Dear Dr. Rudolf,

A conductor friend of mine, Yoav Talmi, has just shown me your fascinating article on Beethoven's MM's for his symphonies. I am thrilled to have read it. Recently, a friend of mine, in Capetown [sic], has completed his doctoral dissertation on the same subject. His name is Stewart Young, and your conclusions are almost identical!! I think you would enjoy reading his dissertation.

Two observations:

1) You write in reference to the 9th Symphony: “The list is clearly written and constitutes the only original source for Beethoven's metronome figures…” Is this true? This list in Carl's handwriting is taken from the figures, I believe, in the conversation book in Ludwig's handwriting. This, and not Carl's letter, is the original source.

2) In this conversation book the trio of the scherzo of the 9th Symphony is marked. Stewart Young's conclusion is that Carl did in fact make a mistake in the list sent to Mainz and that the 116 of the trio does indeed refer to the whole bar. Further evidence that this is the case, according to Stewart Young's dissertation, is the review of the first performance, which Beethoven supervised and attended. The reviewer writes of the trio that it is in the form of a “brilliant march.” would not really be the tempo, I should think, of a brilliant march. Stewart Young believes that 116 = w is what Beethoven intended. He has conducted it at this tempo and affirms that it is playable and highly exciting, almost “delirious with joy.”

Claude Frank told me you would be interested in another point in Stewart's dissertation: Constanze Mozart's second husband, von Nissen, has left a tempo for the aria “Ach, ich fühls.”7

P.S. Hope to see you soon. Let's try to meet. My address: RFD, Lenox, MA 01240.

P.P.S. I am sending a copy of your article to Dr. Young in Capetown [sic]. I know he will be thrilled to read it. I think for every musician it is of the greatest interest!