Beethoven - Piano Concerto No. 1 In C Major

The last decade of the 18th century saw the increased development of the traveling virtuoso. Instead of working towards an appointment at a royal court or church, musicians found that they could take their musical facility on the road, get more exposure and perhaps make enough money to remain independent.  Mozart was one of the first musicians to go free lance as a composer and pianist, with Beethoven and Schubert following suit in the next generation. But the term free lance needs to be qualified to some extent. While these composers did not have an official position such as Kappelmeister, Cantor or Music director, they still relied indirectly on the patronage of the elite and royalty by way of commissions and other monetary assistance.

Ludwig van Beethoven moved to Vienna in 1792 after he had visited there earlier, and probably got the funds to do so from a patrons who knew him in Vienna and wanted him to move there. He studied with Haydn and quickly became the talk of the town by playing the piano in the salons of royalty and well-to-do citizens of the town. He gained patrons and admirers as well as getting his works published. Three years later in 1795 he gave his first public performance in Vienna.

As Beethoven rode the crest of popularity, he began thinking about trying his luck as a traveling virtuoso. Prince Lichnowsky of Vienna, friend and patron of Beethoven, helped him plan the trip and accompanied him on the journey to Prague, Dresden, Leipzig and Berlin. Lichnowsky had also been a friend and  patron of Mozart and had gone on tour with him also. Beethoven's tour of 1796 was one of the few and the longest Beethoven went on. The tour was an evident success as Beethoven was inundated with so many commissions for new works that he could not fill them.  He was away on tour from February until he returned back to Vienna in July of 1796. 

Beethoven was such a success in Prague during his first visit that he returned in October of 1798, where he played the Piano Concerto No. 1 In C Major in his first concert and the Piano Concerto No. 2 In B-flat Major in the second concert.  The Czech pianist and composer Václav Tomášek heard Beethoven in Prague in 1789 and wrote about it in his memoirs:

In the year 1798... Beethoven, the giant among pianoforte players, came to Prague. He gave a largely attended concert in the Konviktssaal, at which he played his Concerto in C major, Op. 15, and the Adagio and graceful Rondo in A major from Op. 2, and concluded with an improvisation on a theme given him... from Mozart’s “Titus”. Beethoven’s magnificent playing and particularly the daring flights in his improvisation stirred me strangely to the depths of my soul; indeed I found myself so profoundly bowed down that I did not touch my pianoforte for several days....

Although published as Piano Concerto No. 1, it was actually the third piano concerto Beethoven had written. The earlier concertos being; a  concerto in E-flat written in 1784 when he was 13, and what was published as Piano Concerto No. 2, which was written years before the first. It is all a matter of which one was published first. As the C Major concerto was published first, it is titled as such, and it was Beethoven's decision to have this concerto printed before the B-flat concerto as he thought it the better of the two.

Beethoven's sketches for the composition go back to 1793, but he performed a version of the concerto in 1795 in Vienna. He kept revising the score, performed it in 1798 , and continued to work on the score until he finished a clean copy for the publisher in 1800. It was published in 1801 and was dedicated to Anna Luisa Princess Barbara Odescalchi Furst, a royal patron and piano student in Prague. The work is in three movements:

I. Allegro con brio - The exposition begins with a march-like theme played by the orchestra. The second theme is in a more laid back mood, but has many key changes which gives an underlying edge to it. With the orchestral part of the exposition over, the soloist enters with a new theme which is only heard this one time. The orchestra reminds the piano of the march-like theme and the piano comments on it. The second theme returns in the orchestra and the soloist takes it up in a recognizable form. The solo piano bristles with scales, chords and running figures. The development section begins in the key of E-flat major in music that is almost like a nocturne. The woodwinds trade fragments of the first theme while the piano accompanies. The key changes to C minor, and then the piano plays descending chromatic scales. The music lowers to pianissimo as the horns play octaves that alternate with chords by the piano. Suddenly the soloist plays a octave glissando in fortissimo that heralds the beginning of the recapitulation. The first theme returns and the piano answers it after a few bars. Beethoven shortens the recapitulation by going directly to the second theme. Secondary material is played until the space for the cadenza is reached. Beethoven himself wrote three cadenzas for this movement, with the last two written ten years after the concerto was finished.  Each one of the cadenzas grows longer and more difficult. The recording linked to in this post has the soloist opt for the 3rd version of the cadenza which is extends the length of the first movement considerably. This cadenza is almost a separate work, a fantasia on everything that has gone before as well as some now material. It bristles with brilliance and the difficulties are considerable, not least of which is how to keep such a long cadenza part of the whole of the movement.  Near the end of the cadenza there are chains of trills, with the soloist finally playing a wide-spread C major chord, after which the orchestra alone plays a short coda.

II. Largo -  The second movement is in A-flat major, a radical departure by Beethoven as it is a key quite distant from the home key of the concerto.  The movement is in ternary form, with several themes in the first section that are repeated and developed in the middle section.  While the first movement can be called extroverted, this slow movement is more introverted. One of the characteristics of Beethoven's use of the forms of Haydn and Mozart is that he tended to extend the length of movements. The 3rd Symphony In E-flat, has been the most obvious example of this, but it happened earlier than that as with this concerto, written at least 6 years before the 3rd Symphony.

III. Rondo: Allegro - Beethoven keeps the tradition of the Classical era model of concerto final movements with a rondo. The rapid, rhythmic main theme of the movement is first played by the soloist at the very beginning:

After the piano states the theme, the orchestra has its turn. There are three episodes that occur between repeats of the rondo theme. The first episode between repeats of the rondo theme begins in G major.  The second episode in A minor, and the third in the home key of C major. But in all three of these episodes, Beethoven doesn't stay in the same key. He throws harmonic and other surprises in each one. After the final episode there is a short cadenza for pianist before the rondo theme returns. The soloist and orchestra then play a coda until the soloist plays another short cadenza as the tempo slows to adagio. The oboes answer this cadenza. There is a silent pause, after which the tempo goes back to allegro scherzando as the orchestra plays the last bars in a whirlwind fortissimo.

