Ludwig van Beethoven, Kanon "Kühl, nicht lau", WoO 191, Abschrift

Beethoven's Word games

The three-part canon WoO 191, shown here as a copy in an unknown hand, was composed on 2 September 1825 during a country outing in Baden near Vienna. Several musicians and friends visited Beethoven, bringing the composer and pianist Friedrich Daniel Kuhlau with them. The atmosphere was relaxed - the guests had champagne with them - and they amused themselves by making up jokes and puns.

Kuhlau presented the company with a musical puzzle around Bach's name - the four letters of his name form the notes B-A-C-H (H being the German name for B flat). Beethoven responded with a canon on the same theme. Kuhlau's name served as the text "Kühl, nicht lau" (cool, not lukewarm). (J.R.)