Page 4 - NW-UM0009-Prelude-and-Fugue-C major-String-Quartet

Preface

The Prelude and Fugue in C major Hess 31 were created during the period of study with Johann Georg Albrechtsberger,
who lived from February 3, 1736 to March 7, 1809. Albrechtsberger was an Austrian theoretician and pedagogue of
music, an organist, as well as a composer. He entered upon his career early as a choirboy in the choir of the monastery
of Melk, Austria. There he was discovered by the crown prince, the later emperor Joseph II. The latter facilitated an
appointment as the court organist. Later Albrechtsberger became conductor of the chapel choir of the famous
Stephansdom in Vienna.

Albrechtsberger was a highly praised pedagogue; Beethoven, too, was among his pupils. It was this composer that
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studied with Albrechtsberger from January 1794 to May 1795. Together with Beethoven, Albrechtsberger researched
all forms of the counterpoint, which is most manifest in the large number of exercises passed down; over 300
studies, fugues etc. have been preserved with corrections and alterations by Albrechtsberger.
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During this period of study, greater works were also composed, such as the Dona Nobis Pacem Hess A57 3+4 , the Prelude
and Fugue in E minor Hess 29, the Prelude and Fugue in F major Hess 30, and the Prelude and Fugue in C major Hess
31. The piece was probably composed in 1794-1795; this opus also shows numerous improvements and alterations by
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his master, although some alterations are by Beethoven himself. The manuscript of the work is to be found in Vienna ,
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and did not appear in print until 1967 for the first time. 7
The present version sticks closely to Beethovenꞌs, but has been provided with a contrabass part so as to adapt the work
for being performed with a larger strength than for which it was originally written. The strength originally intended by
Beethoven was two violins, a viola and a cello, so as a string quartet. With the supplementary contrabass part, the
piece can also be played by a string orchestra, which will no doubt promote its dissemination and familiarity. In a
sense, the work is already a preliminary study for the String Quartets Opus 18 produced later.

Especially the rhythm, melodic forms, and the counterpoint applied, frequently return in these string quartets.
Beethoven has hardly indicated any rests in the empty bars; I have as yet added them. The phrasing, dynamics and
time indications have also been added. Beethoven merely writes down the notes, while we have to accept the fact that
various notes have been changed by Albrechtsberger but Beethovenꞌs notes might have been just as interesting. Of
some notes it was not clear what Beethoven exactly meant; in such a case, I have adhered to the harmonious form,
adapting the notes which, logically speaking, fit in with the harmonic unity.

Cees Nieuwenhuizen

1 Willy Hess: Beethoven, Amadeus Verlag Winterthur, p. 62, z.j.
2 Beethoven, Kompositionsstudien bei Joseph Haydn, Johann Georg Alberchtsberger und Antonio Salieri, 2014,
G. Henle Verlag, Munich
3 Willy Hess: Supplemente zur Gesamtausgabe, 1971, p. 142, vierte Abteilung
4 Upstream Music, UM 0014, 2007, Schagen, The Netherlands
5 Willy Hess: Supplemente zur Gesamtausgabe, 1967, p. 155
6 Vorlage: Beethoven-Autogr. 77 der Ges. d. Musikfreunde, Vienna
7 Willy Hess: Supplemente zur Gesamtausgabe, 1967, pp. 66-73

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