Franz von Oppersdorff

Count Franz von Oppersdorff (1778 - 1818) was a Silesian 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 Grätz near Troppau. 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 Grätz 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 guilders 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.

External links

• www.madaboutbeethoven.com