Johann Peter Salomon (1745-1815) - Gemälde von James Lonsdale

Just like Beethoven, violinist, concert entrepreneur and court composer Johann Peter Salomon was born in Bonn. As a young man he was a member of the Bonn court band. Later, he became bandmaster for Prince Heinrich of Prussia. Around 1770 he relocated to London where he successfully worked as a violin virtuoso and orchestra director. From London, he managed to talk Joseph Haydn into travelling to England.

As his family still lived in the Rhineland, the musician visited Bonn once in a while. On one of his journeys he met the 20 year old Beethoven in 1790. Later, Salomon, now a successful concert entrepreneur wrote Beethoven letters to Vienna. Mostly, these letters were about contract details as Salomon together with George Smart and Ferdinand Ries greatly supported Beethoven"s music becoming more popular in England. (S.B.)