Which Patron Was The Finest Musician?

[PDG]

Originally posted by sjwenger:
Were there any musicians so favored by Beethoven that he wrote music specifically for them to play (other than exercises for his students)?

Okay, I'll kick off with the horn player, Punto, for whom Beethoven dashed off the underrated Horn & Piano Sonata in F, Op.17.

[Chris]

Originally posted by Rod:
Yes sorry my typo, I'll correct it (Hofrat could have had his revenge there!). You may remember we had a very nice rendition of the first movement here some time ago at the 'Rare Beethoven' mp3 page.

I do remember. It was one of my favorite entries. Even though I have it on CD, I kept it on my computer for quite a while to listen to while I was working.

[Gurn Blanston]

Originally posted by Chris:
I do remember. It was one of my favorite entries. Even though I have it on CD, I kept it on my computer for quite a while to listen to while I was working.

Sorry I missed that. Was it by L'Archibudelli (my favorite version)?



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Regards,
Gurn
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That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
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[Rod]

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
Sorry I missed that. Was it by L'Archibudelli (my favorite version)?

Yes. Mind you they could have done a little more with the second movement in this recording.

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[robert newman]

Of all the artistocratic connections of Beethoven I think Baron van Swieten (1733-1803) was the most musical. Having said this there are unanswered questions about various aspects of his life and musical achievements. It was (according to several sources) van Swieten who opened his home each Sunday in Vienna during the 1780's to Mozart and other leading Vienna musicians, who greatly admired and was first to collect/promote barogue music in that city by composers such as Handel and JS Bach.

Van Sweiten is also known to have composed 2 'opera comigues' and even several symphonies (at least one of which has been recorded). I've even seen a report that masses attributed to him (wrongly ?) were once held at Bonn. He is known to have commissioned 6 symphonies from CPE Bach at Hamburg and was involved in some way in Mozart making arrangements of Handel in the late 1780's. He was also librettist to two late works traditionally attributed to Haydn ('Creation' and 'The Seasons') and of course Beethoven dedicated his First symphony to him.

Having said all this there is clear evidence that Van Swieten was involved in the murkier side of 'pirated' music and in the political intrigues of Austria in the late 1780's. (He was fired from his post by the Emperor on the very day of Mozart's death but was reinstated 2 years later). He is also said to have been involved in the so-called Illuminati movement).

I think there is little doubt that he was a highly competent musician. Perhaps his real value to Beethoven was in the great number of musical and social acquaintances he had.

[Gurn Blanston]

Originally posted by Rod:
Yes. Mind you they could have done a little more with the second movement in this recording.

Thanks, Rod. You're right, of course, but then, is there such a thing as a "perfect performance"? The other version I have of this work is on the CBE, and I vastly prefer Kussmaul/Bylsma.


PS - as to the original question, Rudolf is the only one of that circle whose music I have actually heard (a very nice variations in F for violin & piano on a minuet by Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia) I have to go with him, hands down.



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Regards,
Gurn
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That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
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[Chris]

Originally posted by Gurn Blanston:
The other version I have of this work is on the CBE, and I vastly prefer Kussmaul/Bylsma.

Vol 14 is the only volume of the CBE I have. It seemed like a good way to get all those misc. chamber works. But the quality seems to be mixed, as I guess you'd expect. I haven't listened to it in a while, so I don't remember exactly what I liked and what I didn't. What did you think of this volume in general? I do remember thinking this duo was, maybe not great, but pretty good on it.