Bonn Court Administration Files

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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 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 Alexander Wheelock Thayer for the first volume of his monumental biography, ''Ludwig van Beethovens Leben'', whose first edition appeared in 1866. Thayer 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 he might have missed or to seek broader context.
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, in 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."
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.
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 to Ludwig van Beethoven and his family. More than this, however, 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 represent 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.
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.
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 ==
== 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) ===
=== 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
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
* [[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) ===
=== 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
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) ===
=== 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
1694–1792


=== Kurköln II, Nr. 479 (Female singers) ===
=== 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
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
* [[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) ===
=== Kurköln II, Nr. 480 (Organists) ===
NB: Does not include Ludwig van Beethoven, 1698–1796
[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) ===
=== 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]
[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.
This file is a collection of most petitions and decrees that mention members of the Beethoven family.


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=== Kurköln II, Nr. 483 (Woodwind and Brass 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. 484 (Timpanists and Timpani Carriers) ===
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=== Kurköln II, Nr. 468 (1717–1730) ===
=== 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) ===
=== 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) ===
=== 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) ===
=== 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]
[https://www.archive.nrw.de/archivsuche?link=VERZEICHUNGSEINHEIT-Vz_862721b0-ae27-4a4b-8d55-2c8f02620ee5 Entry in Online Finding Aid]
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* fols. 34–43 (6 October to 15 November 1788): dispute over engagement of several Bonn court musicians in Frankfurt
* 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. 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
* [[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 ==
== Inventories and Lists ==
Line 112: Line 265:
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3021 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1789)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3021 (1789)]]
* [[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. 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)]]
* [[D-DGla, KK II Nr. 3033 (Minutes of the Privy State Council, 1800)|Kurköln II, Nr. 3033 (1800)]]


Line 118: Line 272:
==Notes==
==Notes==
<references responsive="0" />
<references responsive="0" />
[[Category:Primary Source]]

Latest revision as of 16:29, 3 June 2026

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.[1] More recently, over the course of the two research projects "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[edit | edit source]

Kurköln II, Nr. 472 (Music Directors)[edit | edit source]

Entry in Online Finding Aid

1718–1784

  • fol. 5 (26 August 1738): employment decree for Joseph Clemens Dall'Abaco

Kurköln II, Nr. 473 (Konzertmeister)[edit | edit source]

Entry in Online Finding Aid 1715–1785

Kurköln II, Nr. 474 (Kapellmeister)[edit | edit source]

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)[edit | edit source]

Entry in Online Finding Aid

1714–1740

Kurköln II, Nr. 476 (Composers)[edit | edit source]

Entry in Online Finding Aid

1723–1752

Kurköln II, Nr. 478 (Male singers)[edit | edit source]

Entry in Online Finding Aid

1694–1792

Kurköln II, Nr. 479 (Female singers)[edit | edit source]

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
  • fols. 109–112 (19 February 1790): Magdalena Willmann's employment decree

Kurköln II, Nr. 480 (Organists)[edit | edit source]

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)[edit | edit source]

Entry in Online Finding Aid

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

  • fol. 1 (March 1733): Lodewijk van Beethoven's employment decree
  • fols. 2–4 (22 August 1746): Confirmation of a raise for Lodewijk van Beethoven
  • 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
  • fols. 13–16 (16 July 1761): Lodewijk van Beethoven is elevated to rank of Hofkapellmeister
  • 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
  • fols. 62–67 (undated, c. June 1784): Evaluation of all court musicians with notes on their abilities, age, deportment, and family situation
  • fols. 69–74 (23–29 February 1784): Deliberations around Ludwig van Beethoven's employment as assistant court organist (see also 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)[edit | edit source]

Kurköln II, Nr. 483 (Woodwind and Brass Players)[edit | edit source]

  • 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)[edit | edit source]

Kurköln II, Nr. 485 (Calcants)[edit | edit source]

Miscellaneous Court Music Documents[edit | edit source]

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)[edit | edit source]

Entry in Online Finding Aid

Kurköln II, Nr. 469 (1731–1764)[edit | edit source]

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)[edit | edit source]

Entry in Online Finding Aid

Kurköln II, Nr. 471 (1780–1794)[edit | edit source]

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
  • 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[edit | edit source]

  • 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[edit | edit source]

contains summaries of each petition and decree discussed between July 1784 and 1801, including some for which all other documentation is lost

Account Books[edit | edit source]

Notes[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ 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.

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