Biamonti 394 – Contredanses (Sketches), (page 151), circa 1803. Mentioned by Nottebohm, page 70, without including the music.

These three simple melodies are found in the Landsberg 6 Sketchbook, better known as the Eroica Skizzenbuch, and they are complete drafts of three contredanses probably intended for a dance orchestra (in this regard, see the beginning of number 2, apparently conceived for horns). Contredanses are usually dances in 2/4 time, with a fast tempo and an upbeat start; they rarely exceed 16 bars with repeats (8+8), and these are no exception.

Wikipedia defines the contredanse: “From the English country dance, it is a type of English folk dance from the 17th century performed in opposing lines [men and women arranged in two rows facing each other]. In 2/4 or 6/8 time, it has a cheerful or very lively tempo. The contredanse spread across the continent in the 18th century and entered art music with Mozart (Der Sieg von Helden Coburg, K. 587, for orchestra) and Beethoven.”

According to the Enciclopedia Treccani: “In the 19th century, it was danced by two pairs of couples arranged facing each other, eventually taking on the name quadrille.”

It is interesting to note that these three melodies are numbered, and that number 3 seems almost corrected to 9. Beethoven wrote two complete cycles of contredanses:

• The 12 Contredanses for two violins and bass (with optional winds), WoO 14

• And from the same set, 9 Contredanses for piano, Hess 102