Hess 318–319 – Two Unidentified String Quintets

In entries 318 and 319 of his catalog, Hess refers to two unidentified string quintets, as reported in the “Cyclopedie Survey of Chamber Musik,” Vol. I (London, 1929) by W.W. Cobbett: The first is unfinished and predates the Opus 1 trios. The second is mentioned in a letter from Beethoven to Artaria dated June 1, 1805. There is speculation as to whether these might be the same as: The quintet that De Lenz claims was owned by Prince Galitzin (see Hess 39), or the quintet sent by Beethoven to the Elector of Cologne, referenced as number 49 in Biamonti’s catalog.

Hess 319: String Quintet. Mentioned by Beethoven in a letter dated June 1, 1805, addressed to Artaria. [The letter is No. 117 in Anderson, op. cit., Vol. 1, p. 137, and No. 224 in Brandenburg, op. cit., Vol. 1, p. 258.] Cobbett, on p. 283, notes that the fate of this work is “a matter of complete uncertainty; it certainly never arrived at publication.” [Anderson, in a footnote on p. 137, comments: “It was probably never written.”]

The question remains whether any of our entries numbered 39, 316, 318, or 319 could be identical to this work. [Hess’s rhetorical question is actually more than an ambiguous statement. All four entries refer to string quintets and originate from different sources and references. What Hess is truly suggesting is that, without further identification or supporting evidence, these entries might, in fact, refer to a single piece—or parts of it. See the notes on entry 316.]