Franz von Oppersdorff
Encyclopedia
Count Franz von Oppersdorff (1778 - 1818) was a Silesia
n nobleman and a great lover of music, who commissioned Beethoven
's Fourth
and Fifth Symphonies
.
Opperdorff's family estate was in Oberglogau, Upper Silesia
, where he maintained a private orchestra. The great Beethoven patron Prince Lichnowsky lived nearby, on his estates in Hradec nad Moravicí
near Opava
. In the fall of 1806 - a tense year for Beethoven, marked in the spring by the withdrawal of his opera Leonore (the future Fidelio
) after its obvious failure, and in the summer by his deteriorating relationship with his brother Karl
, who had married in May and whose son, also called Karl, was born in September - Lichnowsky persuaded Beethoven to accompany him to Hradec nad Moravicí for some rest and peace.
When they visited Oppersdorff, his orchestra performed the Second Symphony
to Beethoven's approval. Oppersdorff then commissioned a new symphony from him - the Fourth - which Beethoven completed in October, selling the score for 500 guilder
s for Oppersdorff's private use for six months. It was published two years later with a dedication to Oppersdorff.
In February 1807 the Count paid another 500 florins for the Fourth Symphony, and in June, obviously pleased with the work, commissioned the Fifth for another 500 guilders for his own use, advancing Beethoven 200 guilders six months ahead of time. Beethoven completed the Fifth Symphony in 1808, taking the score to Oppersdorff in November to receive the final payment, but the dedication was to the Count Andrey Razumovsky and Prince Joseph Franz von Lobkowitz.
There is no record that Oppersdorff commissioned any more work from Beethoven.
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
n nobleman and a great lover of music, who commissioned Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ludwig van Beethoven was a German composer and pianist. A crucial figure in the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras in Western art music, he remains one of the most famous and influential composers of all time.Born in Bonn, then the capital of the Electorate of Cologne and part of...
's Fourth
Symphony No. 4 (Beethoven)
Symphony No. 4 in B Flat Major , is a symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven, written in the summer of 1806. It was premiered in March of 1807 at a private concert of the home of Prince Franz Joseph von Lobkowitz...
and Fifth Symphonies
Symphony No. 5 (Beethoven)
The Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67, was written by Ludwig van Beethoven in 1804–08. This symphony is one of the most popular and best-known compositions in all of classical music, and one of the most often played symphonies. It comprises four movements: an opening sonata, an andante, and a fast...
.
Opperdorff's family estate was in Oberglogau, Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia
Upper Silesia is the southeastern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia. Since the 9th century, Upper Silesia has been part of Greater Moravia, the Duchy of Bohemia, the Piast Kingdom of Poland, again of the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and the Holy Roman Empire, as well as of...
, where he maintained a private orchestra. The great Beethoven patron Prince Lichnowsky lived nearby, on his estates in Hradec nad Moravicí
Hradec nad Moravicí
Hradec nad Moravicí is a town in the Moravian-Silesian Region of the Czech Republic located about 8 km south of Opava. It has cca 5,150 inhabitants. The town is dominated by a castle complex....
near Opava
Opava
Opava is a city in the northern Czech Republic on the river Opava, located to the north-west of Ostrava. The historical capital of Czech Silesia, Opava is now in the Moravian-Silesian Region and has a population of 59,843 as of January 1, 2005....
. In the fall of 1806 - a tense year for Beethoven, marked in the spring by the withdrawal of his opera Leonore (the future Fidelio
Fidelio
Fidelio is a German opera in two acts by Ludwig van Beethoven. It is Beethoven's only opera. The German libretto is by Joseph Sonnleithner from the French of Jean-Nicolas Bouilly which had been used for the 1798 opera Léonore, ou L’amour conjugal by Pierre Gaveaux, and for the 1804 opera Leonora...
) after its obvious failure, and in the summer by his deteriorating relationship with his brother Karl
Kaspar Anton Karl van Beethoven
Kaspar Anton Karl van Beethoven is remembered to history as the brother of the celebrated composer Ludwig van Beethoven.-Youth:...
, who had married in May and whose son, also called Karl, was born in September - Lichnowsky persuaded Beethoven to accompany him to Hradec nad Moravicí for some rest and peace.
When they visited Oppersdorff, his orchestra performed the Second Symphony
Symphony No. 2 (Beethoven)
Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 2 in D major was written between 1801 and 1802 and is dedicated to Prince Lichnowsky.-Background:...
to Beethoven's approval. Oppersdorff then commissioned a new symphony from him - the Fourth - which Beethoven completed in October, selling the score for 500 guilder
Guilder
Guilder is the English translation of the Dutch gulden — from Old Dutch for 'golden'. The guilder originated as a gold coin but has been a common name for a silver or base metal coin for some centuries...
s for Oppersdorff's private use for six months. It was published two years later with a dedication to Oppersdorff.
In February 1807 the Count paid another 500 florins for the Fourth Symphony, and in June, obviously pleased with the work, commissioned the Fifth for another 500 guilders for his own use, advancing Beethoven 200 guilders six months ahead of time. Beethoven completed the Fifth Symphony in 1808, taking the score to Oppersdorff in November to receive the final payment, but the dedication was to the Count Andrey Razumovsky and Prince Joseph Franz von Lobkowitz.
There is no record that Oppersdorff commissioned any more work from Beethoven.