Beethoven - Triple Concerto In C Major

The tradition of the Baroque concerto grosso, a form where a small group of soloists were juxtaposed with the orchestra, was carried on into the Classical era by composers, most notably Mozart. He wrote works for more than one soloist and orchestra and called them Sinfonia Concertante.  These works were considered a sort of hybrid between a symphony and concerto, but the main difference was that the Baroque concerto grosso had some movements written in ritornello form while the sinfonia concertante used sonata form. Beethoven's Triple Concerto (also known as Concerto For Violin, Cello, Piano and Orchestra) was written in 1803 (also the year in which he composed the Third Symphony).

Anton Schindler, Beethoven's first biographer, secretary and acquaintance, claimed that the Triple Concerto was written for Beethoven's young royal pupil Archduke Rudolf (the same Archduke that Beethoven dedicated his Piano Trio In B-flat Major, Opus 97 to). The piano part of the concerto does not equal the difficulty of the other soloists, a fact that has lead some to agree with Schindler, as the Ardchduke was a young teenager when the concerto was written and would not have had the technique for anything more difficult.  But Beethoven scholars have shown over the years that Schindler was a man whose words needed to be taken with a grain of salt. There is no evidence that the Archduke ever played the work (which is not to say that he didn't) which had its first public performance in 1808. When it was published, the concerto had a dedication to someone else, another one of Beethoven's royal patrons, Prince Lobkowitz, but Beethoven could be fickle (not to mention absentminded) about such things. The concerto is in three movements:

I. Allegro -  The concerto begins quietly and gradually builds in volume.  There are three main themes introduced by the orchestra alone. The cello is the first soloist to enter with the first theme. Violin and cello expand upon the first theme, and the piano enters with the theme.  Each of the soloists has a turn with the three themes, or parts of them. The development gives the trio of soloists further opportunity to dialogue with each other.  The orchestra asserts itself a few times but for the most part remains in the background.  The recapitulation has the soloists review the themes, which leads to a coda that quickens the tempo and while the orchestra plays full chords the soloists bring the movement to a close.

II. Largo -  The orchestra begins this movement (in the key of A-flat major) in a solemn, quiet mood. The cello enters with the theme of the movement, the piano embellishes it. The violin and cello play the theme in a duet as the piano gently accompanies. A short, dark section for orchestra leads to the soloists playing fragments of other themes, which leads to the last movement without pause.

III.  Rondo alla polacca -  As with the first two movements, the cello is the first soloist to play the main theme of this movement which is in the style of a polonaise, a Polish dance. Themes abound in this movement, all of them rhythmically in keeping with the 'polacca' designation. The music takes a minor key turn as the soloists take turns playing thematic material and accompaniment while the orchestra adds color. The polonaise returns, has its say until the tempo quickens.  The soloists play together without the orchestra, and then the soloists wind up the movement by playing rapid figures as the orchestra supplies the punctuation until the end.

Writing for three soloists offered Beethoven many challenges, not least of which was how to have each soloist shine without making the work too long or undermining form. Compared to the 'Waldstein' and 'Appassionata' piano sonatas  and the Third Symphony that he was composing at about the same time, the Triple Concerto may appear small potatoes to some.  But the Triple Concerto has to be looked at (and heard) in a different way. Beethoven did more than extend the concerto grosso and sinfonia concertante traditions with this work. There is a kind of synthesis between concerto, symphony and chamber music (specifically in  the form of the piano trio). This is a quite remarkable achievement, a showcase of Beethoven's huge talent and craftsmanship that's hardly small potatoes.



  

Beethoven - Piano Trio In B-flat Major, Opus 97, 'Archduke'

Beethoven was a man as revolutionary in his thoughts about society as he was about music. Tradition has it that Beethoven wrote his now famous opinion of the nobility in a letter to, in fact, a nobleman:

Prince, what you are you are by accident of birth; what I am, I am through my own efforts. There have been thousands of princes and will be thousands more; there is only one Beethoven! 

The quote makes Beethoven seem like a no-nonsense product of the Enlightenment, but the truth is that he was not above mingling with the nobility when it suited his purpose. Many of his most ardent supporters and patrons were members of the nobility.  It was a time when things were beginning to change, when a composer could make a living by selling their compositions to publishers. But before copyright laws and legal protection for a composer's works, the patronage of the nobility could make the difference if a composer would earn much of anything from his works or not.

Archduke Rudolph

To Beethoven's noble patron's credit, they tolerated his rude behavior, crude humor and general disrespect out of admiration for his talent. One of those noble patrons was Archduke Rudolph Of Austria. The Archduke was not only Beethoven's patron, but his piano and composition pupil dating back to 1804.  It was to his nobleman that Beethoven dedicated his Piano Trio, Opus 97, hence the nickname Archduke.

The trio was written in 1811, and was not just the last piano trio Beethoven wrote, but at its public premiere in 1814 Beethoven played the piano in public for the last time.  The trio is in 4 movements:

I.  Allegro moderato -  The piano opens the movement with one of Beethoven's most recognizable themes. This theme is expanded along with other minor themes until the second main theme is also begun by the piano. A short transitional section leads to the exposition repeat. The development section separates the first theme into smaller motives and develops them. A part of the development has the piano elaborate on the trills that are heard in the end of the exposition while the strings play a pizzicato accompaniment. The recapitulation begins with a slight variation on the opening motive and then proceeds with the first theme and second theme playing out. A short coda brings back the first theme briefly until it builds to a chord that ends one of Beethoven's most thematically rich movements.

II. Scherzo: Allegro -  The first movement's grandeur is contrasted with a witty scherzo. The trio of this scherzo is one of Beethoven's most memorable one. It begins in B-flat minor in the cello with a crawling motive that begins a canon between the three instruments which ends with a crescendo and piano solo. The crawling motive briefly returns for another crescendo, this time the climax of the crescendo has the music change key to E major for a short section. Once again the crawling motive appears and returns to the key of B-flat minor as it slithers and creeps to an even larger crescendo that climaxes to B-flat major. The scherzo returns and dances its way to a short coda that brings back a short section of the crawling motive until the scherzo makes one last quiet appearance, after which the piano plays the last four bars of the movement save for a loud final octave played by all three instruments on the note F, a fifth above the home note of B-flat.

