Anhang 16
Four Waltzes for Piano:
I – Jubelwalzer II – Gertuds Traumwalzer III – Sonnenscheinwalzer IV – Mondscheinwalzer
Anhang 16 – Four Waltzes for Piano
The collection comprises four waltzes: Jubelwalzer, Gertruds Traumwalzer, Sonnenscheinwalzer, and Mondscheinwalzer. These were published posthumously under Beethoven’s name, often in arrangements for piano duet and solo. The attribution relies on stylistic similarities and thematic material that echo earlier piano works by Beethoven.
- Waltz No. 3 (Sonnenscheinwalzer) draws directly from the Piano Sonata Op. 31 No. 3 in E-flat major.
- Waltz No. 4 (Mondscheinwalzer) clearly references a motif from the Piano Sonata Op. 27 No. 2 in C-sharp minor—famously known as “Quasi una fantasia” or the “Moonlight Sonata”.
Early Editions Published as Beethoven’s Works
| Waltz | Year | Location | Edition Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 (Jubelwalzer) | 1830 | Mannheim | Carl Ferdinand Heckel, PN 274 |
| No. 2 (Gertruds Traumwalzer) | 1827 | Copenhagen | Laengsels Vals in Odeon 1 |
| Nos. 3 & 4 | Post-1852 | Leipzig | Kahnt Edition |
Other editions appeared between 1834 and 1866 in cities such as London, Meissen, Philadelphia, and Munich. Several were featured in musical journals like Polyhymnia, The Musical Keepsake, and Unterhaltungen am Piano-Forte. Some were erroneously attributed to Beethoven, while others appeared anonymously or under evocative titles like Thränen Walzer (“Waltz of Tears”).
Editorial Context
These waltzes are part of the artistic and scholarly initiative Research Becomes Art – A New Life for the Unknown Works of Ludwig van Beethoven, curated by pianist Alessandro Lettieri. The project is supported by the Centro Ricerche Musicali Beethoveniane (C.R.M.B.), which has carefully reviewed the texts and documents featured on this page
An early edition of the first waltz, published in Bonn by F.J. Mompour, circa 1835. (Published on the site courtesy of the Beethoven-Haus)
The four Anhang16 Waltzes are part of the “Research Becomes Art” project
A New Life for the Unknown Works of Ludwig van Beethoven: An Artistic Exploration by pianist maestro Alessandro Lettieri