BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Friday, February 22, 1822

Publisher C.F. Peters announces that in the coming month, he will be publishing the new Mass in C minor op.54 by Louis Spohr. This was the only Mass composed by Spohr, who helped Beethoven with the premiere of the Ghost Trio op. 70/2. Spohr also served as the conductor at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna from 1813-15, where he was on friendly terms with Beethoven. Perhaps this announcement of a major mass helped spur Beethoven to finally get the Missa Solemnis finalized and published.

The Spohr Mass in C Minor is performed here by Cantores Carmeli:

Our next update will be March 11. Again, the lengthy period of silence suggests another bout of seriously ill health for Beethoven.