Ludwig van Beethoven, Skizzenblatt zur Klaviersonate op. 106 und anderen Klavierwerken, Autograph

Rare sketch leaf for the Hammerklaviersonate

Beethoven's "Große Sonate für das Hammer-Klavier" op. 106 is one of his most famous piano sonatas. It was written in 1817/18. On the sketch leaf shown here there are drafts for the third and second movements of the sonata, as well as ideas for further piano works, which Beethoven never developed any further. Unlike many of his other works, the sketches for the Hammerklavier Sonata are rather widely scattered. Only a few leaves with sketches for the first three movements still exist (the one shown here is one of these "rare" sketch leaves). Most of the surviving leaves contain sketches for the last movement. The majority of the sketches for the Hammerklavier Sonata are in a famous sketchbook which disappeared over a hundred years ago - the "Boldrini" Sketchbook. (J.R.)