III. Andante cantabile ma però con moto. Poco piu adagio -  A set of variations where the slowly unfolding theme is played and commented upon by all three instruments. Beethoven explores combinations and textures within the piano trio ensemble with the result that justifies Beethoven's own description of himself as a tone poet.  After a short section, the last movement begins without break.

IV. Allegro moderato - Presto -  In Beethoven's early days in Vienna, he was known for his skill and artistry as an improviser on the piano. He would play the most tender music and have his audience thoroughly entranced, and then he would delight in shifting gears and play fast and loud. Something of Beethoven's improvising prank can be heard in the sudden intrusion of the slow movement with the loud chord that signals the beginning of the finale.  The theme of this rondo is a simple tune that Beethoven decorates and expands each time it returns after being interrupted by other material. The movement continues on its way until the last appearance of the theme when the pace quickens. A very short coda marked presto makes a false start, and then the three instruments chase each other to the final B-flat chord.

Beethoven - Theme And Variations 'Eroica' Opus 35

Beethoven wrote many sets of variations for piano, the first set written when he was twelve years old in 1782, and the final set in 1823, the famous Diabelli Variations opus 120. Beethoven's first efforts were variations on themes of other composers, most often from operas of the day. Beethoven didn't place too much importance on the majority of these sets of variations as he assigned opus numbers to only four of them, with the two sets of opus 34 and 35 being the first to be assigned official publishing numbers.

Beethoven wrote to the music publisher Breitkopf & Härtel to try and interest them in publishing the two works:

"I have composed two sets of variations... Both sets are worked out in quite a new manner, and each in a separate and different way. . . . I assure you that you will have no regrets in respect of these two works - each theme is treated in its own way and in a different way from the other one. Usually I have to wait for other people to tell me when I have new ideas, because I never know this myself. But this time - I myself can assure you that in both these works the method is quite new so far as I am concerned."

 Both of these works were different in the sense that they were sets of variations on Beethoven's original themes. The opus 35 set in E-flat major, written in 1802,  is based on a theme that Beethoven originally used in a Contredanse  about 1800. He used the same melody in the finale of the music he wrote for the ballet The Creatures Of Prometheus about the same time. Beethoven saw a great deal of potential in this theme and must have been fond of it, for after he used it in the opus 35 set he reused it for another set of variations in the finale of his Third Symphony 'Eroica' in 1803. The opus 35 set is also referred to as the Eroica Variations becasue of this.  The works consists of an introduction, theme and fifteen variations, and a fugue:

Introduzione col Basso de Tema (Introduction, the bass of the theme) - The work begins with a E-flat major chord followed by the presentation of the bass of the theme before the theme itself is heard. It spans three octaves with no harmonization, just the bare bones of the bass. It is in binary form with each part being eight bars that are repeated.

A Due (Two, or double) - The playing of a bass at the beginning of a work was not unheard of, the passacaglia of the Baroque Era is one example. But what Beethoven does next is quite unusual, as he repeats the bass while an accompaniment plays in the treble. The position of the bass in this section is an octave higher than the bottom note of the bass in the introduction.

A Tre (Three, or triple) - The bass now climbs into the treble, an octave above its position in the previous section. The accompaniment becomes slightly more complex as it alternates between low notes and high.

A Quattro (Four, or quadruple) - The bass now climbs an octave higher yet as the accompaniment is spread out between the two hands.  The bass has had its own mini-set of variations, and Beethoven has shown with this beginning that the bass is just as important as the theme itself.

Tema (Theme) - The preliminaries are past, the theme finally makes its first appearance with the bass fitting it well. Perhaps the audience of Beethoven's day finally got a grasp of what's gone before when the them did arrive.

Variation 1 - With running sixteenth notes in the treble, Beethoven settles in to a more conventional way to embellish a theme.  Grace notes are used to spice up the theme.

Variation 2 - Sixteenth note triplets liven up the theme, and in the second section a cadenza is inserted between the two four-bar phrases.

Variation 3 - The left hand bounces from single bass notes to chords in the middle of the treble clef while the right hand plays chords higher up in the treble.

Variation 4 - Running notes in the bass while the treble plays high staccato chords.

Variation 5 - The texture gets lighter and in the second section sforzandos accent off the beat.

Variation 6 - The theme is played in chords in the treble while the bass plays sixteenth note broken octaves. The second section is written out in full as the ending of the second time around is different and segues directly to the next variation.

Variation 7,  Canone all' octtava (Canon at the octave) -  A canon on the theme at the distance of an octave with the bass a quarter beat behind the treble.

Variation 8 - Large jumps spread out the theme between bass and treble in the left hand while the right hand plays the accompaniment.

Variation 9 - Eighth note triplets play in thirds in the right while the left hand hammers out a B-flat preceded by the notes of the bass. The low B-flats finally rise higher in the second section while the grace notes persist.

Variation 10 - Beethoven reduces the music to two parts, almost in the style of a Bach two-part invention.

Variation 11 - A simple two note accompaniment is played while the theme plays in triplets high in the treble and drops down to the bass at the end of each section.

Variation 12 - A rising two note figure in the treble is answered in the bass with a descending two note figure. Both hands play together in contrary motion at the end of the first section. The second section has the right hand play the rising two note figure until it pauses on a B-flat dominant seventh chord. The two hands answer one another to the end of the section.

Variation 13 - Eighth note triplet chords in both hands are hammered out forte after an A natural grace note begins each measure. The second section has chords hammered out at fortissimo while the grace note changes to suit the harmony and theme.

Variation 14, Minore - The key changes to E-flat minor as a melancholy version of the theme and bass plays.

Variation 15, Maggiore, Largo - A highly decorated variation that perhaps gives us some idea of Beethoven the master of improvisation. There is a section marked Coda that can be considered an unnumbered variation. Transition material leads to the finale.

