Hess 325 – Piece in C Major (Possibly for Piano)
The musical examples on this page are curated by Graziano Denini.
Hess 325 – Piece in C Major (Possibly for Piano)
This piece, composed in 1803, is written in 3/4 time and consists of 17 bars. It follows Hess 324 in the source manuscript. Entries Hess 324, 325, and 326 are all taken from the Wielhorsky Sketchbook.
According to , this fragment showcases Beethoven experimenting with the augmented triad — yet another example of how he was often more adventurous in his sketches than in his completed works. Of course, the augmented triad was not new to Beethoven; it already appears in the finale of Act I of Mozart’s Don Giovanni (at the words “Trema o scellerato!”). What’s interesting here is how Beethoven treats the chord: he gives it great independence, sustaining it for 4 bars the first time, and even 6 bars the second time. This creates an ambiguity about whether the key is D major or B minor — with D major only being firmly established at the very end. The harmonic language here even anticipates the sound world of Debussy.
This fragment appears in the Wielhorsky Sketchbook, page 28, staves 3–4, immediately following the melody Hess 324.
Although Hess labels it “Piece in C Major,” the fragment is actually in D major, as seen in the key signature in the accompanying image.
Rather than a true melody, this 17-bar fragment (8 + 9) is best described as a harmonic study, featuring:
- An avoided cadence on the dominant (V) of D major
- A sudden modulation to B minor using ascending chromaticism in the bass (A♮–A♯)
- An augmented triad on the mediant (III) that recalls the opening bars
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A descending chromatic bass line (A♯–A♮) leading to a regular conclusion in D major
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