WoO 82 – Minuet in E-flat major for piano, circa 1803, published in Vienna by Bureau d’arts et d’industrie, January 1805. GA No. 193 (series 18/11) – Bruers 165 – KH (WoO) 82 – L. IV, pp. 322–328 – Nottebohm p. 149 – P. 6 – Thayer 122, 126 – Biamonti 373.

Based on a report in Nottebohm’s catalogue, repeated by Prod’homme and others, that an old copy of the first edition, now lost, bore the annotation in an unknown hand “dans l’âge de 13 ans” (“at the age of 13”), and considering that for a long time, due to a deception by Beethoven’s father, it was believed that Beethoven was born in 1772 rather than 1770, this small composition was previously dated to 1785 (Nottebohm / Studies p. 12). However, apart from the absence of any other supporting evidence, the music itself cannot be regarded as written by a young beginner. Today, it is commonly assigned, at least as a final revision and with some approximation, to around 1803. This dating is supported by Alexander W. Thayer (II, 496–97) and the KH. The Henle edition places it “around 1804.”