Publications
Fantasia Biamonti 213
The text to which, according to the title, the theme underlying these Variations would belong had been published, under the title "An Solly," in 1775 in the periodical Iris, edited by J. G. Jacobi. Various melodies of a popular character were adapted to it, which Friedländer records in his work Das deutsche Lied im 18. Jahrhundert, 1902, p. 63. According to this same author, however, the theme of Beethoven's work does not derive from any of the aforementioned melodies; it could rather be considered a variant of the well-known air "Vetter Michel" ("Cousin Michael"), which was developed in the form of variations for harpsichord by various composers (ibid., p. 77), and which appears in G. M. Fink's Musikalischer Hausschatz der Deutschen (1819, no. 86). This version is very close to the theme in question, which moreover also somewhat recalls that of the song by Johann Friedrich Reichardt (1752–1819) set to words, likewise by Gleim: "Ich habe ein kleines Hüttchen nur."
Both because of the inaccurate identification of the theme's origin and in view of the modest inner substance of Beethoven's elaboration, Friedländer raised some doubts as to the strict authenticity of the Variations in question. On this point—since here too we are dealing with a manuscript from the "Beethoven estate" (Nachlass), published several years after his death (as was the case with the Rondo on the Lost Penny, see catalogue no. 162)—one might today be inclined to entertain similar conjectures.
from www.lvbeethoven.it
from www.lvbeethoven.it
Eight Variation Anhang 10
The text to which, according to the title, the theme underlying these Variations would belong had been published, under the title "An Solly," in 1775 in the periodical Iris, edited by J. G. Jacobi. Various melodies of a popular character were adapted to it, which Friedländer records in his work Das deutsche Lied im 18. Jahrhundert, 1902, p. 63. According to this same author, however, the theme of Beethoven's work does not derive from any of the aforementioned melodies; it could rather be considered a variant of the well-known air "Vetter Michel" ("Cousin Michael"), which was developed in the form of variations for harpsichord by various composers (ibid., p. 77), and which appears in G. M. Fink's Musikalischer Hausschatz der Deutschen (1819, no. 86). This version is very close to the theme in question, which moreover also somewhat recalls that of the song by Johann Friedrich Reichardt (1752–1819) set to words, likewise by Gleim: "Ich habe ein kleines Hüttchen nur."
Both because of the inaccurate identification of the theme's origin and in view of the modest inner substance of Beethoven's elaboration, Friedländer raised some doubts as to the strict authenticity of the Variations in question. On this point—since here too we are dealing with a manuscript from the "Beethoven estate" (Nachlass), published several years after his death (as was the case with the Rondo on the Lost Penny, see catalogue no. 162)—one might today be inclined to entertain similar conjectures.
from www.lvbeethoven.it
from www.lvbeethoven.it
Rondo Anhang 6
The manuscript is held at the British Museum in London.Perhaps shortly before leaving for Vienna, or perhaps already in Vienna, Beethoven left this lengthy piano sketch, which foreshadows a Sonata in three movements: an almost complete Allegro, an Andante that is somewhat less complete, and a highly fragmentary Allegro finale. This is music of a high order, and had it been completed, one could say without doubt that it represents the most significant achievement Beethoven had reached in solo piano music up to that point.
The question that naturally arises, then, is: why did Beethoven leave it in this state, without finishing it or returning to it at a later time, as he did with other pieces? Obviously there can be no certain answer, but it is hard not to notice that, while the sketch as a whole reveals a Beethoven already musically ahead of his contemporary works by at least ten years, the Finale—quite fragmentary and harmonically unstable—might project forward even further, toward his greatest masterpieces of his final years. Perhaps it was for this very reason that the sketch remained unfinished: too far ahead of its time.
from www.lvbeethoven.it
from www.lvbeethoven.it
