Wednesday, February 9:
No dictation today. R. works on his composition for the Americans, for the opening of the World's Fair and the Centennial of Independence; he has asked for 5,000 dollars for it, and we wonder whether the promoters will agree to this. When I go to lunch, he is playing a gentle, rocking theme; he says nothing occurs to him to represent American pomp.
Sleigh ride, little real success; in the evening Beethoven trios, the D major and B-flat major, a great impression particularly from the latter, with regret that Beethoven does not conclude the Adagio but, as with the crack of a whip, as R. says, launches straight into the finale. A Herr Ritter from Heidelberg brings along a new kind of viola, which R. finds excellent and intends to introduce into his orchestra. But after such evening amusements R. is always tired.