Minuet for orchestra (E-flat major) WoO 3

This 'Congratulatory Minuet' was a present from Beethoven to the director of the Josephstadt Theatre, Karl Friedrich Hensler (1759-1825). In 1821 Hensler had taken over the theatre and rebuilt it. At its reopening on 3 October 1822 Beethoven contributed a new overture for The Consecration of the House (op. 124) and an arrangement of The Ruins of Athens (op. 113).

Hensler's name day was on 4 November, but he celebrated it on the preceding Sunday, 3 November. After the end of the evening performance all the employees present gathered in the theatre, which was lit up and decorated, to surprise the director with speeches. Once the speeches were over Hensler returned, very moved, to his apartment in the theatre, not suspecting that the real surprise was now to come. The musicians gathered under the windows of his apartment and played several serenades for him in the street, including the minuet which Beethoven had specially composed for this occasion.

Although the minuet is only an occasional work, Beethoven obviously held it dear. He gave a copy of it to his great patron, Archduke Rudolph, and offered it to several publishers (Peters, Schlesinger, Schott and Probst). It was, however, only published posthumously by Artaria of Vienna in 1832. (J.R.)