The Fifth Piano Concerto, nicknamed 'Emperor' in London, was first publicly performed in Leipzig in 1811 by Friedrich Schneider, as Beethoven's deafness prevented him from performing it himself.
Composition History
Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2 was the earliest of his five concertos to be composed, though not the first one published.
Historical Context
During the French bombardment of Vienna in 1809, Beethoven spent time in his brother's cellar, using a pillow over his ears to muffle the sounds of war, which influenced his Fifth Concerto.
Composer Biography
Beethoven arrived in Vienna in November 1792 at age 22, invited by Joseph Haydn, and already had a formidable reputation as a piano virtuoso.
Compositional Technique
Beethoven's cadenzas for his piano concertos are described as 'improvisations frozen in time,' with five drafted for the First and Fourth Concertos alone.
Composer Biography
Beethoven's pupil Carl Czerny recalled a fellow pianist, Abbé Joseph Gelinek, being utterly defeated by Beethoven's improvisational skill in a 'piano joust'.
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