Finale Alla Fuga - Through all of the variations the bass has been as much a part of the variation process as the theme. In the final fugue the first four notes of the bass become part of the subject. The fugue is for three voices and the theme is not forgotten as it can beheard in bits and pieces throughout. The fugue segues into yet more variations on theme and bass. Beethoven rounds of the work with a short coda.

Beethoven - Piano Sonata No. 17 In D Minor 'Tempest'

“I am not very well satisfied with the work I have thus far done. From this day on I shall take a new way", Beethoven said to one of his friends shortly after his opus 28 piano sonatas were written. An example of what his new way would be can be found in Beethoven's opus 31, No. 2 piano sonata, one of a set of three that he wrote in 1801 -1802. The story told by Anton Schindler, acquaintance and self-styled Beethoven authority,  that the first movement source of inspiration was Shakespeare's play of the same name is highly suspect along with many other stories from Schindler. But the nickname has stuck, for the first movement is a tempest of passion and drama.

The sonata is the first major work he wrote in the key of D minor, and it would be the only piano sonata out of 32 that would be written in that key.  It remains one of the most powerful pieces ever written for piano more than 200 years after it was written.

The sonata is in 3 movements:
I. Largo -Allegro - Beethoven begins with a slowly arpeggiated, pianissimo A major chord, which is followed by an increase in tempo and 3 bars of eighth note slurs of 2 notes, that rise in volume until the tempo changes to adagio and comes to rest on another A major chord. The first five bars of this sonata form the basis for the entire exposition. What makes this so unique is that this first theme of the sonata contains incredible contrast, something that is usually accomplished in two different themes.  Tempo and dynamics change again as another chord is arpeggiated, after which the eighth note slurs reappear, but this time they continue and lead to a  theme in the bass that changes to high in the treble as a triplet figure plays in the middle register.

This continues until the two-note slurs of the opening reappear with a different accompaniment. Other related material leads to the first ending before the repeat. After the section is repeated (and in my opinion this sonata needs the exposition repeat) the second ending comes to rest on three G notes. The development begins with arpeggiated chords, this time with more notes. This happens three times, then the music takes off in a double forte repeat of the triplet figure-theme-in bass-and-high-treble material, but in different keys. This continues with heightened  drama until a climax is reached when a section of eighth note thirds are played on the first and second beat with a sforzando on the second beat. Then whole note chords and a transition section lead to the recapitulation with arpeggiated chords and two-note slur material, but this time there is a short, unaccompanied recitative inserted between them:

After the A-flat fermata, there is an increase in tension as chords are played pianissimo with rapid arpeggios. This happens three times with an increase in volume until the fourth time the two-note slurs reappear in a different key and accompaniment. More material is brought forth and it leads to a pianissimo ending in D minor.

II. Adagio - This movement also begins with an arpeggiated chord, but the mood is calmer, more reflective. This movement is in sonata form, but without any development section.

III. Allegretto -  The music of this movement is constantly moving and full of tension that does not ease up throughout. The quiet ending of the movement gives the impression that the music really doesn't end, but fades into the distance.

Beethoven's compositional style was constantly evolving throughout his career. This brought about experimentation that can be subtle, or as in the case with this sonata, glaringly obvious. His physical malady of hearing loss, which he lamented was getting worse in the letter to his brothers that is called the Heiligenstadt Testament, was written about the same time as this piano sonata.  What affect his hearing loss had on his art can only be imagined, as well as what his music would have been if he had not suffered from deafness. Beethoven was one of the greatest musical minds that ever existed, but he was also one of the most human of human beings. It is that quality that makes his music still so moving and influential almost 200 years after his death.

Beethoven - String Quartet No. 8 In E Minor Opus 59, No.2

Prince Andrey Kirillovich Razumovsky was a representative for the Russian Czar that was stationed in Vienna for many years. He was also a great music patron and musician himself. He commissioned Beethoven for three string quartets (the prince played second violin in his own in-house quartet) and asked the composer to include a Russian theme in each one. Beethoven's String Quartet No. 8 is one of the three works that came to be known as the Rasumovsky Quartets of opus 59.

Beethoven wrote all three quartets in 1806, a very busy year for him. Besides these three quartets he composed the 4th Symphony, 4th Piano Concerto, Violin Concerto, the 32 Variations On An Original Theme, and the 'Appassionata' piano sonata. The quartets were first played in 1807 they were not received very well. The leader of the quartet that played the premiere, Ignaz Schuppanzigh, was amazed by the quartets, and the listeners at the premiere were more than amazed. Some were confused, and some thought Beethoven was playing a joke on them.  But over the years these quartets have gained in reputation. In 1855 German author Wilhelm von Lenz  wrote about these three quartets in his book 'Beethoven And His Three Styles' :

Prince Razumovsky

"The three quartets dedicated to Count Rasoumowsky (sic) are the natural fulfillment of the promise of the symphonies and the piano sonatas, but a greater achievement, since the form of the quartet is less adapted to innovation of style than either the sonata or the symphony… the content of these quartets is as great as the content of the symphonies, only the medium is different."

The String Quartet No. 8 is in 4 movements:

I. Allegro - The movement is in sonata form and opens with two abrupt chords. These chords appear throughout the movement, sometimes in the foreground, sometimes in the background, sometimes varied in key, sometimes not. Beethoven's skill as a composer gave him the power to use very short snippets of music as building blocks for entire movements. The first theme proper appears, punctuated by rests and drama. The second theme is in contrast to the first as it is in the major and more legato, but even this theme has a certain amount of bite to it. The repeat also includes the two abrupt chords. The development section begins with the two abrupt chords, this time in the major. These two chords go through a short development after which the rest of the two themes are developed. The recapitulation is ushered in, and the themes move quickly to one last statement of the opening bars that lead to the quiet ending of this dramatic movement.

II. Molto adagio -  Besides the tempo designation, Beethoven wrote this direction to the musicians: "Si tratta questo pezzo con molto de sentimento" (This piece must be played with much feeling). Beethoven's student Carl Czerny wrote:

"The Adagio, E Major, in the second Razumovsky Quartet, occurred to him when contemplating the starry sky and thinking of the music of the spheres"

Beethoven crafted this movement so well that the music unfolds seamlessly. Czerny's comment describes the music better than I ever could.

