Ludwig van Beethoven, Brief an Johann Nepomuk Kanka in Prag, Wien, 14. Januar 1815, Autograph

Beethoven encloses a letter written earlier (HCB Br 161, BGA 776). Both letters discuss details of Beethoven's legal battle with Prince Kinsky's heirs. Kinsky was one of the patrons who had agreed to pay Beethoven an annuity in 1809. On Kinsky's death in 1812 a dispute arose between Beethoven and the heirs, as the latter did not feel bound by the contract and therefore no longer wished to continue paying the composer. They were not even prepared to pay the outstanding sum of money still owed by the Prince when he was alive.

Beethoven informs Kanka, who advised him in this matter, that he is prepared to accept less money: 1,500 florins instead of the initial 1,800.

Beethoven adds, not without exerting pressure, that if an agreement is not reached, he will be forced to leave Vienna because the little that remains of the original annuity is not enough to cover his costs. This is not least due to the fact that everything is very expensive and his last academies have also been particularly expensive.

At the time of writing, Beethoven did not yet know that the suit had already been settled on 6 January 1815 in Prague: Beethoven was to receive 1,200 florins Viennese currency backdated to November 1812.