WoO 22 – Ecossaise in D Major for Military Orchestra

Composed: Summer 1810 First Published: 1888 (Posthumously)

WoO 22 – Ecossaise in D major for military orchestra, composed in the summer of 1810, first published in full score in the Supplement to the Gesamtausgabe (GA) in 1888. GA No. 290 (Series 25/27) – B. 275 – KH. (WoO) 22 – T. 153

Official Title: WoO 22 Ecossaise (D-Dur) für Militärmusik Dedication: None NGA II/4 AGA 290 = Series 25/27

The original manuscript, according to the KH catalog, is privately held (Maria Wach, Wilderswil). Like the preceding Polonaise, it was composed in Baden. A sketch on a sheet also containing drafts for the song “Wonne der Wehmut” Op. 83 No. 1, Schiller’s “In einem Thal,” and Goethe’s “Sehnsucht” is mentioned by Nottebohm (Vol. II, p. 282, note).

Instrumentation: Piccolo, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 horns, trumpet, bass drum, military drum, triangle, cymbals, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon.

Origin and Publication: Likely sketched between autumn 1809 and spring 1810. The autograph score was probably written alongside that of the Polonaise WoO 21 in Baden near Vienna, between late July and early October 1810. The first edition was published posthumously in 1888 in the AGA by Breitkopf & Härtel in Leipzig.

Gustav Nottebohm had already pointed out that sketches for the song “Sehnsucht” Op. 83 No. 2 appear on a sheet also containing ideas for the Ecossaise WoO 22, dating to spring/summer 1810 (Nottebohm/Beethoveniana II, p. 282). Beethoven wrote further sketches for the Ecossaise alongside those for the Polonaise WoO 21 and the music for the tragedy Egmont Op. 84.

Since the music for Op. 84 was composed starting in October 1809 and premiered on 15 June 1810, and the sketches for WoO 22 are among those for Egmont, the Ecossaise must have been conceived in Vienna before June 1810 (cf. Fecker / Kestner-Museum, p. 367). Beethoven likely brought the sketches—written between autumn 1809 and spring 1810—with him to Baden and completed the score during his summer stay.

First Performance: Unknown

The Bodleian Libraries has a manuscript dedicated to Cecile Jeanrenaud containing a copy of this Scotsman for orchestra in Beethoven’s original hand: Album dedicated to ‘Cécile Jeanrenaud am 24sten December 1836. F. Mendelssohn Bartholdy Frankfurt am Main, zur Weihnachtszeit 1836. (fols. 19-21) Ludwig van Beethoven. Ecossais and trio in D for military band. Score signed ‘par Beethoven 1810 a Baaden’. Named by Kinsky, Wo 022. Probably obtained by F. Mendelssohn Bartholdy from A. Fuchs. Kept in portfolio. Double leaf, with a single leaf inserted, 15 staves (fol. 20v blank). 202 × 311 mm. Watermark: GIBB.