BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Thursday, June 12, 1823

Today at noon, Beethoven’s dear friend Ignaz Schuppanzigh and his quartet, in the first of a series of subscription concerts at the Musik-Verein, perform a number of quartets, including Haydn’s Quartet in C major op.76/3 (“Kaiser”) with variations on Gott erhalte Franz den Kaiser; one by Mozart in D major, and a Beethoven quartet in E-flat major. Beethoven had at this time written only one string quartet in that key, so we can say with confidence that the work performed was String Quartet Nr.10 op.74, popularly known as the “Harp” Quartet (composed 1809).

The notice of the performance in the Leipzig Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung for July 30, 1823 (Nr.31) at col. 499-500 was quite approving, saying, “It is a real treat when such masters work together. Herr Sch. plays the first and the excellent dilettante, Herr Holz, the second violin; Messrs. Weiss and Linke the viola and cello respectively. All are of one mind and one soul.” This is an early mention in connection with Beethoven of Karl Holz, who would later supplant Anton Schindler as Beethoven’s unpaid assistant.

The Harp Quartet is here performed by the Danish String Quartet: