Add MS 41631

PERABO COLLECTION. Vol. IV. Drei Sonaten fürs Klavier dem Hochwürdigsten Erzbischofe und Kurfürsten zu Köln Maximilian Friedrich meinem gnädigsten Herrn gewidmet und verfertiget von Ludwig van Beethoven alt eilf Jahr. Speier. In Rath Bosslers Verlage. Printed. Beethoven's copy of his three early pianoforte sonatas in Eb, F minor and D. The date 178I is written in pencil on the cover but the year of publication was 1783; the error is probably due to the occasional mistakes Beethoven made of the age at which he wrote his early works as a result of his belief that he was bom in 1772 (the year was 1770; cf. H. E. Krehbiel, Life of Ludwig van Beethoven by A. W. Thayer, i, p. 72; Kinsky, Das Werk Beethovens: Thematischbibliographisches Verzeichnis, 1955, pp. 492-494). On the cover is a note in a later hand of the composer 'Noch vor diesem Werke sind Variationen in C moll wie auch Lieder in einem Bosslerischen Jornal erschienen' (Kinsky, ibid.); the other works referred to include the nine Variations in C minor on a March of E. L. Dressler, 1780, and the songs 'Schilderung eines Mädchens' and 'An einen Säugling', published in Bossler's Blumenlesefür Klavierliebhaber, 1783-1784 (Kinsky, ibid.). A number of indications of fingering, etc., on ff. 4 b, 5, 7 b, 8 are also probably in Beethoven's autograph. Paper; ff. ii + 14. Folio. A.D. 1783. Belonged formerly to Professor Otto Jahn, of Bonn (bookplate on f. i; cf. Kinsky, ibid.), at whose sale in 1870 it was purchased by Perabo (see f. ii).

Bookplates and Book-stamps: Jahn (Prof. Otto), d.1869.

Ludwig van Beethoven, composer: Pianoforte sonatas in E_, F minor and D: 1783.: Printed, with autogr. annotations.