Beethoven asks his friend Ries to find a publisher for the Piano Sonata op. 106 as well as the Quintet op. 104 in London. He is planning to publish the works simultaneously on the continent and in England, so as to optimize profits.
Cypriani Potter has recommended the publisher Chappell in Bond Street. But Ries is completely free to make his own choice.
Beethoven also asks Ries to stop Charles Neate from publishing any of the works he has received from Beethoven, as Beethoven wants to present them himself when he comes to England (in the end his trip to England never happened).
At the beginning of the nineteenth century Ries had been Beethoven's pupil in Vienna. Following his move to London he often dealt with business matters for his former teacher for old times' sake. Charles Neate, an English musician, had visited Beethoven in Vienna and had taken several works back to London with him, to have them performed there and to find English publishers for them.
