Dirzka received the choral parts (to the Ninth Symphony) by Tuesday, April 27. On Thursday, April 29, Anton Schindler reported to Beethoven: “Today Dirzka told me that he already began with the chorus yesterday, and he is satisfied with how the choristers are doing.” The chorus, therefore, commenced rehearsals on Wednesday, April 28. On Sunday, May 2, perhaps following the mid-day rehearsal at the Landstandischer Saal, Schindler penned the following plea to Beethoven, which may imply that the choral rehearsals were not going very well: “I ask you most kindly, please write a note to Herr Dirzka, in which you ask him to take great pains with the rehearsals of the chorus. You can be assured that a few words from you will get a lot of results.” Moreover, Schindler writes: “Now I only wish that you would feel well disposed toward Herr Dirzka. At Dirzka’s request, choral rehearsals continued in the presence of Beethoven and conductor Michael Umlauf (1781-1842) on Monday afternoon, May 3, at the Karntnertor Theater and again on Tuesday morning, May 4. Following the Tuesday rehearsal, concertmaster Ignaz Schuppanzigh (1776-1830) reported to Beethoven that the chorus “wants to sing [the score] a little bit slower. They must meanwhile allow time, because they are not acquainted with it yet.” Again, another indication that choral preparations were perhaps suffering. Schindler’s conversation book entry following this rehearsal provides additional insight into the workings of the chorus: “The altos have been weak, but the boys are coming tomorrow, who, moreover, must be a decisive factor.”
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Wayne F. Miller says