Ludwig van Beethoven, Brief an Adolph Martin Schlesinger in Berlin, Wien, 20. September 1820

Beethoven writes to Schlesinger and confirms receipt of payment for opp. 108 and 109. He apologizes for the delay in answering and sending the works, citing the unsuitability of and delay in translating the English texts. He promises to send the sonatas (opp. 109, 110 and 111) more quickly. One of them is as good as finished, and he is already working feverishly on the others. He says that he will ask for payment of the last two sonatas immediately after he has sent them.

Without any further explanation this letter would almost sound like an everyday business letter. And to a certain extent it is: it contains all of the composer's usual excuses, promises and delaying tactics. First of all the Lieder op. 108: they should have been finished much earlier. Beethoven apologizes for the delay in sending them due to "lasting unsuitability". That this is only an excuse is shown by the conversation books of the time, in which Oliva expressly advises Beethoven to tell this little lie.

Nor is Beethoven honest concerning the Piano Sonatas opp. 109, 110 and 111. He promises Schlesinger regarding op. 109 that "the first one is almost finished up to proofreading" - but he is lying.

As early as 28 June 1820, that is almost three months before this, he had claimed that the sonata was "already finished"; however, he only actually finished it in December. Schlesinger had already paid him for the sonata, trusting that it would soon be delivered. The composer claimed he was now working on opp. 110 and 111 "without delay". But this is also not the whole truth: in 1820 Beethoven was mainly working on the Missa solemnis. According to the sketches Beethoven only worked on his last piano sonatas in autumn and winter 1821/22 - and continued to put off his publisher with excuses.