Good business
The autograph score of the String Quartet op. 127 (the last movement of which can be seen here) was probably acquired by Domenico Artaria, a Viennese publisher and music dealer, at the auction of Beethoven's estate following the composer's death. At this time the manuscript was still complete. Artaria, who bought a great deal of music at the auction, probably hoped to make some money by printing unknown works by the composer. The autograph scores could also be sold to collectors, which is what happened to the String Quartet op. 127. In the years that followed he sold it piece by piece to different interested parties. This is why the individual movements are now preserved in collections held at different libraries. The manuscript is a clean copy: it is very clear, contains almost no corrections, is legible and relatively consistent. (J.R.)
