Louis Ferdinand, Prinz von Preuen (Louis Ferdinand, Prince of Prussia) was born on November 18, 1772 in Schlo Friedrichsfelde near Berlin. He was a nephew of Frederick the Great. In 1789 he joined the military, continuing at the same time his work as a gifted pianist and composer. During this period, he met Beethoven, who was obviously so impressed with Louis Ferdinand's talent that he dedicated his Third Piano Concerto to him. As a commander in the Prussian army during the Napoleonic Wars, Louis Ferdinand was killed in battle on October 10, 1806, shortly before his 34th birthday. All Prussia greatly mourned his death.Louis Ferdinand left fewer than 20 of his own compositions, but all are finely crafted, elegant, and even somewhat romantic in style. (Robert Schumann referred to Louis Ferdinand as "the romanticist of the classical period.") Louis Ferdinand's Fugue in Four Voices, Op. 7, for Piano is expertly written, and ends with five measures of pure musical poetry. — Eero Richmond