Diabelli - an accurate copyist
Anton Diabelli, today generally known as a composer, was actually for the main part a music publisher in Vienna. He began his career in publishing as an employee at Sigmund Anton Steiner's Chemische Druckerei, where he was a proof-reader. Beethoven greatly admired Diabelli's work (he conscientiously corrected spelling mistakes in manuscripts), and jokingly called him "Diabolus Diabelli". As part of his work at the publishing house, Diabelli copied the engraver's model for the Seventh Symphony op. 92 for Steiner's first edition. It is extremely accurate and carefully done. In fact it is so careful that it only contains one single correction by Beethoven (two natural signs are missing in one bar), although Beethoven certainly saw the copy, as shown by the directions in red crayon on the title page. (J.R.)
