About 11 years after Beethoven’s death, music publisher Tobias Haslinger published a composition entitled “Ouverture in C, componirt im Jahr 1805, zur Oper: Leonore.” It was given an opus number of 138, the very last opus number assigned to a Beethoven composition.
When the Opus 138 Leonore Overture was published, it was mistakenly identified as having been composed in 1805. For that reason, it became known as Leonore Overture No. 1, preceding the two overtures that Beethoven composed in 1806 and 1807.
It has now been well established that the work still known as Leonore Overture No. 1 is actually the third Lenore overture. Beethoven composed it in 1807 for an anticipated production of the opera in Prague. That production never occurred.
For a fascinating look at the chronology of Leonore Overture No. 1 — including much detailed information on how Beethoven works are dated based on sketchbooks and manuscripts — see the 1975 article “The Problem of Beethoven’s ‘First’ ‘Leonore’ Overture”.
When compared with the first two Leonore Overtures, the Leonore Overture No. 1 is toned down considerably and does not contain any plot spoilers. Lewis Lockwood calls it “weaker, smaller … less powerful.” It has come to be the least preferred of the three Leonore Overtures.
#Beethoven250 Day 207
Leonore Overture No. 1 (Opus 138), 1807
The University of Chicigo Symphony Orchestra conducted by Barbara Schubert.
#Beethoven250 Day 207
Leonore Overture No. 1 (Opus 138), 1807
Toscanini’s 1939 recording, exhibiting his characteristically zippy tempi.