WoO 184 Falstafferel, Canon
WoO 184. “Falstafferel”, Canon for Schuppanzig, 26 April 1823, first published as an appendix to the periodical Die Musik of 1 April 1903, and subsequently elsewhere; more recently by W. Hess in the fifth fascicle of the Supplemente zur G. A., 1962. Bruers 203 – H. 262 – KH. (WoO) 184.
The autograph forms part of the K. Geigy-Hagenbach collection in Basel. The canon is addressed to the violinist and friend Ignaz Schuppanzig (whom Beethoven occasionally nicknamed “Milord Falstaff” on account of his corpulence) on the occasion of his return from Russia: “Falstafferel, lass’ dich sehen!”. Here it is resolved for five voices, at the unison.
[By Giovanni Biamonti, Catalogo cronologico e tematico delle opere di Beethoven comprese quelle inedite e gli abbozzi non utilizzati, Turin, ILTE 1968.]
Official title: WoO 184 Falstafferel, lass’ dich sehen! Kanon (G major) nach einem eigenen Text
Dedication: — NGAXII/2 AGA – SBG V/42 (2nd ed.: 43; Hess 262)
Origin and publication: Composed in April 1823 on Ignaz Schuppanzigh’s return from St Petersburg. The first edition was published posthumously in 1903 as a supplement to the Berlin periodical Die Musik. Beethoven sent the canon to Schuppanzigh (see WoO 100) as an invitation to pay him a visit. The autograph is dated “26 April 1823”, although the numeral 26 appears to have been altered. Schuppanzigh had probably already met Beethoven on 24 April (BKh 3, p. 210) and had announced his intention of visiting Beethoven for dinner on 26 April. This visit indeed took place (BKh 3, pp. 223–228).
Sketches: DB, Mus. SM., autograph Beethoven, Artaria 205/5, p. 26 ff. Date (Artaria 205/5): April/May 1823 Facsimiles: Brandenburg/Opl25, appendix, fig. 7; and SBB. Complete score: CH-Bu, Geigy-Hagenbach Collection No. 1667. Date: “26 April 1823”. Title: “An Seine Hochgebohren / H. v. Schuppanzig / entsprossen / Aus dem alt Englischen / Adelichen Geschlecht / des Milords Fallstaf. / S. Shakespears Lebens-Beschreibung / des Mylords Fallstaf.” Signature: “amici amicus Beethoven”. One leaf; two written pages. Paper: five staves ruled freehand. Provenance: Friedrich Gerstacker – Marie Fluch, Braunschweig – Felix Fluch – Karl Ernst Henrici, Berlin (Catalogue 127, 18/19 January 1928, lot 513) – Coll. K. Geigy-Hagenbach. Facsimile: Bekker/Beethoven, p. 22 of the illustrations. Descriptions: SBG V, 2nd ed., p. 97 – Collezione di autografi di K. Geigy-Hagenbach, Basel, printed as manuscript, 1929, No. 1667.
First edition, 1903: “EIN UNBEKANNTER KANON / (fünfstimmig) / auf den Geiger / IGNAZ SCHUPPANZIGH / von / LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN / Nach dem Originalmanuscript vollständig herausgegeben von / Dr. Alfr. Chr. Kalischer / Erste Veröffentlichung. / […]”. 4 pages (title p. 1; open reproduction, score), p. 4 bottom: “Stich und Druck: Berliner Druckerei G.m.b.H. Charlottenburg”.
Supplement to: Die Musik 2 (1902/03), vol. 13. Note on the supplement: “The unknown canon by Beethoven, both in the facsimile of the original and in the five-part version fully realised by Alfr. Chr. Kalischer, will—unique among the works of the old master—fail to miss its grotesquely cheerful effect upon any reader.” At the end of the facsimile booklet of the autograph.
Taschenbuch Artaria 205 vol. V – Sketch on page 26
Taschenbuch Artaria 205 vol. V – Sketch on page 27
Beethoven’s signed dedication at the bottom of the letter
This canon was catalogued by W. Hess as Hess 262 and in the Biamonti Catalogue as No. 773. Like almost all of Beethoven’s canons, it is a canon at the unison; its contrapuntal fabric is grounded in the reiterated dominant chord resolving onto the tonic. Rudolf Klein writes in his volume: “In April 1823 Beethoven’s friend, the violinist Ignaz Schuppanzigh (see also Canon No. 3), returned home from Russia after a long absence. Beethoven eagerly anticipated his visit and therefore sent him this canon on 26 April, which, in addition to the date, bears the inscription ‘amici amicus Beethoven’. The autograph has been preserved. Beethoven bestowed this nickname on Schuppanzigh on account of his ample proportions.” In their book on the Beethoven sketch materials, Douglas Johnson, Alan Tyson, and Robert Winter report that sketches for this canon are found in Artaria 205/5, pp. 26–27.
Bibliography:
R. Klein – Sämtliche Kanons
D. Johnson, A. Tyson, R. Winter – The Beethoven Sketchbooks
