Beethoven, Three Early Sonatas, WoO 47

The master of masters, Ludwig van Beethoven, probably came into this world in Bonn on December 16, 1770. We say "probably" since the only certain date we know is that of his baptism, which took place on December 17. It is even possible that he may have been born a few days earlier if we remember that Johann, Ludwig's father, was accustomed to greeting good times (and even bad times) with plenty of alcohol. If he did so for the birth of his second offspring (the first, dead six days), he may have needed a couple of days to recover and organize the christening properly. Anyway.

In these days, we have learned that in the Bundeskunsthalle, the great federal museum in Bonn, there is a memorandum from 1784 that reviews some members of the court chapel, where Johann would sing, in the tenor tessitura. Johann is described as "with a very worn voice". His social status is also noted, as "very poor."

Further on, Ludwig himself is mentioned as the organist's substitute when the latter was absent. No remuneration is specified. We assume that there was none.

But in compensation for such abuse of those times, the document describes him as an able musician, "still young" and, as was to be expected, he is also distinguished as "poor".

Eight years later, on November 2, 1792, at six o'clock in the morning, Beethoven left for Vienna, where he would reside for the rest of his life, without ever returning to Bonn. Among many others, he will be seen off by Count Ferdinand von Waldstein, who would write in Ludwig's "travelogue":

“Dear Beethoven! 

You are now going to Vienna in fulfillment of your long-frustrated wishes. Mozart’s genius still mourns and is weeping over the death of its pupil. In the inexhaustible Haydn, it had found refuge but no occupation; through him it wishes to form a union with another. Through uninterrupted diligence you shall receive Mozart’s spirit from Haydn’s hands.

Your true friend,

Waldstein”

Of course, the master had no intention of receiving anyone's spirit, although in Vienna he studied with some masters, among them Salieri, the alleged "poisoner" of Mozart. But when asked later from what sources he had drawn, the master of masters would answer, proudly: "I am a pupil of Socrates, and of Jesus Christ".

Sonatas WoO 47

The three very early piano sonatas WoO 47 (Werk ohne Opuszahl: Works Without Opus number) were composed between 1782 and 1783, when Beethoven was a boy of twelve or thirteen. Therefore, he did not assign them opus numbers, because he did not know that this task would be part of his future profession.

Dedicated to the Elector (Kurfürst) of Cologne, they are also known as Kurfürstensonaten.

The inclusion of these three sonatas brings Beethoven's sonata corpus to a total of 35 sonatas.

They are, of course, tributary to the work of Haydn and Clementi. And – needless to say – they foreshadow the genius of the 32 masterpieces contained in the usual canon.

This modest blog is today celebrating Ludwig the child's birthday with the three sonatas of this "opus" in the rendition by two young Chinese pianists. Zuja Huang, 12 years old at the time of the video, is in charge of sonatas Nos. 1 and 2, and an unnamed girl, is in charge of the third one.

Movements:
Sonata No 1 in E flat (lasting 8 minutes)
– Allegro cantabile
– Andante
– Rondo vivace

Sonata No 2 en Fa menor (lasting 9 minutes)
– Larghetto maestoso – Allegro assai
– Andante
– Presto

Sonata No 3 in D major (lasting 10 minutes)
– Allegro
– Menuetto – Sostenuto
– Scherzando: Allegretto, ma non troppo