Search by Hess Number

There are two main ways to search this site: by catalog number, or by instrumentation. If you desire to search by instrumentation, please go to the main Search page. Otherwise, click the link below. When you reach the details page of the piece you want to hear, simply click on the download link; the soundfile should begin playing. If you want to download a soundfile, simply right-click on the download link and save the file where you want it to be saved.

Search by Hess Number


Hess: At about the same time as Kinsky and Halm were compiling their catalog, Willy Hess was independently making his own catalog of pieces which are not in the Gesamtausgabe (or GA), the collected works as published by Breitkopf & Haertel 1862-1865. Hess lists 335 pieces, plus an Appendix or Anhang of many more, with some significant overlap with Kinsky-Halm. Hess was more willing to accept fragmentary pieces or sketches into his catalog than were Kinsky and Halm. Well over a hundred of these Hess-numbered pieces have never been recorded, and the majority of them are presented here. In the case of fragmentary or incomplete pieces, we have typically provided a soundfile which sets forth what is present in the score, and also a second file which provides a conjectural completion. We are still pursuing the missing items from the Hess catalog; this section of the website will be an ongoing project with new files being added. In cases of overlap between the Hess catalog and the Kinsky-Halm catalog, we have used the Kinsky-Halm numbering in all instances; in a few odd cases (e.g. the Hochzeitslied, WoO 105/Hess 125) we have listed a piece under both catalog numbers. Hess, like Kinsky-Halm, lists the compositions by the type of composition. The Hess catalog was recently translated into English by James F. Green and updated comprehensively, but Green wisely did not change Hess’ numbering in any way, so the Hess number should be consistent whether you have the original Hess catalog or the Hess-Green catalog. Note, however, that Hess had three earlier versions of his catalog with different numbering; those earlier versions are not supported since they have fallen into obscurity.