III. Allegretto - Beethoven  doesn't label this movement a scherzo. It has a few characteristics of one, but it is not a typical Beethoven scherzo. It's mood is not hurried, and somewhat disembodied. The ghostly mood is broken with the trio which is where Beethoven uses a Russian theme based on a Russian patriotic song. Mussorgsky, Rachmaninoff , Tchaikovsky, and Stravinsky also used the song in their compositions.

IV. Finale : Presto -  A movement in a type of rondo form. The opening dance-like theme occurs throughout the movement with episodes interlaced. The opening theme finally ends the movement with a final appearance and a short, rapid ending.

It is hard if not impossible for us to imagine the impression these quartets made the first years of their existence. They were longer than most traditional quartets up to that time. The difficulties they made on the players, both technical and musical, made them less likely to be taken up by amateurs as many quartets before them were. All three are masterpieces in their own way. Beethoven's string quartets eventually changed the way listeners listened and players played.

Beethoven - Cello Sonata No. 3 In A Major

Beethoven followed in the footsteps of Mozart and Haydn, the two giants of late 18th century music and composed in most of the forms they used. As with many creative artists, he used forms and conventions as blueprints for his own ideas and transformed  the traditional forms of expression into something very personal. So it is that having a set of guidelines and rules doesn't stifle creativity for those who have the spark of creative genius within them, but can actually enhance their artistry.

Baron Ignaz von Gleichenstein

Beethoven was the first major composer to write sonatas for solo cello and piano,  and his 5 sonatas for cello are important additions to the literature. The third cello sonata in A major was written in 1808, a period of intense compositional activity that saw the creation of many of Beethoven's most well-known pieces such as the 5th Symphony and the Violin Concerto.  It was dedicated to Baron Ignaz von Gleichenstein, an amateur cellist, close friend of Beethoven, and one of a group of music lovers that paid Beethoven an annual fee to entice him to stay in Vienna.  Beethoven probably dedicated this sonata to him out of gratitude.

The sonata is in three movements:
I. Allegro ma non tanto - The sonata opens with the primary theme stated by the cello alone. The cello holds the final note of the theme as the piano restates it. Beethoven expands the usual number of themes heard in a movement written in sonata form by the addition of two contrasting secondary themes. In the development section, the primary theme is varied and contrasted with the other themes and the mood changes abruptly and often. The recapitulation begins with the original theme played by the cello but unlike the opening it is accompanied by the piano. There is a short coda, and the movement ends forte.

II. Scherzo : Allegro molto - This is the only scherzo found in the cello sonatas, and the theme begins on the upbeat. The syncopated theme continues throughout the scherzo, including the trio section.

Beethoven repeats the trio of this scherzo when the usual form calls for playing it only once. He did this in other scherzos of this period as well.  

III. Adagio cantabile, Allegro vivace - This sonata has no separate slow movement save for the short Adagio cantabile that opens the finale. It acts as a contrast to the previously heard nervous scherzo and the joyous final movement. It is in sonata form with a jaunty first theme and a more lyrical second theme. The development section gives the players the opportunity of lending their virtuosity to musical expression that covers the ranges of both instruments. The themes progress to the end, and after many excursions afield, the work ends solidly in A major.

Beethoven - 32 Variations On An Original Theme For Piano

Variation in music is perhaps as old as music itself. When the ancients played their tunes on flutes made of wood or the bone of animals (or even humans) I can't imagine those prehistoric musicians repeating their music the same way all the time. Why would they not use their imaginations any less than a modern day musician? Even a classically trained musician understands it is hardly possible to play a piece of music the same way twice. Sometimes the differences in playing are subtle, such as hanging onto a note a fraction longer or shorter than before, changing the volume or any of a myriad of ways to change a performance of a work.

Beethoven wrote 21 sets of variations for piano, but gave opus numbers to only 4 of them. The majority of the sets of variations were written on melodies from operas written by contemporary composers. The 32 Variations On An Original Theme does not have an opus number. It carries a WoO 80, number which is an abbreviation for 'without opus'.   Why Beethoven never gave the work an opus number is anyone's guess. He only gave opus numbers to compositions he deemed worthy of being in his official catalog of compositions. Perhaps the piece didn't meet his standards, but the work was published in his lifetime, and has been popular with pianists and audiences ever since.

The work begins with the theme, an eight-bar, simple melody over a descending bass:

The variations are different in character, mood, and difficulty of execution. This is a work for an accomplished pianist with a good range of technique.  The 32nd variation has some especially interesting rhythmic variation going on:

The right hand plays twenty two notes to the measure while the left hand alternates between twenty four and thirty notes to the measure.  These compound rhythms give the impression of an improvisation, and lead to what some consider a 33rd variation in paired sixteenth note slurs that are played off the beat. A short coda finishes the work, which averages about eleven minutes to play. Beethoven packs a lot of imagination and artistry in those few minutes, so much that the work can seem longer than it really is.

Beethoven - Violin Concerto

There are generally two kinds of concertos for violin. Those that are written by violin virtuosos themselves such as ones by Paganini, and that are showcases for their own abilities, and concertos that are written by non-virtuosos. Those written by composers who were not also violin virtuosos saw the composer relying on a violinist for at least some technical advice.

Although Beethoven played the violin in the court opera orchestra in Bonn for four years in his youth and understood the complexities of writing for the instrument,  he was far from a virtuoso.  Historians think the violinist Franz Clement, the concertmaster and leader of the orchestra that played the first performances of Beethoven's opera Leonora (and also gave Beethoven some advice on)  was Beethoven's go-to man for any technical help.  How much (if any) assistance Beethoven needed  is not known, but Clement was the soloist at the 1806 premiere of the concerto.

