Donald Macleod surveys Beethoven's growing popularity in Vienna when he needs an agent

Composer of the Week explores Beethoven the pianist and composer for the piano. He became renowned in his day both as a virtuoso performer at the keyboard, and for his ground-breaking works for the instrument. When first starting out on his musical career, he greatly admired Mozart for his piano works, particularly the concertos. Beethoven sought out the older composer for lessons, although these never took place. Similarly to Mozart's own career, Beethoven also made a name for himself initially not only as a composer, but as a pianist, and after Mozart's death was destined to take his place in Vienna as the leading composer there. From the outset, his works for the piano showed great skill and an independence of creative thought. In each programme this week, Donald Macleod explores one of Beethoven's five piano concertos, and the period in which it was written.

From 1799 and into 1800 Beethoven was composing and completing a number of works including a septet, a symphony, and also a set of piano sonatas dedicated to the wife of Baron Peter von Braun. The Baron was involved in allocating dates of usage for the Burgtheater, and on 2nd of April 1800 Beethoven was giving a benefit concert there. This was a period when Beethoven's popularity in Vienna was growing, and he'd soon be asking his brother to be his agent, negotiating contractual deals with publishers. By 1803 came the successful premiere of Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto. One reviewer said that this work should succeed even in Leipzig, where people were accustomed to the best of Mozart's concertos.

Prelude in F minor, WoO55
Jenő Jandó, piano

Rondo in B flat major, WoO6
Pierre-Laurent Aimard, piano
Chamber Orchestra of Europe
Nikolaus Harnoncourt, conductor

Piano Concerto No 3 in C minor, Op 37
Paul Lewis, piano
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Jiří Bělohlávek, conductor

Five Variations on Rule Britannia, WoO79
Olli Mustonen, piano

Producer Luke Whitlock. Show less