WoO 63 9 Variations in C minor for piano on a march by Ernst Christoph Dressler
Thema – Maestoso
WoO 63, 9 Variations in C minor for piano on a march by Ernst Christoph Dressler, 1782, dedicated to Countess Wolff Metternich, published in Mannheim, Götz, 1782. GA. No. 166 (Series 17/5) – B. 176 – KH. (WoO) 63 – L. IV, p. 340/ – N. p. 154 – P. 1 – Sch. p. 169/1 – T. 1.
Official title: WoO 63 Neun Variationen (c-moll) über einen Marsch von Ernst Christoph Dressler (?) für Klavier Widmung: Antonie Reichsgräfin von Wolff-Metternich zur Gracht NGAVII/5 AGA 166 = Serie 17/5 Beiname: Dresslervariationen (nach dem Thema)
They were composed at 12 years of age, not at 10 as written in the title; it is known that Beethoven’s father on every occasion made his son appear younger than he really was to increase interest in the child prodigy. It is easy to imagine that in this work, as well as in those immediately following, the boy was assisted by his teacher Christian Gottlob Neefe, of whom he had been a pupil since 1779.
The editing of the GA., modelled on Viennese editions subsequent to that of Mannheim (which has recently been republished by the publisher Henle, edited by J. Schmidt-Gorg), differs in the greater care of the melodic exposition (with the introduction of numerous slurs and staccato marks), in some richer chords and the enrichment, in the lower octave, of some notes on the bass. In addition, the last variation in a major key bears the indication Allegro and is written in semi-semiquavers and not in sixteenth notes. (We report here the two versions, N.D.A.)
Ernst Christoph Dressler (23 September 1734 – 6 April 1779)
Christian Gottlob Neefe (5 February 1748 – 28 January 1798)
Cramer Karl Friedrich. – 17 March 1752 Quedlinburg – 8 December 1807 Paris
Marie Felicitas Zu Fücrstenberg Neé Countess Wolff-Metternich Zur Gracht
These variations were probably composed in 1782 in Bonn. The original edition was published by Götz in Mannheim in the same year. In the March 30, 1783 edition of Carl Friedrich Cramer’s “Magazin der Musik”, Christian Gotdob Neefe remarked that “Nachricht von der churfursdich-cöllnischen Hofcapelle zu Bonn und ändern Tonkünsdern daselbst” and that Beethoven “ein Knabe von -. ll Jahren, und von vielversprechendem Talent“ — and also „Herr Neefe hat ihm auch […] einige Anleitung zum Generalbaß gegeben. Jetzt übt er ihn in der Composition, und zu seiner Ermunterung hat er 9 Variationen von ihm fiirs Clavier über einen Marsch in Mannheim stechen lassen.“ The indication of the age on the title page of the original edition – “agé de dix ans” – must obviously be corrected. Beethoven was for a long time uncertain about his real date of birth. During his stay in Bonn, he considered himself one year younger, then in Vienna by two years (see Solomon/BirthYear). The statement in the so-called Fischhof manuscript that Beethoven wrote these variations without ever having received composition lessons (“Im 10ten Jahre seines Alters, ohne noch Unterricht in der Komposition erhalten zu haben, schrieb B. Variationen über ein Thema v.[on] Dressier in C moll, die zuerst in Mannheim bey Götz aufgelegt worden u. einige Lieder”; quoted by Brenneis/Fischhof p. 42) should also be revised. The original edition is also mentioned in the 1784 catalogue by Johann Michael Götz (p. 38, cf. Schneider/Götz vol. 2 p. 162) and in the 15th supplement (1782-1784) to the “Catalogue of Symphonies” (in Italian in the text) col. 50, with the incipit: “Variations from Louis van Betthoven [!], agé de dix ans. Mannheim”; reprint of the catalogue, edited by Barry S. Brook, New York 1966).
It is not possible to investigate the edition, published in 1803 by the Hoffmeister publishing house in Vienna. The edition shows a heavily modified musical text. This prompted the publishers of the Neuen Beethoven Gesamtausgabe in 1961 to accept a second (authorized?) version of the work and to modify it in the appendix to NGA VII/5. Both the Chemische Druckerei edition and the later Sieber edition, ancient editions that have been documented so far, follow the text of the Hoffmeister edition.
Theme: So far, it has not been possible to prove the supposed march of Ernst Christoph Dressler (1734-1779). The Dressler name no longer appears in the later editions of the WoO 63 variations.
Dedication: Antonie Reichsgräfin von Wolff-Metternich zur Gracht, née Baronin von der Asseburg (1744–1827), daughter of Baron Hermann Werner von der Asseburg, married to Count Johann Ignaz von Wolff-Metternich zur Gracht (1740–1790). In the KH there is a false identification with Felix [Felicitas] von Wolff-Metternich (ca 1767-1797); in reality she was one of the daughters of Antonie and Johann Ignaz von Wolff-Metternich and not his wife. The relationship between Beethoven and the Wolff-Metternich family may have originated through Christian Gottlob Neefe. Felice von Wolff-Metternich was Neefe’s piano student. Carl Friedrich Cramer describes it on 8 April 1787 in his “Magazin der Musik” as “Liebhaberinnen, die ihre schönen Hände mit diesem Instrumente [dem Klavier] beschäftigen” (Cramer/Magazine, Vol. 2, p. 1386). Neefe dedicated a composition to both mother and daughter. On 13 June 1782, Antonie von Wolff-Metternich received a cantata, dedicated to her, for her name day (handwritten, photocopies in the D-BNba). Felice von Wolff-Metternich received the song “Klementin” in print in 1789. Neefe also dedicated a poem of homage to his mother in his “Dilettanterien” ein Huldigungsgedicht: “An Ihro Extellenz, die Frau Gräfinn von Wolff-Metternich zur Gracht” (Bonn 1785, S. 28-30). “H. E. the Comtesse Metternich” also appears in the list of subscribers to op. 1. (Braubach/Kurköln; Clive/Dictionary.) First execution unknown. Manuscript sources and lost sketches. First edition: 1782. Mannheim, Götz, PN 89. — Title: “Variations / Pour le / Clavecin / Sur une Marche de / Mr Dresler / Composees [!] et dediees / à Son Excellence / Madame la Comtesse / de Wolfmetternich / née Baronne d’Assebourg / par un jeune amateur / Louis Van Betthoven [!] / agé de dix ans / A / Mannheim / chez le Sr Götz Marchand et Editeur de Musique
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