Centro di Ricerche Musicali www.lvbeethoven.it
  • Il Sito
      • Chi siamo – Lo staff del Sito
      • I nostri obiettivi
      • Il nostro canale
      • Il centro di Ricerche consiglia…
      • Siti consigliati
  • Le Opere
      • La catalogazione completa delle opere
      • Opus (1 – 138)
      • WoO Werke ohne Opuszall (1 – 228)
      • WoO Anhang (1 – 18)
      • Hess Werke Verzeichnis (1 – 335)
      • Hess Anhang (1 – 66)
      • Biamonti (1 – 849)
      • Copie tratte da altri musicisti
      • Unvollendete Werke (1 – 23)
      • Opere senza numero di Opera
      • Attorno a Beethoven
      • Trattato di armonia e di composizione
  • I Generi
      • Le opere suddivise per genere musicale
      • 01 Sinfonie
      • 02 Opere per orchestra
      • 03 Danze e minuetti per orchestra
      • 04 Harmoniemusiken
      • 05 Concerti per strumento solista e orchestra
      • 06 Quartetti e quintetti con pianoforte
      • 07 Trii per pianoforte violino e cello
      • 08 Sonate per violino e pianoforte
      • 09 Sonate per violoncello e pianoforte
      • 10 Uno strumento e pianoforte
      • 11 Miscellanea di musica da camera
      • 12 Quintetti per archi
      • 13 Quartetti per archi
      • 14 Duetti e trii per archi
      • 15 Musica per piano a quattro mani
      • 16 Sonate per pianoforte
      • 17 Variazioni per pianoforte
      • 18 Opere varie per pianoforte
      • 19 Le messe e l’ Oratorio
      • 20 Opere Liriche
      • 21 Musiche di scena
      • 23 Arie per solo ed orchestra
      • 23 Canti popolari
      • 24 Lieder per voce e pianoforte
      • 25 Canti italiani a cappella
      • 26 Canoni e scherzi musicali
      • 27 Studi musicali e l’ opera per organo
  • Quaderni di abbozzi
      • Artaria 195
      • Artaria 197
      • Artaria 206
      • De Roda
      • Fischhof (miscellanea)
      • Kafka (Miscellanea)
      • Keßlersches Skizzenbuch
      • “Kullak” Skizzenbuch
      • Grasnick 1 e 2
      • Grasnick 14
      • Landsberg 7
      • Princeton Sketches for variations in G minor.
      • Skizzenblatt von Sommer 1800 zu Op.18 Nr.2
      • Schizzenbuch zur As-dur Sonate op. 26
      • Schmitz Arnold – Unbekannte Skizzen und Entwürfe.
      • Werner Jack – The Beethoven Sketchbook
  • Articoli
      • Accademia Stefano Tempia
      • Adelaïde Opus 46 – copia manoscritta
      • Alexander Wheelock Thayer al Beethovenhaus di Bonn
      • Alois Kolb – Il ciclo di litografie su soggetto Beethoven
      • Arciduca Rodolfo d’ Austria, opere e vita
      • Bastiano e Bastiana a Genova
      • Beethoven, 250 anni di mito.
      • Beethoven Album (1846)
      • Beethoven and the Art of Horology – Part 1 & 2
      • Beethoven Autentico?
      • Beethoven e l’ Italia: Il Cristo sul monte degli Ulivi
      • Beethoven e l’ Italia “Sono tedeschi i maestri…”
      • Beethoven ed il “Fiesco” di Schiller.
      • Beethoven, l’intimo di un genio solo e tormentato – Concetta De Mauro
      • Beethoven Studien – Neue Ausgabe von Louis Köhler
      • Beethoven X – L’ Inaudito –
      • Beethoveniana I – Gustav Nottebohm
      • Benedetta Saglietti: La Nona di Ballista e Canino
      • Blumenlese e Neue Blumenlese für Klavierliebhaber
      • Cantate für Enthüllung der Beethoven – Monuments
      • Cappelli Antonietta – Le Variazioni su “Nel cor più non mi sento”
      • Chiedetelo alle compositrici, di Fiorella e Antonietta
      • Chiosco della Musica di Rapallo
      • Cataloghi delle opere di Ludwig van Beethoven
      • Concerto del 25 aprile 2014 alla Beethoven Haus
      • Le Creature di Prometeo a Nervi
      • Editori ed edizioni.
      • Erste Album Beethoven
      • Fiera del fumetto “Beethoveniano”
      • Focus su… Benedetta Saglietti
      • Francesco Trocchia – Recast (Kleine Fuge) dalla fuga Biamonti 250
      • Giovane Beethoven (il) agli occhi dei contemporanei
      • Giuseppe Bruno: le variazioni per pianoforte di Beethoven