Tradition has it that the solo part wasn't finished in time for the performance and Clement had to sight-read parts of it at the performance itself.  The concert was a benefit concert for Clement, and Beethoven himself conducted the concerto with Clement as soloist.  The concerto was not a success, and wasn't heard again until 1844 when the 12 year-old violin prodigy Joseph Joachim revived it and played it with Felix Mendelssohn conducting the orchestra. Since then it has been a staple of the repertoire.

The concerto begins with a very long orchestral introduction, one of the longest orchestral beginnings of any concerto. A solo timpani taps five times in a rhythm which in typical Beethoven fashion returns in many guises throughout the movement. The violin finally enters, and remains in the spotlight for the rest of the movement. This first movement is one of the most expansive ones Beethoven ever wrote, and the lyrical violin writing may be a nod to the first soloist, because Clement was known for his lyrical style of performing.  Beethoven left no cadenza, there have been many written by composer/violinists. The cadenza used in the present recording is by Fritz Kreisler.

The second movement remains lyrical in tone and consists of a gentle melody with some simple variations. The orchestra carries the melody while the violin day-dreams and carries on a running commentary. It is music of great peace,  music that moves very gracefully and calmly. Time itself seems to slow down until the orchestra makes an outburst, and the solo violin escorts the finale's dance-like rondo tune.  The violin part increases in difficulty and brilliance with each episode, until the cadenza and final statement of the theme.

Beethoven - Symphony No. 2 In D Major

In Beethoven's day, most music was taught by private instruction. Beethoven had the good fortune to be taught by some of the finest teachers of his era. The first of his teachers that we know about besides his father is Christian Gottlieb Neefe, who thought much of his young student and instilled in him a love for Bach by having Beethoven learn how to play Bach's set of preludes and fugues in  The Well Tempered Clavier.  Beethoven also studied with Johann Georg Albrechtsberger, an acknowledged master of counterpoint.  Joseph Haydn taught Beethoven for two years and their relationship was strained. Haydn called Beethoven 'The Great Mogul' and Beethoven refused to be acknowledged as a Haydn pupil.  Antonio Salieri also taught Beethoven about vocal composition, especially for opera.

But perhaps the best teacher Beethoven had was experience. At age 14 he was named organist for the Choir of Maximillian Franz, and he also played the violin well enough to be in t he orchestra for the Bonn Opera house for four seasons.  His time as an orchestral musician was no doubt of the utmost usefulness to the budding composer as he rehearsed and played through the operas of Mozart and many others.

Beethoven used that experience to good effect in his first symphony, written in 1799 and first performed in 1800 at a concert that also saw the premiere of his 2nd Piano Concerto and Septet.  This was Beethoven's initial concert of works in Vienna. His Second Symphony followed closely behind, as he began writing it in 1800 and finished it in 1802.

He wrote much of the symphony while staying in Heiligenstadt, where he came to terms with his increasing hearing difficulties. The prospects of his growing totally deaf were a hard blow to overcome for Beethoven. He was at the point of taking his own life.  But he came to terms with it and went on to take a different path in his compositions. In some ways, the second symphony was the very beginning of this new path, and considering the state of his mind during some of his stay in Heiligenstadt, the work is remarkable for its confidence and playfulness.

The symphony is in 4 movements:

1) Adagio molto : Allegro con brio - The symphony begins with an Introduction that makes its way to the opening theme, with an outburst in D minor thrown in for good measure.  The first theme is full of energy and spirit with a rapid connecting piece to the second theme. The connecting music that leads to the recapitulation has some of the syncopated off-beat accents that Beethoven was fond of. The development sees Beethoven modulating and varying both the main themes and their accompaniments. The recapitulation is condensed considerably and has a coda added to it.

2) Larghetto -  The second movement is in sonata form, and contains some of Beethoven's most lyrical writing  for the orchestra. It is also rather long for a 'slow' movement, but the sheer beauty of the music and the way it is presented makes it seem shorter than it is.

3) Scherzo : Allegro -  Beethoven's first use of the term 'scherzo' in his symphonies. This movement is a foreshadowing of the originality and rhythmic vitality of the Beethoven that is to come in the later symphonies. The contrast between loud and soft 'makes' the joke in the scherzo and plays a part in the trio also, along with the chattering bassoons and other woodwinds. The scherzo moves briskly along, and seems like it just got started before it is over.

4) Allegro molto -   This is the movement that gave Beethoven's contemporary audiences the most problem. The orchestra begins the movement with a huge 'dip' from G down 12 notes to C.

This was looked upon at the time as bizarre at best and downright crude at worst. There has been all kinds of interpretations concerning this re-occurring rondo theme, even to a modern-day idea that Beethoven was depicting the noises he made due to his poor digestion, that it is a hiccup, belch, or (heaven forbid in a piece of 'serious' music) a fart.  Or it could just have been an attention-getter to make the listeners of the day sit up and take notice. Kind of like a jab in the side to get one's attention. Be that as it may, the entire movement was something of a novelty of the time.

Beethoven was a composer that was always growing, always evolving.  The second symphony is not a revolutionary symphony as was the third, but it was markedly different in tone and expression if not in form. Indeed, the second symphony is as far as Beethoven could go within the confines of the form as known by Haydn and Mozart. To go further, he had to add and expand on the form and technique of the symphony until he made it his own.

A word about the recording in the video. The Academy Of Ancient Music was one of the first organizations that began playing period music on instruments and with methods of the period. They made a name first by exploring medieval and renaissance music, instruments and performing practices. Under their director Christopher Hogwood, they branched out into the Classical era and have given new insight on how the music of Beethoven and other composers sounded in their time. In this recording, all the strings are strung with gut strings instead of wire, the horns are natural horns (valveless), the woodwinds have fewer keys,  tympani have real hide drum heads, the music is played at the standard pitch of the time (lower than modern pitch). As there was no baton-wielding conductor at the time of Beethoven's Second Symphony, either the concertmaster (leader of the first violins), or a leader at the piano or harpsichord lead the orchestra, sometimes both of them shared the duties. So if you can hear a piano in some places of the symphony, it is Mr. Hogwood leading the orchestra per early 19th century performance practice.

