Engraver's model with personal dedication
Beethoven's former pupil Ferdinand Ries lived in London from 1813 to 1824. Out of feelings of kindliness and closeness he often represented the interests of his former teacher with London publishers. Ries was also supposed to offer the Diabelli-Variations op. 120 for publication in England. As early as 25 April 1823 Beethoven informed him, "In a few weeks you will also receive a new work, 33 Variations on a theme (Waltzes op. 120), dedicated to your wife". The corrected copy is this manuscript, Beethoven wrote the dedication and date on the title page, "33 Veränderungen über einen walzer Der Gemahlin meines lieben Freundes Ries gewidmet von Ludwig van Beethoven Vien am 30ten April 1823" (33 changes on a waltz dedicated by Ludwig van Beethoven to the wife of my dear friend Ries, Vienna 30 April 1823). In the end, however, there was no English edition, as Ries writes in his memoirs on Beethoven, "For Beethoven had put off sending them for so long and forgotten his commission, that when I took the variations to Boosey [the London publisher, who wanted to publish the work], we found it had already been engraved in Vienna, and with a dedication to Madame Brentano." (J.R.)
