Official title: WoO 107 Schilderung eines Mädchens Lied (G-dur) für Singstimme und Klavier Widmung: -NGA XII/1 Nr. 1 AGA 228 = Series 23/14

Written on two lines (piano), the lyrics under the first. The original is lost. The poetic text, by an unknown author (the attribution to Bürger is, according to KH., erroneous), is included in the collection “Songs to the Musical Flowers of the Year 1783,” held in the Bavarian State Library in Munich. It consists of eleven stanzas; the printed score contains only the first two stanzas.

Lied composed in 1782/83 in Bonn. The original edition was published by Boßler in Speyer in October/November 1783. The only contemporary source is the original print, which appeared in Boßler’s weekly “Blumenlese für Klavierliebehaber” in week 44 of 1783 (= week 18 of the second part), followed by the Rondo WoO 48. Beethoven long considered 1771 to be his year of birth; the age given on the score “Von Hrn: Ludw: van Beethoven alt eilf Jahr” indicates 1782 as the year of composition.

Text: The author of the poem is unknown. The written text of the poem, 11 stanzas, – probably first published anonymously in 1782 – appeared in the “Magazin für Frauenzimmer” (first issue, January, Strasbourg 1782, page 1f) under the title “Schilderung eines Mädchens: Nach [Ernst Christoph?] Dreßlers Melodie: Schön, wie Florens Grazien etc.” The magazine also contained a sheet music insert with Dreßler’s melody superimposed on the first stanza of the poem. In the introduction (p. 8) it says: “Die Melodie von Dreßler hat so viele Naivetät, daß man an vielen Orten so gar den nicht allzu guten Text dazu sang. Ob der gegenwärtige besser ist, werden die Kenner entscheiden”. The verses are also found in the Blumenlese booklet „Lieder zu der musikalischen Blumenlese auf das Jahr 1783“, Speyer, page 67f. First performance unknown.

Lost autographs and sketches Original edition 1783 (October/November). Speyer, H. P. Bossler, w/o VN/PN. – In: “Blumenlese / für / Klavierliebhaber, / Eine musikalische Wochenschrift, / Zweiter Theil, / Herausgegeben von H. P. Bossler, Hochf. Brandenb. / Rath. / Speier / 1783.” Vertical format. – WoO 107 bears the title „Schilderung eines Mädchen [r.:] Von Hrn: Ludw: van Beet= / hoven alt eilf Jahr.“  On pp. 70-72 follows – without the composer’s name -: “Rondo / Allegretto” (see WoO 48).