Well, at the risk of explaining my joke, I only meant to suggest that the opening of the chapter makes it sound like Beck thinks Beethoven’s Fifth would have been “famous” and instantly recognizable to Englishmen in 1678. Maybe I should charitably assume that Beck originally had it as “the latest church anthem by Purcell” but his editors made him change it.
Well, at the risk of explaining my joke, I only meant to suggest that the opening of the chapter makes it sound like Beck thinks Beethoven’s Fifth would have been “famous” and instantly recognizable to Englishmen in 1678. Maybe I should charitably assume that Beck originally had it as “the latest church anthem by Purcell” but his editors made him change it.
The wording seems to be ambiguous as to whether it’s saying Beethoven’s Fifth is “famous” to the readers or “famous” to people in 1678.