Hess 144 – Feuerfarb’, first version of Op. 52 No. 2 (Hess 144).

Feuerfarb’, first version. This version was discovered in Beethoven Autograph 11 held at the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna (the manuscript therefore cannot be published). Nottebohm erroneously maintains that this version was completed before the end of 1792 and that it differs from the published version only in having a different postlude. In fact, the entire accompaniment part was rewritten. The same work is discussed by W. Hess in Beethoven Lied, Feuerfarb’, in «Musik im Unterricht» 46/1 (November 1955), pp. 338–339, where the first edition of this original version is included as a supplement.

In this first draft the stages of the work’s development are clearly visible, which in effect means that one may speak of three versions. In the first edition edited by Willy Hess, both phases of work are presented in full. (The most recent edition was published by Willy Hess in Supplemente zur Gesamt-Ausgabe, vol. V, p. 10.) This version therefore represents the sum of the first two drafts, whereas Op. 52 No. 2 should be regarded as the third and final version.