel mehr fehlen:
Denn jeder Künstler war zur Noth sein eigner
Schneider.
|Source:Translation=[10]
<div style='text-align: center;'><big>Speech</big></div>
upon the opening of the National Theater
at Bonn, by C. G. Neefe; recited
by Steiger, the music to the
chorus by Jos. Reicha 1789.
----
Once, the poor art of acting
in our beloved German fatherland,
(let it be said here with affection!)
moved about like nomads, like a band of gypsies,
from one place
to another.
All their belongings
were wondrously
packed onto a cart.
Here lay a few wooden beams,
intended for decoration;
There, pieces of cardboard, for the emperor’s or king’s
throne;
Scenery that served as a bed canopy by day;
A stack of gold-foil paper; two pieces of Lyonese
fabric,
glossy canvas and damask, barely enough:
a Hans Wurst outfit<ref>A stock character in early improvised German comedy.</ref>; jewelry made of mirror glass;
just a few tragic and some comic
costumes ––
this was the entire treasure; not much more
was needed:
for every artist was, in a pinch, his own
tailor.

}}

Theaterkalender 1791: Eröffnungsrede

2026-05-06T10:23:16Z

JDWpianist:

{{Primary Source
|Source:Name=Theaterkalender 1791: Eröffnungsrede
|Source:Description=This is the published version of a speech written by Christian Gottlob Neefe upon the re-opening of the Bonn Court Theater in January 1789, as it appeared in Heinrich August Ottokar Reichard's ''Theater-Kalender, auf das Jahr 1791'', pp. 10–15. This speech preceded a performance of Vicente Martín y Soler's ''L'arbore di Diana''.

The chorus by Joseph Reicha has survived.
|Source:Location=Bonn
|Source:Date=1789-01-03
|Source:DisplayDate=3 January 1789
|Source:Transcription=[[https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/view/bsb10121298?page=52 10]]
<div style='text-align: center;'><big>Rede</big></div>
bei Eröfnung der Nationalschaubühne
zu Bonn, von C. G. Neefe; gespro-
chen von Steiger, die Musik zum
Chore von Jos. Reicha 1789.
----
Sonst zog die arme Schauspielkunst
im lieben deutschen Vaterlande,
(gesaget sei es hier mit Gunst!)
so wie Nomaden, gleich der Zigeunerbande,
von einem Ort
zum andern fort.
Ihr ganzer Kram
war wundersam
gepackt auf einen Karren.
Da lagen ein'ge Kirchensparren,
bestimmt zur Dekoration;
Dort Pappendeckel, zum Kaisers- oder Königs-
Thron;
Kulissen, die des Tags zum Bettschirm dienten;
Eilt halb Rieß Goldpappier; zwei Stück leon'sche
Treffen,
Glanzleinewand und Damiß, knapp gemessen:
Ein Hannswurstkleid; von Spiegelglaß Ju-
welen;
Nur wenig tragische, und ein'ge kom'sche Klei-
der ––
Dieß war der ganze Schatz; dran soll nicht
viel mehr fehlen:
Denn jeder Künstler war zur Noth sein eigner
Schneider.
|Source:Translation=[10]
<div style='text-align: center;'><big>Speech</big></div>
upon the opening of the National Theater
at Bonn, by C. G. Neefe; recited
by Steiger, the music to the
chorus by Jos. Reicha 1789.
----
Once, the poor art of acting
in our beloved German fatherland,
(let it be said here with affection!)
moved about like nomads, like a band of gypsies,
from one place
to another.
All their belongings
were wondrously
packed onto a cart.
Here lay a few wooden beams,
intended for decoration;
There, pieces of cardboard, for the emperor’s or king’s
throne;
Scenery that served as a bed canopy by day;
A stack of gold-foil paper; two pieces of Lyonese
fabric,
glossy canvas and damask, barely enough:
a Hans Wurst outfit; jewelry made of mirror glass;
just a few tragic and some comic
costumes ––
this was the entire treasure; not much more
was needed:
for every artist was, in a pinch, his own
tailor.

}}

Theaterkalender 1791: Eröffnungsrede

2026-05-06T10:08:53Z

JDWpianist:

Theaterkalender 1791: Eröffnungsrede

2026-05-06T10:08:30Z

JDWpianist:

Theaterkalender 1791: Eröffnungsrede

2026-05-06T10:07:24Z

JDWpianist:

Theaterkalender 1791: Eröffnungsrede

2026-05-06T10:05:51Z

JDWpianist:

Theaterkalender 1791: Eröffnungsrede

2026-05-06T10:04:34Z

JDWpianist:

Theaterkalender 1791: Eröffnungsrede

2026-05-06T10:03:43Z

JDWpianist: Created page with "{{Primary Source |Source:Name=Theaterkalender 1791: Eröffnungsrede |Source:Description=This is the published version of a speech written by Christian Gottlob Neefe upon the re-opening of the Bonn Court Theater in January 1789, as it appeared in Heinrich August Ottokar Reichard's _Theater-Kalender, auf das Jahr 1791_, pp. 10–15. This speech preceded a performance of Vicente Martín y Soler's _L'arbore di Diana_. The chorus by Joseph Reicha has survived. |Source:Loca..."