Rage Over a Lost Penny
The
Rondo a capriccio in G major, Op. 129, is a
piano rondo by
Ludwig van Beethoven often called
"The Rage Over the Lost Penny" (or "Rage Over a Lost Penny"). This nickname was not Beethoven's own, and this work was first published after Beethoven's death.
Despite the late
opus number, this piece actually dates from
1795, very early in the composer's career. It was left incomplete by Beethoven and subsequently finished by an unknown editor--probably the publisher
Anton Diabelli.
Although not considered one of Beethoven's greatest piano works, the "Rage Over the Lost Penny" is a favourite with audiences and frequently performed.
*Barry Cooper, gen. ed.,
The Beethoven Compendium, Ann Arbor, MI: Borders Press, 1991, p. 247. ISBN 0-681-07558-9.
