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Program Notes life.” Well, when wasn’t life difficult fbr this genius who lived in almost constant rebellion against society or himself? His increasing deafness was a legitimate affliction indeed, and certainly no fault of his. But other diffi- culties could have been at least eased if he had been a more tractable man. He complained about money troubles, even though he rarely had trouble getting his music published, and on his own financial terms. His work sold well, almost from the Start From 1800 on (including the period when this “Triple Concerto” was being written), Prince Lichnowsky, to whom it is dedicated, contributed 600 Florins annually to his Support. The Archduke Rudolf of Austria later guaranteed him 4,000 Florins. Beethoven feil deeply in love with a fair number of women, and they responded to this talented, prominent man. None, however, would agree to a lasting alliance; they suspected that he would be too wildly emo tional and difficult for that. Around the time he was composing this Concerto in Vienna (1803-4), he was courting Josephine von Brunsvik, recently widowed and with fbur children, and giving her piano lessons. That went on fbr three years; 13 passionate letters from him, and some of her more temperate replies, were published in 1957. She eventually married somebody eise. Without question, Beethoven’s deafness, which by 1808 had made him quit performing as a pianist was a tragedy. Even there, however, there was at least some compensation in the fact that he had an astonishingly fine “inner ear” which was not affected by his loss of hearing. The phrase in this instance refers to the ability to “hear” music mentally, without the need to literally hear it. Many musidans and most Composers have it; in Beethoven’s case it was a saving grace. Indeed, according to biographer and critic Harold C. Schonberg, “Beethoven once told his English pupil, Cipriani Potter, never to compose in a room in which there was a piano, in order to resist the temptation to consult an Instrument.” The Triple Concerto was written fbr perfbrmance by the Archduke, who was a pianist and amateur composer, along with his court Violinist and cellist. It provides lovely and lyrical passages fbr each of the three soloists, stirring tutti episodes altemating with quieter music in the orchestra, and the work concludes with a vigorous polonaise.