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Donald Macleod explores Beethoven's letters, with excerpts read by Adrian Lester. Today Beethoven finds himself embroiled in some shady dealings with his publishers.

More than 1,770 of Beethoven's letters still survive and, this week, Donald Macleod delves into five different areas of this extensive library. Today his focus turns to one of the biggest parts of Beethoven's correspondence, his dealings with all his music publishers. After the deterioration of his hearing ended his career as a virtuoso pianist, selling his music became a major means of supporting himself, so Beethoven had to turn himself into a needle-witted negotiator. Copyright laws didn't exist, so there was plenty of leeway for some dodgy dealing, both on the part of the publishers and by Beethoven too.

Piano Sonata No 3 in C major, Op 2 No 3
IV: Allegro assai
Igor Levit, piano

Violin Sonata No. 9 in A major, Op 47
III. Finale. Presto
James Ehnes, violin
Andrew Armstrong, piano

Septet in E flat major, Op 20 (excerpt)
Gaudier Ensemble

Cello Sonata in A major, Op 69
1st movement: Allegro, ma non tanto
Steven Isserlis, cello
Robert Levin, fortepiano