Biamonti 290 – Sketches for Two Minuets (Nine Dances), Kessler Sketchbook, pages 1–5 (Nottebohm, Skizzen I, page 9). Autumn 1801

These pieces were likely intended for orchestra, as suggested by certain annotations, and perhaps destined for a series of dances at a Redoute, as in previous occasions. They are found in the Kessler Sketchbook, pages 1–5.

Nottebohm, on page 9 of his volume Ein Skizzenbuch von Beethoven, writes: “Durchblättern wir jetzt das Skizzenbuch. Es beginnt (Seite 1 bis 5) mit tanzartigen Stücken im ¾ – tact, ihrer Bewegung nach : Menuetten. Die an einigen Stellen vorkommenden Wörter “Corni”, “Bassi soli” u.s.w. deuten darauf hin, dass sie für Orchester bestimmt waren: Durch den Druck ist nichts davon bekannt gewoerden. Man weiss nicht einmal, ob Beethoven die Entwürfe ausgeführt hat. Die orchestrale Besetzung und die Gattung der Tänze machen es wahrscheilich dass sie für eine Redoute oder für eine ähnliche Gelegenheit bestimmt waren (1) Den Entwurf zweier Stücke theilen wir mit: (seguono gli esempi)(Nota1) “Für die Bälle in den k. k. Redoutensälen waren die namhaftesten Wiener Componisten thätig. Ausser J. Hayden und Mozart nennen wir Beethoven selbst. Seine gedruckten 12 Menuetten und 12 deutschen Tänze schreib er “aus Liebe zur Kunstverwandtschaft”, wie es in der Anzeige heisst, für eine Redoute der bildenden Künstler im November 1795. Zwei Jahre später kamen sie bei gleicher Gelegenheit wieder zur Aufführung. Von andern Wiener Componisten, welche in den Jahren 1795 bis 1802 für Redouten thätig waren, sind zu nennen : F. X. Süssmayr, Anton Teyber, Johann Henneberg, von Rossi, A. Höllmayr, Franz Teyber, Joseph Lipavsky, J. Fuchs, Ignaz von Seyfried, Wenzeslaus Pichl, J. Hörmann, J. Adamer, Joseph Eybler u. a. m. Die stücke, die sie Schrieben, waren mit Ausnahme einer einzigen Sammlung Redoutländler von Höllmayr, ausschliesslich Menuetten und deutsche Tänze (Allemandes). Auch in den Redout-Anzeigen begegnen wir keinen andern Tänzen, als Menuetten und Deutschen. Es scheint also, dass dies die Hauptt 0228nze waren. Auf “öffentlichen Bällen” kamen ausser ihnen um 1800 und später auch Contretänze und Ländler vor. Diese vier : Menuetten, Deutsche, Ländler und Contretänze, – mögen also, weil überhaupt, auch in geschlossenen Kreisen, bei Hausbällen u. dergl., beliebsten gewesen sein. Der Umstand, dass im Skizzenbuche, deutsche Tänze ausgenommen, nur Tänze von den genannten Arten vorkommen, macht es wahrscheinlich, dass sie sämmtlich auf äussere Veranlassung und fü bestimmte Gesellschaften geschrieben wurden, nämlich entweder für kleinere Hausbälle, wo die Tanzmusik in der Regel aus 2 Violinen und Bass (Violoncello), oder aus einer Geige und Clavier, oder Clavier allein bestand.”

“Let us now leaf through the sketchbook. It begins (pages 1 to 5) with dance-like pieces in ¾ time, which, by their movement, may be called Minuets. The words ‘Horns’, ‘Solo Basses’, etc., appearing in some places, suggest that they were intended for orchestra. Nothing of this has become known through publication. It is not even known whether Beethoven completed the drafts. The orchestral scoring and the genre of the dances make it likely that they were intended for a Redoute or a similar occasion.”

