N.B. Over nine days, from March 31 to April 8, 1823, Beethoven and his associates filled this booklet loosely and not always in chronological order, with an inordinate number of blank or partially filled pages remaining. Then, on Blatt 41v, presumably at a coffee house, late in the afternoon of Tuesday, April 8, Beethoven made the acquaintance of “Sandra” (possibly the nickname for Alexander), a former traveling sales representative, who was also coping with a hearing loss, and the two men then filled many of the remaining partial and empty pages with their lengthy conversation. With their customary diplomatic diligence, the German editors transcribed the Heft (which also included a half-dozen falsified entries by Schindler) exactly as it stands, but then supplemented it with an extracted reconstruction of the Beethoven–Sandra conversation. This English edition takes that process one step further and removes the Beethoven–Sandra entries from the pages before Blatt 41v and includes them (in the German editors’ reconstructed order) only within their demonstrated chronological context. Now a clearer picture of Beethoven's activities during this week emerges, with most entries attributable to specific dates or very close to them.

[Blatt 1r]

NEPHEW KARL [probably at Beethoven's apartment for midday dinner; ca. 2 p.m., probably Easter Monday, March 31]:

That is [illegible word/s]. // The wench has a terrible [illegible word]. //

An honorable old woman. // She is also very satisfied, and has often told me so. //

Mundamus [Let's wash up]. //

How long have you been here? // How long is that? // And why? //

Who was it who, one time in the Leopoldstadt, took us to see a lady, where we drank wine, and where someone advised you to use magnetism? [//] [Blatt 1v]

The call of nature. //

[Karl seemingly went to the bathroom and returned:]

She says that, as soon as we go to Baden, she will tell the fat corporal what they suffered because of him. // The people at Baden! //

Yesterday [presumably Easter Sunday, March 30] Blöchlinger told me another story about Niederstetter. He was a teacher at Count Wrbna’s.6 The boys, whom he instructed, were defiant to him and [Blatt 2r] did not answer when he asked them questions. .