Beethoven: 3 Duets for Clarinet and Bassoon, WoO 27

Introduction

Beethoven's list of compositions is quite lengthy, as most know, and not surprisingly there are a few works on it of possibly spurious origin. These three duets are among that group. It appears that older reference books on Beethoven's music accepted these works as genuine, even giving the date of their composition as 1792. Now, however, musicologists have doubts about their authenticity.

They seem to have surfaced in Paris in the second decade of the nineteenth century. In the end, there is no way to determine for certain whether these duets came from Beethoven's pen. Certainly, the musical fingerprints from the mature master are not in evidence here. However, if they are indeed works of the early 1790s, they would be harder to pinpoint in relation to stylistic traits and devices, owing to the fact that Beethoven's style was still evolving at that time.

Whatever their origin, these three duets are delightful if minor creations. Each consists of three movements, as follows: No. 1: Allegro commodo; Larghetto sostenuto; Rondo--Allegretto; No. 2: Allegro affettuoso; Aria--Larghetto; Rondo--Allegro moderato; No. 3: Allegro sostenuto; Aria con Variazoni--Andantino con moto. The third duet is probably the most worthwhile, with its sonata-allegro first movement and theme-and-variations second. Still, the verdict on all this music will relegate it to very minor status in Beethoven's output or in any composer's output.

Parts/Movements

1. Allegro comodo
2. Larghetto sostenuto
3. Rondo. Allegro vivace
4. Allegro affettuoso
5. Aria. Larghetto
6. Aria: Rondo. Allegretto moderato
7. Allegro sostenuto
8. Aria con variazioni. Andantino con moto