BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Saturday, February 26, 1825

Copyist Ferdinand Wolanek is by now probably finished copying the parts of the op.127 quartet for the Schuppanzigh Quartet to premiere on March 6, and Beethoven is proofreading them. Assuming that the plans made a few weeks ago hold, Beethoven has Wolanek copy at least one of the parts for the quartet at either Johann’s apartment or Ludwig’s own, for security purposes.

Today’s Literary Gazette (Nr.423) published in London, contains a column relating to musical news at 140, entitled “L. von [sic] Beethoven and C.M. von Weber. The prospect in other quarters of the musical horizon is more bright and less troubled by the clouds of uncertainty which overhang our Italian opera. Among the foreign talent, of which there will be, as annually, a considerable influx into this country, are named two artists of the very highest reputation–Beethoven and Weber.–The former has been invited by the Philharmonic; and the latter, by the manager of Covent-garden Theatre. Considering the melancholy state of health in which Beethoven has lived for some years, he being almost entirely deaf, (the greatest calamity that could befal a professional musician), it is difficult to assign any other motives for bringing him to this country, but those of gratifying the frequenters of the Philharmonic Concerts with a sight of the man, from whose sublime compositions they have derived, from year to year, such exquisite pleasure.”

The balance of the column relates to Weber and his operas, as well as his new opera, Oberon, being written for the Covent Garden Theater. Mention is also made at 141 of this magazine that at the Philharmonic Society’s concert the previous Monday, Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony was substituted for “the much-talked-of 9th Symphony of Beethoven”.

Our next update will be February 28th.

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