Hess Appendix 38 – Duet “Auf der Liebe Rosenbetten” (On Love’s Bed of Roses), with Piano Accompaniment, in G Major – Lost Work

? Overview

This duet, titled “Auf der Liebe Rosenbetten” (“On Love’s Bed of Roses”), is catalogued as a lost composition. It features vocal duet with piano accompaniment in G major. The author of the text remains unknown.

It is listed as No. 269 in Alexander Wheelock Thayer’s chronological catalogue of Beethoven’s works. Thayer even provides the incipit—the first three bars—of the piece, indicating that he had direct access to the manuscript.

? Attribution Controversy

In the 1890 Vienna catalogue of the Artaria collection compiled by Guido Adler, the duet appears under entry No. 95 and is attributed to Beethoven’s father, Johann van Beethoven. Adler writes:

“Presumably written by Beethoven’s father, Johann van Beethoven. Unclear. Handwriting unknown.”

However, this attribution is highly questionable. What remains truly unclear is the rationale behind Adler’s assumption that the duet was composed by Beethoven’s father. Thayer, who had examined the work and included its incipit in his 1865 catalogue, never reached such a conclusion.

This discrepancy highlights the speculative nature of Adler’s claim, especially given the absence of any corroborating evidence or stylistic analysis to support the attribution.

? Archival Status

The piece is currently considered lost. No known manuscript or complete score is available, and only the brief incipit survives through Thayer’s documentation.