Beethoven’s Piano Concerto in E-flat major opus 73: the nickname “Emperor” © 2018 by Tibor Szász 1. Introduction While not directly traceable to the composer, the nickname “Emperor” usually ascribed to Beethoven’s last completed Piano Concerto in E-flat major, op. 73 (originally published in England as op. 64) does have musical and historical connotations which can be identified. The musical evidence will, for convenience, be presented first and will be followed by the historical evidence. 2. Musical evidence Great composers communicate musical connotations without the necessity for a verbal description. In this composition, also, the first movement’s opening theme is the key to its musical message. The march-like marziale (warring) type dotted rhythm of the opening theme sets the stage for the military affect of the entire concerto: Fig. 1: Beethoven, “Emperor” Concerto, opening theme, dotted marziale type rhythm. The opening dotted rhythm is later in the first movement featured in a long, combat- like confrontation between the orchestra and the piano soloist presented as adversaries: Fig. 2: Combat-like confrontation between orchestra and soloist (first edition, 1811). The C-flat major tonality of the above confrontation—the flattened 6 th scale degree of E-flat major—is the enharmonic equivalent of the second movement ’s B major tonality which begins with a four-part chorale—a prayer for liberation from the ravages of war: