Archduke Rudolf, Beethoven s Patron, Pupil & Friend: His Life & Music (Ex)

Description

In early 19th-century Austria the Archduke Rudolph occupied multiple roles: a noble Hapsburg by birth, a Cardinal-Archbishop by career, and a dedicated musician by avocation. A talented pianist and composer, Archduke Rudolph enjoyed the unique privilege of being Beethoven s only composition student, and in the two decades of studying with him produced a sizable and well-crafted body of music for piano, chamber ensemble, and voice. Many of the Archduke s autograph manuscripts were corrected in detail by Beethoven, giving us fascinating insights into Beethoven s thinking on the structure and syntax of music. This comprehensive book surveys Archduke Rudolph s life and career in music, which also encompasses his significant role as music patron and collector. It is based on a study of primary sources, principally the autograph manuscripts of his compositions and sketches, and most importantly, Beethoven s own autographs-including sketches, corrections on the Rudolph manuscripts, and a four-measure theme composed expressly for Rudolph s use-produced here, in facsimile, for the first time.
Other primary sources examined include the Archduke s correspondence with Beethoven and members of the Imperial household, the catalogues of Rudolph s music collection, and documents related to his ecclesiastical career. The thematic catalogue of Archduke Rudolph s music lists all of his finished and unfinished works in chronological order, as well as sketches, copies, and transcriptions. Fifty illustrations and 190 musical examples are also provided.