The youngest child of the Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, he was
a great patron of culture. Concerts were frequently given at his court
where Beethoven, appointed second organist, played the harpsichord
and the viola in the orchestra. He held the young Beethoven in high
esteem It was through his help that Beethoven became a student of
German literature at the University of Bonn. In 1792, he invited Franz
Joseph Haydn to Bonn where a concert was held in his honor. It was
the occasion for the first meeting between the youthful Beethoven
and the famous aging composer.
Ferdinand
von Waldstein
An Austrian nobleman, Count Waldstein was another influential patron
of the arts. He advanced Beethoven's education beyond music, inviting
him to performances of Shakespeare's plays. It was through him that
Beethoven acquired a good knowledge of the works of Goethe, Kant,
Schiller. It was also the Count who, while supporting Beethoven's
return to Vienna with monetary grants, was instrumental in Beethoven's
ascent to the upper rungs of Viennese society. Beethoven would later
dedicate his Piano Sonata in C major, Op. 53 to Count Waldstein.
Franz
Joseph Haydn
It was the Count Waldstein who personally introduced
Beethoven to Haydn during his visit to Bonn in 1792, asking him to
listen to Beethoven's composition, Cantata for Joseph II.
Impressed, Haydn invited Beethoven to study with him in Vienna. Eager
to study with the master, Beethoven having been granted a leave of
absence form the Court, set out for Vienna. Haydn gave him lessons
in counterpoint but being still deeply involved in completing his
creative works, he took little interest in Beethoven, who then secretly
sought instruction from other teachers.
Maximilian
Franz, the Elector of Cologne
Ferdinand
von Waldstein 
Franz
Joseph Haydn
UK
