Long-Lost Beethoven Duets

The lighter side of Beethoven! Five arrangements of Irish and Scottish folk songs have been found, tied with the original twine. They date from 1815.

This was quite an unusual thing for Beethoven to be involved with. He really poured himself into these settings and took them very seriously. This is Beethoven at his closest involvement with British and Irish culture.

Beethoven, who lived from 1770-1827, grappled with settings of God Save the King and Auld Lang Syne.

In his diaries, he wrote: "The Scotch songs show how unconstrainedly irregular melodies can be treated with the help of harmony."