Nikolaus Zmeskall 1759 - 1833

Nikolaus Zmeskall 1759 - 1833 was one of Ludwig von Beethoven’s few close personal friends in Vienna, Zmeskall was an official in the Hungarian Chancellery

Nikolaus Zmeskall had been cured of his gout by homeopathy, and so he recommended homeopathy to his friends Ludwig von Beethoven and Ignaz Schuppanzigh,

Nikolaus Zmeskall was a capable amateur cellist - and very short sighted. Ludwig von Beethoven composed the Duet Obligato for two pairs of spectacles WoO 32 in 1796-7 for viola and cello for Zmeskall and him to play together when he too had begun to wear spectacles.

A great number of letters and notes from Ludwig von Beethoven to his friend have survived. From them it is evident he enjoyed making jokes at Zmeskall’s expense. He addresses him, among other things, as Baron Muckcart Driver - a pun on the meaning of Zmeskall’s name in Hungarian.

Many of the notes give a nice insight into Ludwig von Beethoven’s life away from music … “Let us meet at 6 o’clock at the Schwann Inn and drink some of their dreadful red wine…” he writes to Zmeskall on one occasion.

Zmeskall often helped Ludwig von Beethoven in practical matters such as finding a servant. By the 1820s he was confined to a wheelchair with severe gout, but managed - to Ludwig von Beethoven’s delight - to be present at the first performance of the Ninth Symphony on 7th May 1824 at the Kärntnertor theatre.

Ludwig von Beethoven’s final letter to his old friend was written only a month before he died: “My very dear friend! A thousand thanks for your sympathy. I do not despair. But what is most painful to me is the complete cessation of my activities. Yet there is no evil which has not something good in it as well - May Heaven grant you too an alleviation of your painful condition.

“Perhaps we shall both be restored to health and then we shall meet and see one another again as friendly neighbours - Heartfelt greetings from your old friend who sympathises with you. BEETHOVEN.”

Five weeks later Ludwig von Beethoven, his friend outliving him by six years.