Rare Beethoven works revisited -"Der glorreiche Augenblick," Op. 136

[thesunlover]

It's interesting.

I've done some homeworks and found "a ducat is currently worth 800 U.S. dollars in January 2013." Then how about in Beethoven's time? How many British pounds is a ducat equal? Any idea?

In addition, "Rudolph and Princes Lobkowitz and Kinsky made offered to pay him 4,000 florins a year..." What's the amount of 4k florins worth in 1808 when Beethoven accepted the offer?

Thanks.

Among those present were:
Czar Alexander of Russia, the Empress of Russia, both the Grand Duchesses of Russia, the Empress of Austria, the King of Prussia, Frederick William II,(only stayed for the first half) the Prince of Sicily.
Dr Karl Von Bursy reported Beethoven as saying The King of Prussia paid him an extra ten ducats, very paltry! Only the Emperor of Russia paid the decent sum of 200 ducats.
The Wiener Zeitung reported on 30 November that the two Empresses, the King of Prussia and other Royalties were present.

[Fidelio]

According to 1913 Webster the ducat was worth the equivalent of nine shillings and four pence sterling. 20 Shillings were equivalent to a pound in todays term. Therefore 3000 Ducats were worth roughly 27000 shillings which is equivalent to £1350.

Also see
http://www.beethoven-haus-bonn.de/si...tail.php/35320

http://www.beethoven-haus-bonn.de/si...tail.php/35330

[thesunlover]

Thanks Fidelio for the useful info.

Excuse me, where is the amount of 3000 ducats from?

The 200 ducats Czar Alex gave Beethoven is equivalent to US $20,000 today, barely sufficient to support a single middle-class man living for 1 year.

Agree?