Beethoven - Piano Concerto No. 5 'Emperor'

Composers have always been the leading force in music as far as innovation of techniques and improvements in instruments. That is not to discount the role that interpretive musicians play, but it seems to me that the innovations created by composers in the music they write forces in music notation, harmony, melody, rhythm, instrumental technique and even in the instruments themselves.  The piano is a good case in point.

The piano was invented by Bartolomeo Cristofori, an Italian master harpsichord builder, in about 1700.  The forerunner of the piano was the clavichord, an instrument that was capable of dynamic shading but wasn't sufficiently loud enough for concert use. The harpsichord was the instrument of choice in concert, and it could be made to play loud enough, but the variety of dynamics was also limited.  Enter Cristofori's pianoforte, (soft and loud), but this too was too delicate in tone for concert use. It took many improvements in the original before the birth of the massive concert grand piano we all know today.

The piano of Beethoven's time was closer to the original of Cristofori's than the modern piano. There were different makers and each one had their strengths and weaknesses, but they were all similar in that except for the strings and tuning pins, they were entirely made of wood. The wooden frames of Beethoven's pianos could not withstand the string tension of a modern grand, thus they did not have the sonority, volume,  or the durability. A strong player like Beethoven was forever breaking strings and hammers. That's not to say the instruments weren't expressive. Modern reproductions have shown how beautiful they could sound, but their voices were smaller. They could not be heard over a full orchestra, hence composition techniques resorted to a kind of 'call and answer' technique where the orchestra would state the main themes, then the piano would enter either solo or with a low volume accompaniment from the orchestra.

This compositional technique can be heard in Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5 at the very beginning.  The first movement begins with a loud chord from the orchestra that is answered by a piano cadenza. This happens three times before the exposition of the movement actually begins, and parts of the cadenzas are heard throughout the movement.  Beethoven had already placed a cadenza for the solo piano at the beginning of the 4th Piano Concerto , but in the 5th piano concerto the cadenzas are of a more dramatic nature.  After the orchestral exposition the soloist has his say about them. The themes are explored further in the development section and when the traditional place for a cadenza appears during the recapitulation, Beethoven makes it clear that there is to be no extemporizing by the soloist by writing as much in the score.  The entire first movement is dramatic and Beethoven at his most majestic. Beethoven also has the piano and orchestra play at the same time more frequently.  The entire concerto is almost written for a piano that didn't exist in Beethoven's time, for the coming of the iron-framed piano and resultant higher string tension and brilliance (not to mention volume) was years in the future.

The second movement is a beautiful Adagio, in direct contrast to the heroic first movement. The second movement segues right into a  rondo finale that is full of energy.  The theme of the rondo is heard repeatedly and developed along the way until a short duet between piano and timpani leads to the ending flourishes of piano and orchestra.

Beethoven's music in general and this concerto in particular is a good example of how a composer's talent, insight, ingenuity and creativity can change their art in many ways. The piano was never the same after Beethoven. It couldn't be. Beethoven demanded so much from his instruments and players that they both had to evolve and learn new ways and methods to express the music that he wrote.

Beethoven - String Quartet No. 11 'Quartetto Serioso'

Chamber music by its very nature is a more intimate form of music. While in modern times it is played in concert halls, it was originally meant for more private performance in homes and smaller recital halls. In the 19th century before recordings, music making in the home was a form of entertainment shared by many.  The string quartet was a popular form of chamber music, and many composers tried their hand at it sooner or later.

While Haydn didn't necessarily invent the string quartet, he certainly helped codify it as a form. Mozart took his lead from Haydn and contributed his genius to the quartet also.  These were the two composers that loomed over Beethoven when he was composing his first set of six quartets, Opus 18. As was Beethoven's way, he seldom stayed very long in any niche with his compositions. That's not to say he  had no style, but that it could be broad and encompass quite different ideas. The String Quartet No. 11 is one of his giant-step compositions that is quite different from his other string quartets in form and feeling.

Beethoven always showed his originality, even in his first quartets, but he also worked hard to have them conform somewhat to the form as devised by Haydn. He managed to straddle the two extremes of originality and conformity with his first six quartets. His next three quartets, the so-called Rasumovsky Quartets of opus 59 show his development in his craft and the gap between creative originality and tradition grew wider. His next quartet, No. 10  nicknamed 'The Harp' because the strings play pizzacato a lot in the first movement follows the trend. The 11th got its nickname from the tempo indication of the third movement, allegro assai vivace ma serioso.  The overall feeling of the quartet is indeed serious, and there are some surprises along the way.


The 11th was composed in 1810 but did not have its first performance until 1814.  The first movement opens with the four strings playing the first theme loudly in unison, somewhat of a surprise as to the suddenness of the beginning and the downright harshness of it. The second theme is sweeter in nature in the beginning, but there also outbursts within it. An experienced listener who is hearing this quartet for the first time would be expecting to hear the exposition repeated as the style of the times dictated, but Beethoven has no repeat signs and the music jumps right into the development and recapitulation. The first movement is very short, usually less than five minutes, which in itself is a break from the traditional long first movements. Beethoven boiled down the contents of the first movement to the essence of expression.

The second movement is in song form and leads into the third movement, a scherzo of the most 'serious' kind. The finale goes through a gentle beginning, a spirited rondo movement proper and ends up with all things, a fast, upbeat, short coda that ends the work. This rather 'happy' musics appearance in an otherwise quite serious work can be interpreted in a number of ways. Perhaps Beethoven felt the need to lighten the mood before the end of the quartet, or perhaps he was just playing with the emotions of the listener as he used to do when he improvised on the piano by playing something heavy and then something light at the end.

This quartet is like a conversation between four people, a spirited conversation to be sure, but a conversation and not an argument. What the subject matter of the conversation is in words is anybodies guess. But that conversational quality of chamber music in general and the string quartet in particular, is what's so attractive about it. This quartet with its condensed first movement, surprises that run throughout and the way it ends keeps it somewhat of an enigma. But that too makes it attractive to the ear. And when regard is given for the quartets that come after this one, the great late quartets of Beethoven, we realize that we have heard only the beginning of his genius in the form.

