WoO 2b – Introduction (or Intermezzo), possibly for the second act of Leonore, March 1813, first published in Mainz, Schott’s Sohne (By Georg Schünemann), 1938. (Today, it is more commonly attributed to a reprise of Leonore Act II, Introduction). Biamonti 554, Bruers 337, Hess 117, KH. (WoO) 2b, Thayer 279.

Score located at the Deutsche Staatsbibliothek in Berlin: D-B, Mus. SM. autogr. Beethoven Artaria 152. Dating: late summer or autumn 1805. Red chalk marks by a copyist.

Title: Manuscript title “Introduzione de IIdo Atto”. Detailed instructions for the copyist at the bottom of the page. 8 sheets; 14 pages of musical text (sheets 1r-7v, sheet 8 blank). Paper: horizontal format, 24 x 31.5 cm, double-spaced.

Provenance: Purchased by Domenico Artaria at the 1827 auction, possibly as number 178 in the estate register (“Märsche für Orchester ungewiß ob schon bekannt”). – For several years at Carl Haslinger, Vienna, until after 1865 (see Thayer/1865, page 168). Haslinger may have purchased or borrowed it when he published WoO 2a in 1840. – Returned to Artaria around 1890 (Johnson/Artaria, p. 206). Artaria Publishing House, Vienna. – Erich Prieger, Bonn, from 1897. – Acquired in 1901. Facsimile: SBB. Descriptions: Bartlitz/Catalogue, page 19. – Brenneis/Leonore, pages 183-185.

The instrumentation of the march consists of: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani, and strings.