Searching the Unheard WorksThere are two main ways to search - by catalog number, or by instrumentation. For further explanation of these catagories, see below. When you reach the details page of the piece you want to hear, simply click on the title; the MIDI should begin playing. If you want to download a MIDI file, simply right-click on the title and save the MIDI where you want it to be saved. If you are experiencing problems, you could try obtaining the MIDIgate software from the Classical MIDI ArchiveFor vocal works, because of the inherent limitations in the midi format, we have usually used a contrasting instrument to represent the vocal lines. Vocal oohs and aahs are somewhat more voicelike, but the balance problems which arise when using these midi patches are often pretty substantial and the benefit is to our ears marginal.
Listings By Catalog NumbersList Works by Opus#List Works by WoO# (Kinsky-Halm) List Works by Hess # List Works by Biamonti # List Works by Gardi # Listings By Instrumentation
What are the catalogs?There are five major catalogs which are used here:1) Opus Number: These are typically the works which Beethoven considered to be the most significant. In many cases, he assigned these opus numbers himself; in others, the publishers assigned these numbers. In a few cases, these opus numbers were assigned posthumously. Nearly all of the pieces with opus numbers have been recorded, with the notable exception of the questionable opus 63, which is included here. The numbering is mostly chronological, but there are many exceptions. 2) Kinsky-Halm: Works Without Opus Number (Werke ohne Opuszahl, or WoO). In the mid- 1950's Georg Kinsky compiled a list of the Beethoven works without opus numbers; Kinsky died before the project was finished, and it was completed by H. Halm. We will typically refer to items in this catalog as WoO (number). Kinsky and Halm lists 205 works, about a dozen of which have never been recorded, and all of which are included here. Kinsky-Halm lists works based upon the type of composition. 3) 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, with a 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 MIDI file which sets forth what is present in the score, and also a second MIDI 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 MIDI 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. 4) Biamonti Catalog: In 1968, Prof. Giovanni Biamonti of Rome published his Catologo Tematico of the works of Beethoven. Biamonti's numbering scheme runs in what he believed to be the chronological order of composition. His catalog numbers 849 items, which includes all of the items with opus numbers, Kinsky-Halm numbers and Hess numbers, plus several hundred additional items. Biamonti was even more inclusive than Hess in counting fragmentary works, but he also lists a few items which are more-or-less complete works which had been missed by the earlier cataloguers. Because the Biamonti catalog is not readily accessible, items are listed here by Biamonti number only if they have no opus, WoO or Hess number assigned to them. 5) Gardi Catalog: There are a significant number of compositions which do not have an opus, WoO, Hess or Biamonti number at all. We are cataloging these compositions and assigning our own number, the Gardi # or GV #, to these compositions. We anticipate that a new complete reworking of the existing catalogs may occur in the not-too-distant future (even if we have to do it ourselves) since they suffer from a number of serious defects and omissions. How is instrumentation broken down?If you don't know the catalog number, or are just browsing for a piece, you can look up a piece by the type of instrumentation. In making the breakdown, we have followed the classification in the Breitkopf & Haertel Gesamtausgabe, which describes general 24 classes of instrumentation. We have added a 25th category, "Counterpoint Studies and Fugues" which is an enormous body of material that has not really been touched since Gustav Nottebohm's work with it in 1873. Please note that at present there are not MIDI files on this site for every class. The classes are as follows:
About the Project | Search the Works | "Seldom Heard" Beethoven | Our Links | Contributions
For more information, please e-mail gardibolt@unheardbeethoven.org or xickx@unheardbeethoven.org |