Beethoven - Symphony No. 7

With his usual Romantic hyperbole, Richard Wagner called Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 the "apotheosis of the dance".  As Wagner's universe-sized ego seldom allowed him to praise a fellow composer, this remark may appear suspect. But Wagner did admire Beethoven's symphonies, even if he did resort to re-orchestrating them in places when he conducted them.  What Wagner is referring to is the emphasis put on rhythm in this symphony, and dancing is all about rhythm.

The rhythm of a piece of music is an integral part of it, but seldom is rhythm emphasized the same way as in this symphony.  But that's not the only unique aspect of this symphony.  Symphony No. 7 was completed in 1812 and premiered in 1813 at a benefit concert for wounded soldiers of the Battle Of Hanau. Beethoven conducted it himself and the work was a resounding success, especially the second movement Allegretto which had to be immediately replayed before the symphony could continue.

The work begins with a long introduction, and the movement proper begins after an ingenious transition where the orchestra passes the pitch of  E natural back and forth in different octaves and note lengths. The dance element is felt immediately when the first theme is heard in the flutes and oboes in a dotted rhythm:

This rhythm shows up throughout the movement in different guises and pitches. In the coda of the movement, Beethoven writes a gradual crescendo as this 2-bar motive appears in the violas, cellos and double basses:

This motive is played eleven times as the rest of the orchestra takes turns chattering snippets of melody over it until the crescendo is finally reached with the restatement of the dotted rhythm.  This is one of the most unique transitions in symphonic history, and some at the time did not understand it. Carl Maria von Weber, a composer that was Beethoven's contemporary, was one who did not understand it at all as he thought that it proved Beethoven was ripe for the mad house.

The second movement was originally marked Andante, but a printing error changed the tempo marking to Allegretto. Beethoven himself asked for a correction back to Andante but to no avail. The movement is not to be taken too fast, and it surely isn't 'light' in character as allegretto intimates. After a sustained chord in the woodwinds and horns, the violas, cellos and double basses begin one of Beethoven's most recognizable melodies:

 The theme is recognizable as much as for the rhythm as the pitches of the notes. This movement is one of Beethoven's most popular compositions. The tune and the rhythm wend their way through the short movement and are heard at various pitches and with interesting counter-melodies playing in the background.

The third movement is a scherzo that scampers and stomps its way until it turns into a calm trio for winds and horns playing over a gentle string accompaniment, until the horns blat out an invitation for the strings to loudly play the theme. The horns do this again, the strings loudly play the tune again, and then all fades into the orchestral scampering again.  But then Beethoven throws the listener another curve; he repeats the trio (not unique really, for he did it before in other compositions) and the scampering theme returns again.  But just when the trio begins for the third time, Beethoven cuts it short with a change of key and an abrupt ending.

The rhythmic vitality doesn't let up in the finale, as the orchestra dances away in sonata form, and once in awhile the dancing resembles peasant stomping at a village festival. A movement full of energy, it ends in a blaze of rhythmic good humor.

Beethoven - Piano Concerto No. 4

Beethoven wrote his 4th piano concerto between 1805-1806. It had its public premiere in December, 1808 in Vienna at the massive concert that also had the premiere of the 5th and 6th symphonies and the Choral Fantasia as well as other pieces.  It was the last time Beethoven appeared as soloist on piano with orchestra.   Most of the newer music heard was not appreciated by many in the audience. Small wonder,  considering  the concert lasted well over 4 hours, there was inadequate rehearsals for all the pieces which lead to much starting and stopping,  and the concert hall it was held in was unheated.

After this performance the 4th piano concerto was neglected for almost thirty years. It was finally revived in 1836 by Felix Mendelssohn.  Young Robert Schumann was at the concert and wrote that he sat there transfixed through the entire work, scarcely moving a muscle or even breathing. That the concerto made a much more positive impression since then and has not left the repertoire hints that the work was far ahead of its time and not understood by the audience in 1808. With the solo piano beginning the work instead of an orchestral exposition is just one of the innovations Beethoven introduced in this concerto. The first movement is far from heaven-storming. The serenity in the dialogue between soloist and orchestra colors the whole first movement with a calm intimacy that makes this opening movement much different than the previous three concertos.

The mood changes with the 2nd movement as unison strings declaim in rugged tones the opening theme of the movement. Franz Liszt was the one who began the tradition of equating this movement with the legend of Orpheus taming the wild beasts with his lyre. It is a fitting description, as the piano slowly increases its voice and domination over the orchestra until it breaks out into trills of triumph. The orchestra is now 'tamed', the piano has the last quiet 'say' as the strings purr quietly in the background.

The 3rd movement Rondo begins without break on the note being held on the strings from the previous movement. The piano enters over the accompaniment of a cello and the finale takes off in music of good humor. Beethoven's sense of humor could be very gruff and crude, even in his music, but this rondo sees him more witty and subtle, as the music has a grand time working its way to the end.

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Beethoven - String Quartet No. 1

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) composed his first string quartets, six of them comprising his opus 18, between 1798 and 1800.  The first quartet in F major wasn't the first one composed, but Beethoven placed it as the first one, perhaps because he thought it was the best of the six. Beethoven had given the original quartet to a friend, but two years later he did a thorough revision of the work.

Beethoven wrote these first six quartets while Joseph Haydn was still alive.  Haydn was the acknowledged master of the string quartet, and along with Mozart he had taken the form to a new level. Beethoven was flexing his musical muscle and showing with his first quartet that the form still had possibilities.

The quartet begins with a statement of the first movement's major theme in unison by all four instruments. The theme goes through some dramatic development in the middle section of the movement. The second movement has been compared to the tomb scene in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. some say Beethoven himself did the comparison, some say the friend that he gave the first version of the quartet to said it. Regardless of who said it, the movement is a passionate, dramatic one. The Scherzo and Finale are both short movements and help to balance out the first two long movements.

Beethoven went on to compose a total of sixteen string quartets over a span of 26 years.  He became a master of the form and used it for some of his most profound and beautiful music.