      • Inaugurazione della nuova Beethoven Haus a Bonn
      • In memoriam: Marzo 1827
      • Luoghi beethoveniani a Praga, Repubblica Ceca
      • James Green e Benedetta Saglietti a Genova
      • J.B. Cramer – 21 Etüden für Klavier
      • “La ritrovata figlia di Ottone II”
      • Lettera all’amata immortale
      • Ludwig van Beethoven’s Studien
      • Luigi Bellofatto: Jäger und Sammler
      • Luigi Bellofatto – Conferenza beethoveniana di Boston
      • Luigi Bellofatto alla Fazioli – Beethoven, quasi una Fantasia
      • Luigi Della Croce compie 90 anni
      • Luoghi beethoveniani a Vienna, Austria
      • Maria Callas e Diego Moccia
      • Michel Rouch Change, change moi Brama !
      • Michel Rouch: Le premier disque d’ esquisses de B.
      • Michel Rouch “Germany” & “Waltham”
      • Michel Rouch: Ludwig van Beethoven l’ ancien
      • Michel Rouch: Sehnsuchtswalzer Anhang 14 n° 1
      • Michel Rouch: The Ivy Green – le lierre.
      • Michele Trenti – Il concerto per violino Opus 61
      • Minona von Stackelberg fu la figlia di Beethoven?
      • Miriam Allemand: La Redoute à Godesberg électorat de Cologne
      • Opere per mandolino e pianoforte di Beethoven
      • Raccolta di giornali d’ epoca
      • Revisione della pendola di Beethoven. 28/9/2011.
      • Salvatore Viganò e Beethoven nel “coreodramma”
      • Sonata Opus 101 trascritta per violino e pianoforte
      • Sonata op. 109 (La) tra esordi e discordie – G. di Donato
      • Statua “Beethoven giovinetto” a Genova – Nervi.
      • Statua di Beethoven di Francesco Jerace
      • Temi utilizzati da Beethoven nelle sue sinfonie
      • WP: Anhang 2 Sei quartetti per archi a Genova
      • WP: Anhang 3 Trio in re per piano, violino e cello
      • WP: Hess 47 Trio dall’ Opus 3 (incompiuto)
      • WP: Concerto del Duo Novecento
      • WP: La Prima Mondiale delle Variazioni Unv.14
  • Bibliografia
      • Bibliografia – Libri A / D
      • Bibliografia – Libri E / H
      • Bibliografia – Libri I / L
      • Bibliografia – Libri M / P
      • Bibliografia – Libri Q / T
      • Bibliografia – Libri U / Z
      • Bibliografia – Libri Fondamentali
      • Libri completi disponibili sul sito
      • Gesamtausgabe (G.A.)
  • Biblioteca Multimediale
      • Beethoveniana.
      • Beethoven’s Studien im Generalbasse
      • Beethoven Studien – Neue Ausgabe von Louis Köhler
      • Gesamtausgabe (G.A.)
  • Biografia
      • Breviario Beethoveniano – Prefazione
      • Vita di Beethoven e fatti storici dei suoi tempi
      • Nascita, gioventù ed adolescenza di Beethoven
      • Carattere, personalità, studi e cultura di Beethoven
      • Amici, mecenati e donne importanti per la sua vita
      • Scritti, documenti ed il “Testamento di Heiligenstadt”
      • Idee politiche e sociali – L’ idea di libertà
      • Beethoven e la religione
      • Beethoven pianista, direttore, didatta e compositore
      • I giudizi di Beethoven su altri musicisti
      • I giudizi su Beethoven di altri musicisti
      • La critica musicale a giudizio delle sue composizioni
      • Beethoven visto dagli ascoltatori
      • Gli amori di Beethoven
      • Gli editori di Beethoven
      • Biografie e biografi di Beethoven
      • La leggenda romantica di Beethoven
      • Beethoven nella storia della musica
      • La case di Beethoven
      • Gli ultimi giorni e la morte di Beethoven
  • La ricerca diventa Arte
      • La ricerca diventa Arte
  • Contatti
      • Modulo di Contatto
  • Novità 2021
      • Novità per chi non avesse i social
      • Il nostro Centro di Ricerche Musicali
      • La Pagina Instagram del Sito
  • Pubblicazioni
      • Pubblicazioni a cura del sito
  • Cerca
  • Menu
  • June 1892
  • July 1892
  • August 1892
  • September 1892
  • October 1892
  • November 1892
  • December 1892
  • January 1893
  • September 1893
  • January 1894
  • July 1894
  • September 1894
  • June 1895

