Instrumental Draft (last notes written by Beethoven, March 1827)

Instrumental Draft, Biamonti 849 (March 1827)

This short fragment, as reported by Gustav Nottebohm in Beethoveniana II (1887) at page 523 is found in the notebook containing sketches for the last movement of the quartet op. 130, and appears after these sketches. According to an annotation by the highly unreliable Anton Schindler, these are the last notes written by Beethoven, ten or twelve days before his death. Based on its location, this fragment is indeed one of the very last musical writings, if not the last, of the composer, and cannot date from any earlier than November 1826. The intended instrumentation is unclear, but since it appears on two staves piano was conjectured. This item has the final Biamonti number.

Biamonti: 849

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