WoO 49 – Rondo’ in A major, for Piano – 1784 Published in Speyer in Bossler’s Neue Blumenlese für Liebhaber (part I, pages 16-19 – see the original edition on the side), 1784. GA. no. 196 (series 18/14) – B. 164 – KH. (WoO) 49 -L. IV, page 339/g – Nottebohm page 149 – P. 8 – Sch. page 170/7 – Thayer 6. NGAVII/6 AGA 196 = Series 18/14

Composition and publication: composed in Bonn at the beginning of 1784. The original edition was published by Boßler in Speyer in February of the same year. Only the original pressing of the piano piece has survived, which appeared in Boßler’s weekly “Neue Blumenlese für Klavierliebhaber” in the 5th week of 1784. As a year earlier (cf. WoO 48 and WoO 107), Beethoven also published a Lied WoO 108 and a piano piece in Boßler’s 1784 collection, this time in two different editions of the weekly (WoO 108 appeared in the 37th week). In the absence of other sources, the date of publication of the print is the only clue for the dating of the Rondo. The first performance is not known, as are the autograph sources.

The original edition of 1784 (February). Speyer, Bossler, without VN / PN. reads: “Neue / Blumenlese / für / Klavierliebhaber / Eine musikalische Wochenschrift. / Erster Theil / 1784 / Speier. / beautiful Rath Bossler”. Title: “Rondo Allegretto / [r.:] Del Sigre van Bethhofen [!]”. There is a copy that does not indicate the place of publication and with the correct name “Beethoven” (see Schneider / Boßler p. 289 and above all the copy owned by Luigi Domenico Bellofatto: Articles – Blumenlese and Neue Blumenlese 01 Introduction – lvbeethoven).

The second part of the collection contains the Lied for voice and piano “An einen Säugling” WoO 108. Further editions before 1830 are not ascertained. The Rondo advertised by Clementi & Co. (1816 and 1822/23) and by Goulding & Co. is certainly op. 51 n. 1.