An entire movement from a Beethoven masterpiece, which is covered with his feverish crossings-out, revisions and deletions, is coming on to the market for the first time since it was written in 1824.

The composing manuscript of Beethoven's scherzo from the String Quartet Op.127 in E-flat major is one of the most spectacular of the composer's autographs to have appeared on the market.

As early as 1801, he had complained to friends that his hearing had become "weaker and weaker" over the previous three years. By the time that he was composing this work, one of his late string quartets, he was completely deaf.

The manuscript will be offered in Sotheby's music sale on December 5, when it is expected to excite collectors worldwide into bidding ￡1.5 million.

Stephen Roe, head of Sotheby's manuscripts department, said: "To have a whole movement from one of Beethoven's transcendent late masterpieces in the composer's hand is an absolutely exceptional event."

In 1999 Sotheby's sold a single page from an unknown string quartet movement of 1817 for ￡150,000. This 31-page manuscript is in a different league.

Dr Roe said: "It is an extraordinarily beautiful autograph of an extraordinarily beautiful work. In the late works, he was pushing the boundaries in terms of rhythm, melody and technique of the instruments.

"We can see Beethoven's actual creativity in action as he makes his last-minute alterations and additions."

"It's a fantastic-looking manuscript," Dr Roe said. "If Beethoven were writing them for sale, he couldn't have written a more interesting one."

（Agencies）