Johann Andreas Stumpff

Johann Andreas Stumpff (27 January 1769 – 2 November 1846

In 1814 he returned to Germany, visiting Weimar where he briefly met Johann Wolfgang von Goethe; it was probably during this visit to Germany that he bought the manuscripts of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's ten last string quartets, from the music publisher Johann Anton André. They remained in his possession during his lifetime.

Stumpff furthered his acquaintance with Goethe, meeting him in 1824 when he gave him presents of editions of Goethe's works, and again in 1829, when he spent every evening for a week in his company. Stumpff read aloud to Goethe his poem about a steam engine, Der Kampf der Elemente (The Battle of the Elements); Goethe published this and other poems by Stumpff in the Weimar literary periodical Chaos.

In 1826 Stumpff sent Beethoven Samuel Arnold's 40-volume edition of Handel's complete works. Beethoven thanked him in a letter of 8 February 1827, in which he also wrote that he was ill and unable to write a note of music, and was in financial difficulty. Stumpff obtained from the Royal Philharmonic Society an advance of money for Beethoven, informing the composer of this in a letter of 1 March; however the help was too late, as Beethoven died on 26 March of that year.

Death Johann Andreas Stumpff died in London in 1846.