Patronage Ludwig van Beethoven

beethoven s patron, archduke rudolph

while beethoven earned income publication of works , public performances, depended on generosity of patrons income, whom gave private performances , copies of works commissioned exclusive period prior publication. of patrons, including prince lobkowitz , prince lichnowsky, gave him annual stipends in addition commissioning works , purchasing published works.

perhaps important aristocratic patron archduke rudolph, youngest son of emperor leopold ii, in 1803 or 1804 began study piano , composition him. cleric (cardinal-priest) , composer became friends, , meetings continued until 1824. beethoven dedicated 14 compositions rudolph, including archduke trio (1811) , missa solemnis (1823). rudolph, in turn, dedicated 1 of own compositions beethoven. letters beethoven wrote rudolph today kept @ gesellschaft der musikfreunde in vienna. patron count (later prince) andreas razumovsky, whom string quartets nos. 7–9, op. 59, rasumovsky named.

in autumn of 1808, after having been rejected position @ royal theatre, received offer napoleon s brother jérôme bonaparte, king of westphalia, well-paid position kapellmeister @ court in cassel. persuade him stay in vienna, archduke rudolph, prince kinsky , prince lobkowitz, after receiving representations composer s friends, pledged pay him pension of 4000 florins year. archduke rudolph paid share of pension on agreed date. kinsky, called military duty, did not contribute , died after falling horse. lobkowitz stopped paying in september 1811. no successors came forward continue patronage, , beethoven relied on selling composition rights , small pension after 1815. effects of these financial arrangements undermined extent war france, caused significant inflation when government printed money fund war efforts.