Menu
 
Close

Digital Archives

Fürst Andrej K. Razumovskij (1752-1836) - Reproduktion einer Lithographie von Josef Lanzedelly (der Ältere)

Beethoven-Haus Bonn, B 2385

Nice to know

Russian Count Andreas Kirillovich Rasumowsky, who became Prince Rasumowsky in 1815, was a diplomat for the Tsar. Between 1777 and 1779 he worked at the Russian embassy in Vienna. In 1794 he was named Russian ambassador at the Vienna Court. In 1788 Rasumowsky married Countess Elisabeth von Thun-Hohenstein (1764-1806), the sister of Princess Lichnowsky. Later he temporarily lived in Italy but returned to Vienna in 1801. On December 31st, 1814, a fire broke out at Rasumowsky's palace and destroyed a large part of the Count's belongings and huge fortune. Despite the loss, he stayed in Vienna until his death.

As an art and music lover the Count played the violin and admired and supported Ludwig van Beethoven. Between 1808 and 1816 he kept a string quartet (the same instrumentation) which Beethoven's friend Ignaz Schuppanzigh (1776-1830) directed as first violinist and in which the Count himself often played the second violin. The quartet mainly performed chamber music written by Beethoven.

In 1808 Beethoven dedicated the three string quartets op. 59 to the Count, now known as "Rasumowsky Quartets". The Fifth and Sixth Symphony op. 67 and op. 68 were also dedicated to the Count (and Prince Lobkowitz).(S.B.)

Show more Show less

Library indexing