Tchaikovsky Research : Menuetto capriccioso (TH 167)

Third movement of the Piano Sonata No. 2 in A♭ major (Op. 39) by Carl Maria von Weber, arranged for orchestra (?1863).

Catalogue References	TH 167 ; ČW 337 (as "Movement III of the Second Piano Sonata, Op. 39")
Date	(?)1863 (student work)
Key	A♭ major
Tempo/Section Listing	Presto assai (A♭ major, 204 bars)
Instrumentation	2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets (B♭), 2 Bassoons + 4 Horns (A♭, D♭) + Violins I, Violins II, Violas, Cellos, Double Basses
Autograph Location	Klin: Tchaikovsky House-Museum Archive (a1, No. 133)
First Publication	Moscow: Muzyka, 1967
Average Duration	4 minutes
Notes	The Piano Sonata No. 2 in A♭ major, Op. 39 (J.199) by Carl Maria von Weber (1786–1826), was composed and first published in 1816. Tchaikovsky orchestrated only the third movement, marked Menuetto capriccioso
External Links	IMSLP/Petrucci Music Library (downloadable score)

History

Made during Tchaikovsky's student years at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory. On the first page of the manuscript of the orchestration the composer wrote: "First conservatory work in 1863".