ABSTRACT
Muzio Clementi, the celebrated pianist, composer, piano manufacturer and publisher, had already published Beethoven's sonata Op. 31 No. 3 after obtaining a score from Nageli, and had tried to negotiate with Breitkopf & Hartel for a dual publication of some subsequent Beethoven works, although the deal fell through. Although Clementi commissioned Opp. 78 and 79, he wanted publishing rights only for the British market, and it was expected that Beethoven would also sell the Continental rights to a Continental publisher, as he had done with the other works in the original contract. Most of the aristocracy, including Rudolph, prepared to leave the city, and Beethoven decided to mark Rudolph's departure by composing a movement entitled 'Das Lebe Wohl'. There are indications from a little later, however, that he had decided to make 'Das Lebe Wohl' the first movement of a three-movement sonata, for preliminary ideas for the later movements appear on page 86 of the sketchbook.