Beethoven Sketch Books by By J. S. Shedlock, B.A. On Musical Time (1892 – 1895)

XIII) – MUSICAL TIME June 1, 1895

A BEETHOVEN AUTOGRAPH.

Everything that has belonged to a great man possesses interest, down to the clothes which he wore or the furniture which he handled. In some, perhaps many, cases, no doubt, the curiosity is a vulgar one; but in others it proceeds from a proper feeling of admiration, nay, reverence. But of all relics, autographs, whether of books or of music, are the most precious. In the very handwriting of a great man lies something of his genius; on beholding it one seems to get closer to the man’s feelings, closer to the meaning of his words or notes; penstrokes have in them life and individuality.

A fac-simile has just been printed of the whole of the autograph of Beethoven’s Sonata in A flat (Op. 26), the first attempt, we believe, to give one of the master’s compositions in complete form. Some little time ago Sir George Grove, in a letter to The Times, suggested that the autographs of Beethoven’s Symphonies should be dealt with in similar manner. His scheme has, unfortunately, not yet been carried into execution ; the appearance of this Sonata may, however, be the means of drawing fresh attention to it. The publishing of the autographs, whether of sonatas or symphonies, in fac-simile would satisfy the curiosity, and a very legitimate one to j, of all musicians; but it would effect something of higher importance. A time, however remote, will come when it will be said of the autographs of Beethoven, as Carlyle said of “rough” Samuel Johnson and “sleek wheed- ling” James Boswell, that “they were and are not ” Discussions arise from time to time as to the correctness of this or that note, this or that

mark in Beethoven’s music, and then reference to the autograph copy, when obtainable, becomes of essential importance. When time has destroyed the autographs, fac-similes will be invaluable (1)

Not only for the publication,* but for the discovery of the autograph of the Sonata in A flat (Op. 26), musicians are indebted to Dr. Erich Prieger, of Bonn. In the year 1878 he found the precious document among some old books on medicine and theology—a juxtaposition which, if only the theology were sound, would surely have met with the approval of Dr, Martin Luther — in a private house; and ever since then he entertained the idea which he has now carried into execution. Dr. Prieger’s interest in all matters relating to Beethoven is great; and so, too, is his enthusiasm. We may, therefore, find this publication followed by others. Of the thirty- two Pianoforte Sonatas, some of the autographs are unfortunately lost; but among those preserved are some of the finest (Op. 53, 57, 90, 109, no, in). In an interesting preface Dr. Prieger refers to the principal sketches made by Beethoven while working at this A flat Sonata. The early one of the Funeral March is indeed characteristic of the master; it shows, as Dr, Prieger observes, a strange evolutionary process: something simple, almost commonplace, becomes something deep and mighty. Allusion is also made to three Sonatas (Op. 23, Nos. 1-3) composed by J. B. Cramer, and dedicated to Haydn, by which Beethoven is said to have been influenced while writing his work; and two passages are quoted from the first Cramer Sonata, likewise in A flat, which certainly may, as Dr. Prieger admits, have suggested the form of certain passages in the Finale of Beethoven’s Sonata. More than this cannot be said.

