BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Friday, December 1, 1820

Parish church of St. Mary’s (now Co-Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary) in Troppau/Opava. Photo by Dorcadion

On the first, second and third days of December, Archduke Rudolph continues doing confirmations at the parish church of St. Mary in Troppau, the capital of Austrian Silesia. The populace pours in from remote surrounding territories to receive the sacrament from him, according to the Troppau Zeitung of December 4, quoted in the Wiener Zeitung of December 9 (nr. 281). Photo by Dorcadion.

Since the Archduke is out of Vienna, Beethoven can work on getting the piano sonata op.109 finished for Schlesinger and begin the autograph of the Agnus Dei and Dona nobis pacem of the Missa Solemnis without as many interruptions.