What if a group of anonymous string quartets preserved in Berlin turned out to be the earliest surviving experiments of a teenage Beethoven? That question lies behind Presumed Beethoven, a new recording by Quartetto Alla Maniera Italiana that explores six enigmatic works catalogued as Anh. 2 in the Beethoven catalogue.
This Moto Rec focuses on the third movement of the String Quartet in D Major, Anh. 2 No. 5, a lively and elegant piece that offers a glimpse into the musical mystery surrounding these quartets. The works were brought to wider attention in 1927 by French musicologist Georges de Saint-Foix, who suggested they might represent Beethoven’s first attempts in a genre he would later transform with the celebrated Op. 18 quartets. The attribution, however, remains uncertain.
Released by Arcana on 29 May 2026, Presumed Beethoven presents the first complete recording of the six quartets. Performing on period instruments and drawing on detailed study of the original Berlin manuscript parts, Quartetto Alla Maniera Italiana sheds new light on a collection that continues to provoke debate among scholars.
Whether these quartets belong to Beethoven or another contemporary hand, they offer an intriguing journey into the musical world of late eighteenth-century Vienna and Bonn.
Listen to the album: Presumed Beethoven. The Six String Quartets, Anh. 2, here.
Subscribe to our newsletter