Ludwig van Beethoven, Skizzenblätter zum Klaviertrio op. 97, Autograph

Structure of the gathering clearly visible

"During the festivities for the Princess von Baden and the hurt finger of his Excellency, I began to work somewhat diligently, which also resulted in a new Trio for the Piano", Beethoven wrote to the Archduke Rudolph in Vienna concerning the genesis of his latest Piano Trio at the end of March 1811. The Piano Trio op. 97 is dedicated to the Archduke Rudolph, the autograph score bears the note "geendigt am 26ten März 1811" (completed on 26th March 1811), showing when it was completed. Beethoven had, however, already conceived the work at the end of 1810, as proved by the sketches. These four leaves contain sketches for all the movements of the trio except the first one, although most of them are for the fourth movement. The three stitch holes in the left-hand margin show that they were once part of a sketchbook, which was separated into single leaves or gatherings over the centuries and which only survives in a theoretical reconstruction.

These four sketch leaves are helpful in understanding what a gathering is. Despite the separation of the original sketchbook both of the bifolia remain in each other, as they were originally: they are from the same sheet of paper. (J.R.)