Flute Sonata in B-flat major (attributed to Beethoven)

Composition attributed to Ludwig van Beethoven

The Flute Sonata in B-flat major, Anh. 4 is a composition for flute and keyboard attributed to Ludwig van Beethoven found amongst his papers after his death. It remained unpublished until 1906.

Background

Following Beethoven's death, a number of unpublished works were discovered amongst his papers including the Piano Trio, WoO. 38, the Piano Sonata, WoO. 51, the Rondino, WoO. 25 and this sonata for flute and keyboard. Alexander Thayer noted that when the sonata was discovered, the manuscript was not in Beethoven's handwriting, making attribution to the composer problematic. Musicologist Willy Hess argued that Beethoven would not have retained the work in his papers unless he had some personal connection with the composition.

The manuscript was initially obtained by Artaria & Co., who elected not to publish the composition. The sonata was finally published in 1906 by Breitkopf & Härtel. The current location of the manuscript is unknown.

Structure

The composition is in four movements.

Allegro
Polacca (polonaise)
Largo
Thema mit variationen: Allegretto

Typical performances last around 22 minutes.

Carla Rees, in a review of a recording of the sonata released by Naïve Records in 2008 noted that the sonata is a true duo with both instruments sharing in the melodic material. She also speculated based on the writing for the flute that the work may have been a transcription of a violin sonata.

References

Notes

"Anh." denotes "Anhang" or "appendix" to the catalogue.

Watson 2012, p. 288
^ Thayer 1921, p. 138
Anderson 2018
^ Rees 2008

Sources

Anderson, Keith (2018). Beethoven, L. van: Flute Works, Vol. 2 (CD). Naxos. 8.573570. Archived from the original on 2021-06-26. Retrieved 2018-05-04.
Rees, Carla (2008-04-08). "Review: Music For Flute (Naive V5128)". Musicweb International. Retrieved 2015-10-06.
Thayer, Alexander Wheelock (1921). The Life of Beethoven. Vol. 1. New York: G. Schirmer, Inc.
Watson, Angus (2012). Beethoven's Chamber Music in Context. Woodbridge: Boydell Press. ISBN 978-1-84383-716-9.

External links

Flute Sonata in B-flat Major, Anh.4: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
"Flute Sonata in B-flat Major, Anh.4 performed by Zdenek Bruderhans (flute) and Stefan Ammer (fortepiano)". YouTube. 2011-05-02.
"Flute Sonata in B-flat Major, Anh.4 performed by Shinya Koide (flute) and Eriko Habata (Piano) - Live Performance". YouTube. 2016-04-05.

v t e Ludwig van Beethoven
List of compositions
Life	Birthplace Relationship with contemporaries Mozart Death Heiligenstadt Testament Immortal Beloved Concert of 22 December 1808
Music	Relationship with C minor Collected edition Musical style Compositional method Works catalogs WoO Biamonti Catalogue
Memorials	Beethoven Hall Beethovenhalle Beethoven House List of sculptures Berlin Bonn Mexico City New York and San Francisco
Depictions	Mähler's portraits Beethoven with the Manuscript of the Missa Solemnis Eroica (1949 film) Immortal Beloved (1994 film) Eroica (2003 film) Copying Beethoven (2006 film) Other films
Family	Johann (father) Maria (mother) Kaspar (brother) Johann (brother) Ludwig (grandfather) Johanna (sister-in-law) Karl (nephew)
Related	1815 Beethoven Birthplace of Beethoven's mother Beethoven Peninsula Beethoven quadrangle / Beethoven crater Beethoven Burst Beethoven Frieze Beethoven Project Trio Beethoven Quartet Society British première of Symphony No. 9 Eroica Peninsula Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies Three Bs
Category

v t e Duo sonatas by Ludwig van Beethoven
Violin	Violin Sonata in A major, Hess 46 (fragmentary work) No. 1 in D major, Op. 12 No. 1 No. 2 in A major, Op. 12 No. 2 No. 3 in E-flat major, Op. 12 No. 3 No. 4 in A minor, Op. 23 No. 5 in F major, Op. 24 (Spring) No. 6 in A major, Op. 30 No. 1 No. 7 in C minor, Op. 30 No. 2 No. 8 in G major, Op. 30 No. 3 No. 9 in A minor, Op. 47 (Kreutzer) No. 10 in G major, Op. 96
Cello	No. 1 in F major, Op. 5 No. 1 No. 2 in G minor, Op. 5 No. 2 No. 3 in A major, Op. 69 No. 4 in C major, Op. 102 No. 1 No. 5 in D major, Op. 102 No. 2
Horn	Horn Sonata in F major, Op. 17
Flute	Flute Sonata in B-flat major, Anh. 4 (doubtful)

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