Beethoven informs his publisher in Leipzig that his brother Kaspar Karl, who is there on business, will bring them the overture for Fidelio (Leonore III) in a piano reduction as well as opp. 85 and 58. In addition he also offers them his Quartets op. 59, on which he is currently working. He also offers them the piano reduction of the whole opera (Leonore, op. 72) as well as the score should they need it.
He then mentions the devastating reviews of his Symphony op. 55 which have appeared in the Leipziger Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung (this newspaper was also published by Breitkopf & Härtel). These reviews do not worry him unduly; he assumes that this will only cause the newspaper to be seen in a bad light. Beethoven sends his respects (ironically, see HCB Br 68) to Herr von Rochlitz, the editor in charge of this. He assumes that he would get on very well with him if they should ever meet. He also asks him to send greetings to August Eberhard Müller, the Thomaskantor (choirmaster) in Leipzig. Müller was known for his piano works and made numerous arrangements of works by Mozart and Haydn as piano reductions. Müller had also made piano reductions of Beethoven's op. 55 and op. 29.
