Sonate für Klavier und Horn oder Violoncello (F-Dur) op. 17

Listening samples

	1. Allegro moderato (365 kB)
	2. Poco Adagio, quasi Andante (365 kB)
	3. Rondo. Allegro moderato (365 kB)

Composition
April 1800
dedicated to Josephine (Josepha) Freifrau von Braun

Beethoven composed his only sonata for horn at the beginning of 1800. Johann Wenzel (Jan Václav) Stich alias Giovanni Punto, the most famous horn virtuoso of the time, spent some time in Vienna. He probably got to know the composer at the house of Count Deym. Beethoven composed the horn sonata especially for Punto's academy in the Hofburg Theatre on 18 April 1800. Punto was a virtuoso who contributed to the increased sound possibilities of the instrument on account of his elaborate technique. Around 1800 the horn was still a natural tone instrument without any valves. Chromatic notes, which varied from the natural tone sequence could only be produced by special techniques such as stopping (altering the column of air in the instrument by putting the right hand in the bell) or certain attacking techniques. These "special notes" were often created at the expense of the sound quality. Punto was one of the few people who was famed for his evenness of tone and masterly control of all notes. Beethoven exhausted Punto's abilities and gave him every possible opportunity of showing them off. He composed a sonata especially tailored to suit him and performed it many times in public and private concerts together with Punto. However, this personalization also had some disadvantages: who would be able to play such a technically demanding work other than Punto? It was perhaps for this reason that a year later, in March 1801, the publisher Mollo not only published a version for piano and natural horn, but also included a cello part, thus greatly increasing the sales potential of the work. It is not certain whether Beethoven did the arrangement for cello himself. He did, however, at least approve of it, as he would otherwise have publicly rejected it. (J.R.)

First editions
	Originalausgabe, op. 17, Stimmen, Mollo, 147
	Erstausgabe, op. 17, Klavierpartitur, Dunst, 91; Teilscan
	Erstausgabe, op. 17, Klavierpartitur, Stimmen, Dunst, 91
	Titelauflage, op. 17, Stimmen, Mollo, 1101; Teilscan
	Titelauflage, op. 17, Stimmen, Mollo, 1101
	Titelauflage, op. 17, Stimmen, Mollo, 1101; Teilscan

Scores

Literatur

Berlin: Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin Preußischer Kulturbesitz, Musikabteilung mit Mendelssohn-Archiv

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