Beethoven jokingly asks his publisher Steiner to lend the musical director Salieri a score of his Symphony op. 92 for the Tonkünstler Sozietät's coming academy. Ironically he adds that Steiner might thank Salieri for "making the lucky and physiocratic discovery regarding the right range and voice for God's voice". Beethoven is referring to an essay published in the AmZ on the genesis of Salieri's cantata "Le jugement dernier", in which the writer described why Salieri chose a tenor to sing the part of God's voice. Beethoven probably signs as "Contra ut", the lowest "C" that can be played on the piano, to counterbalance the high voice.
