Beethoven's relationship to Great Britain

Other publishing houses

Two Italian musicians working in London, Francesco Cianchettini and cello player Sperati, referring to themselves as "Importers of Classical Music" on the title page, published a series of 27 symphonies in score editions each month between 1807 and 1809. Apart from 18 symphonies by Joseph Haydn and six pieces by Mozart Beethoven's first three symphonies were published here as score editions for the first time, a score type that would not be common on the Continent until the 1820s. The first edition in voices, published in 1804 by a Vienna publisher, served as master. Probably, Beethoven did not know anything about this edition and did not receive any remuneration. Neither was it Beethoven who dedicated the composition to Prince-Regent George of England but the publishers. The displayed catalogue excerpt shows that the London music publishing house Preston also edited a number of reprints besides the folk song adaptations published by George Thomson. Between 1808 and 1820 the London publisher Monzani & Hill edited a monumental full edition of Beethoven's piano and piano chamber music compositions - enough sheet music to fill 75 volumes. All publications were reprints. Of booklet 27 only one single copy remains, kept at the Beethoven-Haus for a few years. It contains the variations in G Major WoO 77 that were first published by a Vienna publisher in 1800.