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Scan the list of persons to whom Beethoven dedicated his compositions, and more than any other name, you'll see the name of Rudolf Johann Joseph Rainer Habsburg, better known as Archduke Rudolf. Compositions dedicated to the Archduke include the Triple Concerto, the Grosse Fugue, the Missa Solemnis, two piano concertos, two piano sonatas, one violin sonata, and the eponymous "Archduke" Trio. In some hands, such tributes might have carried mercenary undertones, with the hope of earning a healthy fee in return for a dedication. Yet here there is clear evidence that Beethoven was not merely placating a wealthy supporter, for the Archduke was both a friend and student, a musically talented young nobleman who accepted Beethoven and his compositions despite the eccentricities of both. That Beethoven remained close to Rudolf even after his own reputation became well-established stands as proof that the composer was not merely using the young man for his own survival. He was, apparently, grateful for the Archduke's attention and friendship.
Prominent amongst the works dedicated to the Archduke is the last of Beethoven's five piano concertos. The composition was begun in 1808, around the time that the Fifth and Sixth Symphonies and the Fourth Concerto were completed. Despite the grand scale of the piece, Beethoven finished it promptly, at least by his own usually arduous standards, and the new concerto was ready for its premiere in Leipzig in 1811. One might have expected that, on that occasion, Beethoven himself would have performed the solo part, as he had for the premieres of each previous piano concerto. By this time, however, his ever-problematic hearing had declined to the point of profound deafness, and public performance was no longer an option. The honor of that first performance went to a twenty-five year old church organist, Friedrich Schneider. Three months later, in February 1812, the concerto was given its Vienna premiere. The pianist on that occasion was Beethoven's student, Carl Czerny, a man still renowned in keyboard circles today for his own piano pieces. Thanks to its bold melodies and heroic spirit, the new concerto quickly won for itself a place in the piano repertoire, and even became a great favorite of Franz Liszt.
The Fifth Concerto's sobriquet, "Emperor," dates from Beethoven's time, but not from Beethoven himself, for he very rarely gave nicknames to his works. Besides, since the composer had little regard for emperors, he would be unlikely to name one of his own works for a class of people he generally disliked. So where did the name originate? Evidence is unclear, but it seems that the "Emperor" title was the idea of Johann Baptist Cramer, a German-born, London-based pianist and publisher. Beethoven and Cramer were life-long friends, and Beethoven reportedly regarded his lesser-known colleague as the greatest pianist of their day. If Cramer did indeed crown the "Emperor" with its regal title, then it seems proof of Beethoven's friendship that he permitted the choice, for he rarely let anyone meddle with his music.