He continues: “For the balls in the imperial Redoutensäle, the most prominent Viennese composers were active. Besides J. Haydn and Mozart, we also name Beethoven himself. His printed 12 Minuets and 12 German Dances were written ‘out of love for artistic kinship’, as the announcement says, for a Redoute of visual artists in November 1795. Two years later, they were performed again on the same occasion. Other Viennese composers active for Redoutes between 1795 and 1802 include: F.X. Süssmayr, Anton Teyber, Johann Henneberg, von Rossi, A. Höllmayr, Franz Teyber, Joseph Lipavsky, J. Fuchs, Ignaz von Seyfried, Wenzeslaus Pichl, J. Hörmann, J. Adamer, Joseph Eybler, and others. The pieces they wrote were, with the exception of a single collection (Redoutländler by Höllmayr), exclusively Minuets and German Dances (Allemandes). Even in Redoute announcements, no other dances appear than Minuets and German Dances. It thus seems that these were the principal dances. At public balls around 1800 and later, Contredanses and Ländlers also appeared. These four—Minuets, German Dances, Ländlers, and Contredanses—may therefore have been the most popular, even in private circles, house balls, and the like. The fact that in this sketchbook, apart from German Dances, only dances of the mentioned types appear makes it likely that they were all written upon external commission and for specific social occasions—namely, either for smaller house balls, where dance music usually consisted of two violins and bass (cello), or of a violin and keyboard, or keyboard alone.”

Sieghard Brandenburg’s Analysis: In his volume of analysis and transcription of the Kessler Sketchbook, Sieghard Brandenburg lists not two, but nine dances, precisely:

1. Minuet in G major (folio 1r, staves 1–4)
2. Minuet in E♭ major (folio 1r, staves 5–14)
3. Minuet in C major (folio 1r, staves 15–16 – folio 1v, staves 1–8)
4. German Dance in E♭ major (folio 1v, staves 9–12)
5. German Dance in C major (folio 1v, staves 13–16 – folio 2r, staves 1–6)
6. Minuet in G major (folio 2r, staves 5–8)
7. Minuet in E♭ major (folio 2r, staves 9–14)
8. Minuet in A major (folio 2v, staves 1–10)
9. German Dance in C major (folio 2v, staves 10–16 – folio 3r, staves 1–4)

The Minuets indicated by Nottebohm, and thus catalogued by Biamonti under number 290, both in E♭ major, correspond only to:

• The second Minuet in our list (folio 1r)
• The first German Dance (folio 1v)

Editorial Observations

• In the first Minuet in G major (folio 1r, staves 1–4), Beethoven writes a peculiar and seemingly incorrect figuration ten times in just sixteen measures: A dotted minim with a stroke on the stem (implying a repeated quaver), followed by two minims—effectively 7/8. In my view, this figuration, which would be incorrect if read literally, should be understood as a triplet of quavers followed by two minims.
• A clear error appears in measure 9, where Beethoven writes a dotted semibreve instead of a dotted minim.
• The Trio is missing; the second refrain, marked pp, does not convey a sense of closure. In my version, I have reinstated the first refrain, which offers a more conclusive ending.
• In the German Dance in C major No. 5, in measure 6 of the first refrain, Brandenburg’s transcription shows two C♯s. In fact, Beethoven places an accidental before the first C, which Brandenburg interprets as a sharp (though the C should already be natural). To me, the sign resembles more a natural, intended to cancel the memory of the sharp from measure 3 (third beat). Such “courtesy cancellations” are often found in Beethoven’s sketches, even several bars after the altered note.
• In the second part of the Trio, measure 5, Beethoven writes four minims in scale (C–D–E–F); the F, naturally, belongs to the next measure.
• In Minuet No. 6 in G major, Brandenburg’s transcription omits the first two measures of the bass part.
• In Minuet No. 7, measure 2, Brandenburg writes a minim G followed by a semiminim E♭ in the bass ; Beethoven, however, writes the minim G followed by a rest .
• In Minuet No. 8 (in A major), Beethoven writes the Trio first (staves 1–4), then the Minuet (staves 5–10). At the end of the Minuet, we find the classic “Vi=”—a typical Beethoven annotation indicating a cue located elsewhere—referring to staff 1, where we find the corresponding “=de” to connect.
• Another peculiarity appears at the start of the Trio: Beethoven writes a high E dotted minim with a stroke (= six repeated quaver Es), with five D♯ demisemiquavers (two before and three after the high E), written slightly smaller. Read literally, this would be meaningless. I hypothesise this is a Beethovenian abbreviation indicating six repeated quaver Es with a demisemiquaver grace note.
• In measure 5 of the Trio, Beethoven writes only a D♯ grace note before the E. Considering the indication in the first measure, I have naturally repeated the same figuration.