And now let us turn to the Beethoven autograph, and by mentioning one or two points, show that the possession of this, or of other facsimiles, is not merely a matter of passing interest, but of lasting value. They may solve doubtful points, or, as in the publication before us, enable us in places even to trace the music in course of development. The treble of the tenth bar from the end of the theme of the Andante con Variazioni is printed, in all editions with which we are acquainted, as follows :—

But in the autograph, after the D natural, we find two notes added—

They are, of course, the notes which one wouLi naturally play; but if indicated by Beethovtn they ought, most certainly, to have been printed* The proof sheets which the composer corrected for the press could alone decide the matter: it may be that at the last moment Beethoven ran his pen through the notes in question. The interest here is not in the notes themselves, which are unimportant, but in the fact that there is a difference between the autograph and the printed version. If this be an oversight, it seems just possible that in other works omissions of greater moment may have been made. In the printed version of the Finale there is a passage—

which looks strange, and which sounds somewhat unsatisfactory. The reason for the omission of the single octave in the second bar is, however, clear. The movement is in quick time (Allegro), and were the octave played the left-hand thumb would come in the way of the right one. The passage in question occurs three times during the movement and each time it is printed the same way. Now, on examining the autograph, one finds in all three passages unmistakable signs of an erasure of the lower c; in the third passage a portion of the stem can still be traced (the fac-simile, it should be stated, is wonderfully distinct). Beethoven, therefore, had originally written the octave note. By whose hand was it erased ? By his own or by that of the publisher ? The erasure by means of a knife is, to say the least, not Beethovenish. In other parts of the Sonata a wrong note or chord is carefully scratched through with pen, and the correct note or chord written in to the left or right of the original one, and even over or under it.  There are other interesting variations, of which we can briefly notice only one or two. The first bar of the Trio of the Funeral March appears thus in the autograph—

Beethoven marks the sordino with the loud notes ; also, senza sordino during the piano tremolo. So, too, in the last bars (the Coda) of the first movement, we find, after the pp9 crest. senza sordino. And we would allude to the frequent printing of dots, where dashes are clearly indicated in the autograph. A notable passage occurs in the hrst variation —

and the two following bars. The dashes here seem most appropriate. Beethoven has written dots in the Coda  of the first movement, and again in the Scherzo, so that there is no possibility of mistaking the one for the other.

And so we could go on to speak of bars scratched out and re-written, of marks oi expression, &c. Pianists probably know the work by heart, and it will, therefore, be best to leave them to study the autograph for themselves, and to note other differences and features of interest.

 (1) As-dur Sonatc (Op. 26). Von Ludwig van Beethoven. Fac-simale. Herausgegeben von Erich Prieger. Verlag von Friedrich Cohen, in Bonn, 1895.

  • June 1892
  • July 1892
  • August 1892
  • September 1892
  • October 1892
  • November 1892
  • December 1892
  • January 1893
  • September 1893
  • January 1894
  • July 1894
  • September 1894
  • June 1895

Le fonti bibliografiche  di questa pagina sono curate da Luigi Bellofatto. Chi volesse consultare o richiedere dette fonti, può contattare l’ autore tramite il nostro modulo di contatto.

Gli esempi musicali di questa pagina sono curati da Graziano Denini. Chi volesse consultare o richiedere questi file, può contattare l’ autore tramite il nostro modulo di contatto.

Novità. Sito aggiornato al 20 aprile 2021

Noi collaboriamo con: “Celebrating Ludwig van Beethoven’s 250th birthday!”.

Lasciatevi sorprendere dal Sito

IMG-20201216-WA0002

Collaborate con noi!

Pagina Instagram

Pagina InstagramPagina Instagram

Translate:

© Copyright del Centro Ricerche Musicali www.lvbeethoven.it: Responsabili, curatori e coautori: Luigi Bellofatto , Graziano Denini, Armando Orlandi. Per consultare la lista dei nostri numerosi ricercatori e collaboratori riferirsi alla nostra pagina dedicata. I testi, le immagini, le fotografie, le illustrazioni e gli MP3 sono proprietà esclusiva dei loro autori e del Centro Ricerche Musicali. File MIDI proprietà di Pierre-Jean Chenevez. Le suddette opere non possono essere utilizzate e divulgate senza l’autorizzazione scritta dei medesimi. Pubblicazione web: Aruba. Sito ottimizzato per dispositivi mobili, tablet e PC con risoluzione 1920x1440. Il sito utilizza esclusivamente cookie tecnici per fornire un servizio migliore agli utenti. Non tracciano il visitatore né rimandano dati a terze parti. Per questi cookie non serve un banner di consenso preventivo, ne facciamo comunque menzione in questa sede.
Scorrere verso l’alto