Joseph Haydn (partially lost music sheet manuscripts; 18th-19th century)

Haydn's portrait, painted in 1792.

Status: Partially Lost

Joseph Haydn is one of the most prolific composers of the Classical Era. With well over 100 symphonies, several concertos written for various instruments, and a few operas to his name, the library of his work has proven quite difficult to keep accounted for. He was a friend of Mozart's and a teacher of Beethoven. He continued to work well into his old age and up to his death garnering the nickname "Vater Haydn" or in English "Papa Haydn."

In 1979, Esterhaza, the opera house of which he worked was set on fire and many of his non-widely published works were destroyed. Every once in a great while, work is discovered in a score copy, but many are feared to be forever lost. While his operas and symphonies remain mostly intact, a vast majority of his string quartets, concertos, and piano pieces are yet to be found. His most famous concerto, the one for Double Bass in D (also known by the catalog number of Hob. VIIc:1) has only the first two measures available.

Lost Pieces

Here is a list of Joseph Haydn's known lost pieces and music manuscripts:

• Missa Sunt bona mixta malis (Mass No. 2 in D Minor) (partially found) (Hob. XXII:2)

• Cantata No. 1 (Key Unknown) (Hob. XXIVa:1)

• Cantata No. 5 (Key Unknown) (Hob. XXIVa:5)

• Prelude to No. 1 without title in D (Hob. XXIXa:1a)

• Der Hexenschabbas (Key Unknown) (Hob. XXIXa:2)

• Didone Abbandonata (Dido) (Key Unknown) (Hob. XXIXa:3)

• Opera Comique vom abgebrannten Haus (Key Unknown) (Hob. XXIXa:4)

• Genovevens vierter Theil (Key Unknown) (Hob. XXIXa:5)

• Der krumme Teufel (Key Unknown) (Hob. XXIXb:1a)

• Der neue krumme Teufel (Key Unknown) (Hob. XXIXb:1b)

• Die bestrafte Rachbegierde (Key Unknown) (Hob. XXIXb:3)

• Musik zum Schauspiel "Die Feuersbrunst" (Key Unknown) (Hob. XXX:2)

• Zwischenaktmusik zum Schauspiel "Der Zerstreute" (Key Unknown) (Hob. XXX:3)

• Musik zum Schauspiel "Alfred oder der patriotische König" (All but the Chorus, Aria, and Duet parts are missing) (Hob. XXX:5)

• "Der Freybrief von Josef Haydn" (Unknown Key) (arranged by Fridolin von Weber using works by Joseph Haydn and many other composers) (Hob. XXXII:2)

• Alessandro il Grande (Unknown Key) (Hob. XXXII:3)

• Der Äpfeldieb (Unknown Key) (Hob. XXXII:4)

Hob #	Piece	Status	Year
I:106	Symphony No. 106 in D	Partially Lost	1769(?)
V:5	String Trio No. 5 in B	Lost
V:9	String Trio No. 9 in E-flat	Lost	1767
V:14	String Trio No. 14 in B Minor	Lost
VIIa:2	Violin Concerto No. 2 in D	Lost	1765 or earlier
VIIb:3	Cello Concerto No. 3 in C	Lost	1780 or earlier
VIIc:1	Contrabass Concerto in D	Partially Lost
VIId:1	Horn Concerto in D	Lost	1765
VIId:2	Concerto for 2 Horns in E-flat	Lost
XI:13	Baryton Trio No. 13 in A	Partially Found
XI:18	Baryton Trio No. 18 in A	Partially Lost
XI:23	Baryton Trio No. 23 in D	Partially Found
XI:99	Baryton Trio No. 99 in G	Partially Lost
XI:104	Baryton Trio No. 104 in D	Partially Found
XIII:1-3	Baryton Concertos 1-3 in D	Lost