5/23 Beethoven's Finger Exercises

Rocking on the (Musical) Beach Chair

Beethoven's Opus 49 Piano Sonatas were first published in 1805 and are numbered Sonatas 19 and 20, but they were originally written in 1795 and 1796.  Apparently they were originally written as exercise sonatas ("light sonatas") for family and friends, but Beethoven's brother published them in order to generate inventory.  I've posted bits of these 2 sonatas before (19, 20), but there are a couple other "educational" pieces which are somewhat more mysterious - but still pretty charming.

Piano Exercise in B-flat major/minor, Hess 58
Piano Exercise in B-flat major/minor, Hess 58 (1792? 1800?). Published in Nottebohm, Beethoveniana II (1887) pp. 361-2.

Piano Exercise in C, Hess 59
Piano Exercise in C, Hess 59 (1800). Published in Nottebohm, Beethoveniana II (1887) pp. 361-2; Hess Supp. IX.

Original midi files from The Unheard Beethoven site.