WoO 216 – Two Bagatelles in C major and E-flat major for piano (formerly Hess 73 and Hess 74)
I) Melody – II) Allegro
The musical examples on this page are by Graziano Denini and Francesco Gussago
WoO 216 – Two Bagatelles in C Major and E-flat Major for Piano: I) Melody – II) Allegro
WoO 216 No. 1 – (Hess 73): Fragment (Klavierstück) in C major for piano. 16 bars (SV 61). Found in Landsberg Notebook 7, page 63, lines 1–6 Transcribed by Mikulicz, page 59. Dated to around 1800. Published in Hess SBG, Volume IX, 1965, page 22.
WoO 216 No. 2 – (Hess 74): Allegro in E-flat major. Found in Landsberg Notebook 7, page 66, lines 1–4 (12 bars), and lines 5–6. Transcribed by Mikulicz, page 62. Dated to around 1800. Published in Hess SBG, Volume IX, 1965, page 22.
Manuscript Details: Paper format: Quarto (22 × 30 cm) 10 staves per page, Provenance: Ludwig Landsberg, Berlin. Acquired in 1862. Facsimile available: SB/Microfiches. Catalog references: Klein S. 118/130 – JTW S. 101/112
Dating and Origin: Sketched in Vienna between early 1800 and spring (or March) of the following year (1801).
Scholarly Transcription: Described in literal transcription by Karl Lothar Mikulicz in his 1927 publication: “Notierungsbuch von Beethoven aus dem Besitze der Preußischen Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin – Vollständig herausgegeben und mit Anmerkungen versehen von Karl Lothar Mikulicz – Druck und Verlag von Breitkopf & Härtel – Leipzig 1927”
Additional Insights and Context
Historical Significance: These two bagatelles are early sketches, likely composed during Beethoven’s formative years in Vienna. Though brief and fragmentary, they offer a glimpse into his evolving style and melodic experimentation. Musical Style: The C major fragment (Hess 73) is lyrical and simple, possibly intended as a pedagogical or improvisational exercise. The E-flat major Allegro (Hess 74) is rhythmically lively, with hints of classical phrasing and harmonic clarity.
Catalog Placement:.
- Included in Biamonti Catalogue as No. 251 (C major) and No. 253 (E-flat major)
- Total duration: ~1 minute
- Difficulty rating: 1.5 (beginner to intermediate level)
Recommended Editions:
- Bärenreiter (BA 9649) – Sämtliche Bagatellen, ed. Mario Aschauer
- Wiener Urtext (UT 50295 & UT 50446) – Klavierstücke and Bagatellen, ed. Jochen Reutter
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Breitkopf & Härtel – Supplemente zur Gesamtausgabe IX, ed. Willy Hess
WoO 216 is part of the “Research Becomes Art” project.
A New Life for the Unknown Works of Ludwig van Beethoven: An Artistic Exploration byl pianist maestro Francesco Gussago