Beethoven, Ludwig van.

enquiring what he and his wife are doing and whether he is well or unwell, asking that he be allowed to sing something for him, notating after this on two hand-drawn staves the music and words of the two canons "Sankt Petrus war ein Fels" and "Bernardus war ein Sankt", WoO 175 (six bars of music in all); on the verso, following the music, Beethoven asks after his young princes, and concludes by stating that if he is at home this afternoon around five o' clock he might call on him together with his state burden [i.e. his nephew Karl], 2 leaves, 4to (23 x 20.5cm), integral autograph address panel, traces of seal, tipped in to a loose bifolium containing (on 1v) a pencil transcription of the letter in an unidentified hand and (on 2r) a laid-down 2-page autograph letter to John Ella by Beethoven's biographer A. W. Thayer, dated London, 8 March 1861, elucidating the letter, nineteenth-century half roan gilt folder, with manuscript label to upper cover by John Ella ("Autograph - Letter & canone...pur: at Vienna 1846 by J. Ella"), no place or date [Vienna, c. February 1820],  some paper loss to margins, slightly affecting the text in one place, old repairs and strengthening, splitting along hinge, creasing and light browning

S. Brandenburg, Briefwechsel Gesamtausgabe, iv 1368 (Munich, 1996), pp. 368-369; Anderson, ii 1067, p. 936; Kinsky, p. 680; Dorfmüller, p. 385.

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

From the collection of the violinist, concert manager and critic John Ella (1802-1888). This manuscript has not been on the market since it was acquired from Aloys Fuchs in 1846.

An accompanying letter by Beethoven's great biographer A. W. Thayer to John Ella provides the essential background to this masterpiece of Beethovenian tomfoolery:
   ...During several years (1818-1824) there were few persons, with whom Beethoven lived on such terms of extreme intimacy, as Peters [the Leipzig publisher C.F. Peters (1779-1827)], tutor of the young Princes Lobkowitz, and Bernard [Joseph Carl Bernard (c.1781–1850)], Editor of the Wiener Zeitung...Beethoven like Mozart and Haydn was not only witty himself but exceedingly fond of it in others, and from such friends as Peters and Bernard, knew no anger when the subject of their drollery was himself. They jested with him, and he returned the jest in his own way.
   Peters was a family man of solid intellectual powers and full of information. Bernard a man of much genius, who played no small part in the literary life of Vienna at that time - but no Saint - certainly not an ascetic.
   These notes are sufficient to explain the texts of the short canons, contained in the letter of Peters, now in your possession.
                                     "San[k]t Petrus war ein Fels [?]"
                                     Saint Peter was a rock;
                                                     and
                                     "Bernardus war ein Sankt??"
                                     Bernardus was a Saint??...
Although Kinsky describes the music as a single two-part puzzle canon, it seems probable that Beethoven has jotted down here the themes of two separate (but related) puzzle canons, indicating by means of cues the entrance of the other parts. Willy Hess, in Beethoven. Supplemente zur Gesamtausgabe, v (Wiesbaden, 1962), p. 93, believes that Beethoven intended two four-part canons, capable also (after transposition) of being combined with each other. Whatever the case, they should be distinguished from an 8-bar sketch for a three-part non-canonic vocal piece in A major with the words 'Sanct Petrus ist ein Fels', contained on page 32 of a sketchbook (1819-1820) for the Missa Solemnis (Beethovenhaus, Bonn, Hs. 107): for a transcription of this sketch, which is not dissimilar in melodic outline to the first canon (in A major), see Joseph Schmidt-Görg, Beethoven. Drei Skizzenbücher zur Missa Solemnis. I. Ein Skizzenbuch aus den Jahren 1819/20 (Bonn, 1952), p.45.