2. Beethoven should always have freedom to make artistic tours, because only by such can he make himself very well known and acquire some property. 3. It would be his greatest desire and most ardent wish sometime to enter into the actual Imperial service and by reason of the salary expected from such a source to be able to waive in whole or in part the compensation set forth above; meanwhile the title merely of an Imperial Chapelmaster would make him very happy; if it could be obtained for him his stay here would be still dearer to him. Should this desire some day be fulfilled and he receive a salary from His Majesty, Beethoven will forgo his claim on as much of the 4000 florins as the Imperial salary amounts to, and if this is 4000 florins, then he would forgo the entire 4000 florins above specified. 4. As Beethoven desires to perform his new works in public, he desires an assurance from the Court Theatrical Directors, for themselves and their successors, that on Palm Sunday of each year he shall have the use of the Theater-an-der-Wien for a concert for his own benefit. In return for this assurance, Beethoven would bind himself to arrange and conduct a charity concert every year or, in case of inability to do this, to contribute a new work for such a concert.[64] [Sidenote: BEETHOVEN GUARANTEED AN ANNUITY] The conditions proving acceptable, the business was concluded and Beethoven retained in Vienna by this AGREEMENT: The daily proofs which Herr Ludwig van Beethoven is giving of his extraordinary talents and genius as musician and composer, awaken the desire that he surpass the great expectations which are justified by his past achievements. But as it has been demonstrated that only one who is as free from care as possible can devote himself to a single department of activity and create works of magnitude which are exalted and which ennoble art, the undersigned have decided to place Herr Ludwig van Beethoven in a position where the necessaries of life shall not cause him embarrassment or clog his powerful genius. To this end they bind themselves to pay him the fixed sum of 4000 (four thousand) florins a year, as follows: His Imperial Highness, Archduke Rudolph Fl. 1500 The Highborn Prince Lobkowitz „ 700 The Highborn Prince Ferdinand Kinsky „ 1800 ________ Total Fl. 4000 which Herr van Beethoven is to collect in semi-annual installments, ~pro rata~, against voucher, from each of these contributors. The undersigned are pledged to pay this annual salary until Herr van Beethoven receives an appointment which shall yield him the equivalent of the above sum.