Ludwig van Beethoven, Brief an Breitkopf & Härtel in Leipzig, Wien, 22. November 1809, Autograph

Beethoven is annoyed that the recently published editions of the Symphonies op. 67 and 68 and the Trios op. 70 contain mistakes. He encloses a list of mistakes (which has no longer survived), asking for the copies which have not been sold to be corrected and for publication of the list. In addition he enquires as to whether his last package (opp. 72, 85 and 86) has arrived.

Breitkopf & Härtel had sent him a tragedy by Johann August Apel. Beethoven regrets that he has not had an opportunity to take a closer look at it. He stresses that "There is no writing which is too intellectual for me […], since my childhood I have endeavoured to capture the mood of the better and wiser people in each age. Shame on all artists who do not see it as their duty to get at least this far.

Beethoven complains about the political situation in Vienna (he calls it "dead peace", as despite the official peace treaty, Napoleon's troops are still in Vienna) and the age in which he has to live.