Today is the anniversary of the first performance of Beethoven’s First Symphony. The Symphony No. 1 was given its premiere in 1800 as part of a benefit concert for the composer, who was 29 years-old, at the K.K. Hofburgtheater in Vienna. The original structure would be destroyed by bombs in 1945. It is now known, in its restoration, as the Burgtheater.
The first American performance of Beethoven’s First took place in Nazareth, PA, of all places. Nazareth is located about seven miles north of Easton and currently has a population of less than 6000. However, by 1813, its passionately music-loving Moravian community was well-ensconced.
The borough is currently the home of the oldest-surviving violin in America, which is alleged to have been made by John Antes in Bethlehem, PA, in 1759. A priceless 1870s-vintage Martin guitar was housed in Nazareth until last year, when it was lent out to Quentin Tarantino for use in “The Hateful Eight” and was “accidentally” destroyed.
This was supposed to be a double, but I guess somebody forgot to tell Kurt Russell to wait for the switch: