Ludwig van Beethoven, Skizzenblatt zu den Variationen über das "Menuett à la Viganò" für Klavier WoO 68, Autograph

WoO 68 amongst others, sketches

Sketches for the Piano Variations WoO 68

In addition to some unidentified sketches this sketch leaf contains some for the Piano Variations WoO 68. Beethoven's handwriting still bears the marks of his "youthful handwriting" prior to 1800. The paper is one of the makes he often used between 1795 and 1799. The leaf can be more closely dated on account of the contents. The theme of the Twelve Variations for Piano WoO 68 is the minuet "à la Viganò" from the ballet "Le nozze disturbate". Mozart's brother-in-law Jakob Haibel composed the music for it and the ballet was performed on 18 May 1795. The minuet was very popular with people at the time and other composers also wrote variations on it. The original edition of Beethoven's variations was published in February 1796 by the Viennese publisher Artaria. Thus the sketch leaf must have been produced after 18 May 1795 and before February 1796. If one now takes into account that each print run requires certain production times (typesetting, time for corrections etc.) and that a sketch is made before a finished composition, it is very probable that this leaf was used in 1795. (J.R.)