Biamonti 746 – Unused sketches for the Ninth Symphony, Opus 125, summer–autumn 1822
Biamonti 746a – Unused sketches for the Ninth Symphony, Opus 125, summer–autumn 1822 (Max Unger, pp. 102/52), following the sketches of Biamonti 686 from 1817–early 1818. a) Nottebohm, II, p. 165: Symphony, 3rd piece. In analogy with the trio of the Scherzo from the Second Symphony.
Biamonti 746d – Sketches for the Ninth Symphony Opus 125 left unused, summer – autumn 1822 (Max Unger, pages 102/52). These follow those of Biamonti 686 from 1817 – early 1818. d) Nottebohm, II page 167: “Sinfonia Allemand entweder mit Variation nach der (?) Chor.” (German symphony either with variation after the (?) chorus.) Text: “Freude, schöner Götterfunken, Tochter aus Elysium.”
This sketch appears to explore a structural alternative for the Ninth Symphony, possibly envisioning a “German symphony” with variations following the choral section. The inclusion of the “Freude” text suggests Beethoven was still experimenting with placement and treatment of the Ode to Joy theme. The ambiguity of “nach der (?) Chor” hints at a moment of indecision—was the variation to follow the chorus, or was the chorus itself still in flux?
Would you like a comparative table between this unused sketch and the final structure of the Ninth, or perhaps a reconstruction of what “Sinfonia Allemand” might have implied in Beethoven’s idiom?
Biamonti 746e – Sketches for the Ninth Symphony Opus 125 left unused, summer – autumn 1822 (Max Unger, pages 102/52). These follow those of Biamonti 686 from 1817 – early 1818. e) Nottebohm, II page 182: Another theme for “Freude, schöner Götterfunken.” Text: “Freude, schöner Götterfunken, Tochter aus Elysium.”
This sketch presents an alternative melodic idea for the “Ode to Joy” text, distinct from the final version used in the Ninth Symphony. It suggests that Beethoven was still exploring different thematic treatments for Schiller’s verses even late in the compositional process. The fact that this theme was ultimately discarded adds another layer to our understanding of his iterative method—where multiple musical identities were tested before settling on the one that would resonate most powerfully.
