Ludwig van Beethoven, Brief an Hans Georg Nägeli in Zürich, Baden, 9. September 1824, Autograph

Hans Georg Nägeli in Zurich was one of the leading Swiss intellectuals of his time and an extremely versatile man. He was originally a pianist, but became famous as a music dealer and publisher. It was in this function that he sought contact with Beethoven, whose opp. 31 and 53 he published. Nägeli also made a name for himself as a man of letters. He wrote works on music, education, philosophy and religion, and also wrote poetry.

In this letter Beethoven confirms his own and Archduke Rudolph's subscription to Nägeli's volume of poetry "Liederkränze", which was published in 1825.

He also advises Nägeli to send his "Vorlesungen über Musik mit Berücksichtigung der Dilettanten" to the Archduke and even to possibly dedicate it to him (the lectures were published in 1826 and do actually bear a dedication to Archduke Rudolph). Beethoven also expresses his own interest in the "Vorlesungen" and in Nägeli's project to publish a score of Bach's Mass in B minor.