 Throughout his early career , although determined to become a musician , Beer found it difficult to decide between playing and composition . Certainly other professionals in the decade 1810 – 1820 , including Moscheles , considered him amongst the greatest <unk> of his period . He wrote during this period numerous piano pieces , including a concerto and set of variations for piano and orchestra , but these have been lost . To this period also belongs a <unk> <unk> written for the virtuoso Heinrich <unk> ( 1784 – 1847 ) who remained a close friend of the composer . 
