Unv. 01 – Hess 298 · Symphony in C minor · Sketch of the First Movement (1785–1786)
Unv.01- Hess 298 – Symphony in C minor – Sketch of the First Movement – 1785 / 1786. Schiedermeier page 219/46
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It is a sketch of 111 bars, entitled Symphony, preserved in the Kafka collection of the British Museum. Published in its entirety by Stein, (and in 1970 by Kerman Editor’s note) already mentioned by Nottebohm (Zweitebeethoveniana, page 567) and by Shedlock, MT June 1892. The dating is about the same as that of the WoO 36 piano quartets, so much so that they have more than one element in common. It is not to be confused with the sketches of another early symphony, referred to in number 73 of the Biamonti catalogue. The thematic element presents the beginning of the scherzo of the Fifth Symphony. (G.Biamonti)
Origin: probably sketched between 1786 and 1790. On the basis of the manuscript and paper finds, Douglas Johnson dated the sketches between the years 1786-1790 (Johnson/Fischhof vol. 1, pp. 221 and 242-246). Joseph Kerman narrows the period a little more narrowly to 1788/89 (Kerman / Kafka, Vol. 2, p. 291). Gustav Nottebohm’s reference to the similarity of the theme to that of the 2nd movement of the piano quartet WoO 36 No. 1 (created in 1785) cannot be used directly as an indication of the origin of the sketches for the symphony (Nottebohm/Beethoveniana ll, p. 567).
The piece was completed and made playable by Albert Willem Holsbergen; although we will never know how the composer would have really developed it, this operation allows us to listen to it as a true completed Symphony movement and to appreciate its beauty.
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With a slide of the recordings mentioned in the article – By the YouTube channel SecondAVitA