Businessman and Charity-Giver

Donald Macleod looks at two distinctly different sides of Beethoven's character as he strikes a publishing deal in England and willingly gives up his time and music to benefit the needy. In 1810 Beethoven took advantage of his growing popularity in England and sold some of his music to Muzio Clementi, who had set himself up as a publisher in London. From these works Donald introduces an intimate piano sonata, a piece whose intimate scale is in direct contrast to the grand sweep of the previous 'Appassionata' Sonata. Also, his newly published oratorio, a copy of which he'd happily provided for performance at a charity concert in Graz. Plus the rarely heard overture from a one-act singspiel commissioned for the opening of the new theatre at Pest, and the final movement from the symphony Wagner described as "The Apotheosis of the Dance".