Hess 70 – Adagio, ma non molto in G Major for Piano

The fragment known as Hess 70 consists of the opening measures of an Adagio in G major, located on page 116 of the Landsberg 6 sketchbook, more commonly referred to as the Eroica Skizzenbuch. The tempo marking reads Adagio ma non molto, and beneath the initial notes, Beethoven inscribed the dynamic piano.

This sketch appears on the same page as material relating to the opera fragment Vestas Feuer (Hess 115) and a version of the lied Vom Tode by Gellert, which differs significantly from the final published setting as Op. 48 No. 3.

The Adagio comprises seven measures in G major, moving through several tonal areas before returning to the home key, which suggests it functions more as a transitional passage than a fully developed introduction. This interpretation aligns with Nottebohm’s assessment, who described it as a “transition” rather than a standalone introduction.

The fragment remains unpublished in the conventional sense and is difficult to classify as a complete composition, sharing this status with numerous other isolated sketches scattered throughout Beethoven’s notebooks. The brevity and incompleteness of the fragment have led to questions regarding its inclusion in Hess’s catalogue.

Indeed, the editors of the Collected Correspondence and Research Materials on Beethoven (C.R.M.B.) express surprise that Willy Hess chose to catalogue such fragmentary material. It is likely that Hess included it primarily because it had been referenced by Nottebohm, a highly respected authority on Beethoven’s sketchbooks.

Nottebohm himself wrote in Ein Skizzenbuch von Beethoven aus dem Jahre 1803 (p. 57): “Zwischen den Arbeiten zu den Opernstück erscheinen: […] ein angefangenes Adagio für Klavier.”

Thus, Hess 70 is best understood not as a finished work, but as a fleeting insight into Beethoven’s compositional process, possibly conceived alongside his operatic projects.

This fragment has been interpreted and recorded by pianist Sebastiano Mazzoleni as part of the artistic initiative:

“Research Becomes Art – A New Life for the Unknown Works of Ludwig van Beethoven”

Recordings include:

• Hess 70 – Angefangenes Adagio für Klavier (Page 116 of the 1803 Sketchbook), performed by Sebastiano Mazzoleni, piano

• Hess 70 – Angefangenes Adagio für Klavier (Page 116 of the 1803 Sketchbook), performed by Antonietta Cappelli, piano

These interpretations aim to revive Beethoven’s lesser-known fragments, treating them not merely as historical curiosities but as vibrant artistic material.