Jon Johanning wrote:

>Norman Schwartz wrote:
>
>>It hasn't been brought up (yet), but how about LvB's own Piano
>>transcription, Op. 61a? No one seems to have kind words about this
>>work to begin with.
>
>I haven't heard it often enough to get much of an impression of it, and
>haven't been moved to get a recording, but I do find it rather interesting
>when I do get a chance to hear it.  I wonder, though, why he made the
>arrangement -- just for the heck of it, or to satisfy some particular
>request? (I'm sure he got paid for it -- two fees for essentially one
>work!)

>From what I've read, Muzio Clementi, pianist and music publisher,
asked Beethoven to do it.  At that time (1807) Beethoven was in financial
difficulty and needed the money, as suggested, but also thought the violin
concerto was being neglected and could be brought to a wider audience via
the piano transcription.  The use of tympani in the first movement cadenza
in Op.  61a is often compared with the similar instrumentation found at the
end of the finale in the "Emperor" concerto.

Norman M. Schwartrz
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