Monday, December 14, 2009

Baby Remember My Name

In 1800, Beethoven wrote his Sonata for Horn and Piano for that most famous of horn players, Giovanni Punto. You know who I'm talking about - Punto! No? Let's hear what the reviewers had to say about the first performance:

From an issue of the Ofener und Pester Theatertaschenbach we quote, "...Who is this Beethover [sic]? The history of German music is not acquainted with such a name. Punto of course is very well known."
p. 256 Thayer's Life of Beethoven Vol. 1, by Alexander Wheelock Thayer, revised and edited Elliot Forbes

Hapless critic, I bet you're glad your name wasn't published after all.

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