The Daily Beethoven

Happy 241st Birthday Beethoven!

2011-12-16T18:43:00.002-05:00

Dear Maestro Beethoven,

Happy Birthday!

I couldn't let your 241st birthday go without some kind of blog post, right?

I haven't written anything blog-wise about Beethoven since July, the completion of the year-long Daily Beethoven project, but in the meantime I've been pretty deep in Ludwig-mania anyways. Many of my activities have been recorded in the "Updates" section of my blog profile, but I thought this would be a good opportunity to make it into the "official record".

My projects arranging B.'s music for guitar and/or rock band are largely complete, I've successfully generated "mock-ups" for the symphonies, string quartets, overtures, concertos, lieder, violin and cello sonatas, bagatelles, masses, variations, and a good cross-section of other chamber works including the ever-popular Op.20 septet. At every turn I was amazed at how B.'s ideas transferred themselves so naturally to the "electric language" of our modern times.

Guitar Arrangements of Beethoven, Bartok, Shostakovich, Debussy & More

The other main project (on the very cusp of being completed) has been the "Color-Coded Analysis" videos which I personally find very useful in following the "story" B. tells in each of his masterpieces. Ever since Leonard Bernstein described classical form as a kind of "journey" through remote key areas, I've been fascinated about actually charting these crazy odysseys in some kind of audio-visual technique and these videos are still my favorites for that kind of thing. At this point the symphonies, string quartets, piano sonatas, masses and some select favorite chamber works are out there. Here are also some of my favorite symphonies (Rene Leibowitz conducted) and piano sonatas (with Annie Fischer).

Color-Coded Analysis of Beethoven's Music

The highlight concert-wise was seeing the Missa Solemnis performed at Lincoln Center with Sir Colin Davis conducting the London Symphony Orchestra. That was jaw-droppingly awesome. If you were there and saw someone in the 3rd row following along with the score, then that was me you saw.

Some recent books I've recently acquired include Emily Anderson's 3-volume "Letters of Beethoven" (the most complete collection of B. letters ever published), "The Critical Reception of Beethoven's Compositions by His German Contemporaries Vol 1 & 2" by Senner & Meredith (fascinating reviews of Beethoven's concerts and works as they were being premiered!), "Beethoven's Only Beloved: Josephine!: A Biography of the Only Woman Beethoven ever Loved" (Klapproth), "Letters to Beethoven and Other Correspondence Vol 1-3" (Albrecht), "Talks About Beethoven's Symphonies, Analytical Essays with Diagrams" (Stock), and "Ludwig Van Beethoven : Autograph Miscellany from circa 1786 to 1799" by Kerman. This sketchbook facsimile is MASSIVE and holds a ton of miscellaneous musical ideas which B. would jot down for future reference. Some sketches are just "riffs" or "licks" which he could use when he would improvise or use during one of those piano duels he'd have to engage in. Other more elaborate sketches include the Symphony in C which was never completed. There is a huge variety of writings and scribblings and there is also a printed transcription so you can actually read what he wrote! Really fantastic.

Well anyways Happy Birthday, Ludwig, and judging from the fact that your face was on the cover of Gramaphone magazine only just a couple months ago (October) it seems you are doing quite well despite your "antiquated ways" haha!

7/18 A Year of Ludwig van Beethoven

2011-07-18T00:00:00.129-04:00

And so I've come to Day 365 of the Daily Beethoven project. It's been a long journey and I've certainly learned alot. The original idea behind starting this blog was just to put my favorite Beethoven links in one place, and somehow along the way I started getting into analyzing his compositions, posting pictures of historical artifacts, visiting his place of business (Vienna trip) and even making videos of my own "rock" transcriptions of his works. I believe there are a couple dozen of you regular readers who have stuck with this blog all this time. Thanks! I have certainly met a few cool Beethoven fans out there through this blog.

In the short term, I'll probably just add to the posts already here, since there are now a completes set of 365 articles, one for each day of the year. The Index of Works is already getting quite unwieldy (28 references to the 5th Symphony!) so to make new posts about Razumovsky No. 1 (again) seems a bit redundant. However I will try to keep an eye on the videos that I've posted from other peoples' channels (in case they get deleted) and try to keep this site a 1-stop spot for finding live complete performances of all of Beethoven's major works. Eventually I'll probably start adding new posts if some new earth-shattering insights come up. I'll also continue to add videos to my Youtube Channel, especially once I start doing wave-form analyses again of the remaining piano sonatas and symphonies (Update: symphonies and string quartets are now done).

My main focus at this point as you can probably tell are the transcriptions of Beethoven's music into modern instruments like guitar and drums. The posts related to that kind of thing will be the first ones to be expanded, and at some point I hope to post some live renditions of these transcriptions in place of the sequenced versions...

"Beethoven broke all the rules, and turned out pieces of breath-taking rightness. Rightness – that’s the word! When you get the feeling that whatever note succeeds the last is the only possible note that can rightly happen at that instant, in that context, then chances are you’re listening to Beethoven. Melodies, fugues, rhythms – leave them to the Tchaikovskys and Hindemiths and Ravels. Our boy has the real goods, the stuff from Heaven, the power to make you feel at the finish: Something is right in the world. There is something that checks throughout, that follows its own law consistently: something we can trust, that will never let us down."
- Leonard Bernstein on Beethoven

The Raven read by James Earl Jones + Moonlight Sonata

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Moonlight 3rd Movement with..?

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7/17 Beethoven's Symphonies and Overtures for Guitarists and Experimental Music Lovers

2011-07-17T00:00:00.052-04:00

Picasso, "Woman with Mandolin" 1910

The symphonies of Beethoven are to me the greatest artistic creation in the history of mankind. So of course it's pretty ambitious to transcribe these for rock instruments. I resisted for a long while, but once I figured out a way to do the concertos, it was a natural next step. The first couple symphonies took to a new instrumental arrangement relatively painlessly, but then things started getting sticky. By the time I got to the 8th, the whole thing started sounding like avant-garde music from the future! Taming the 9th was a journey in itself. Nonetheless, here's the fruits of those labors, and I'm sure I'll come back to these again and again with "improvements"....

Symphony No.3 in E flat major, Op.55 'Eroica' (1805)

Symphony No.7 in A major, Op.92 (1811)

Click for the 9 Symphonies of Beethoven for Rock and Roll Addicts

Overtures here:

7/16 The Compleat String Quartets for Guitarists and Experimental Music Lovers

2011-07-16T00:00:00.089-04:00

Picasso: "Bottle, Guitar, and Pipe" Museum Folkwang, Essen, Germany

I've posted about my sequenced "rock" transcriptions of Beethoven's string quartets a couple times before but this time I've gone back and remixed/remastered them a bit, with some simulated "turntable" visuals. Basically I added more drums, reverb and compression. They'll probably still drive any purists insane with cries of sacrilege, but for anybody with a background in rock and avant-garde music approaching my own, these might be entertaining and perhaps even illuminating.

While arranging/transcribing Beethoven's various types of music (quartets, concertos, symphonies, etc...) into these somewhat similar rock arrangements, I could more clearly see the different composing approaches he used between these genres. The concertos seem the most straightforward from a melodic and structural standpoint, though the solo part gets all the "adventurous" stuff. The quartets have the most complex and labyrinthine horizontal/melodic material, and the symphonies take a middle ground of having dense vertical constructions but simpler thematic material. These are just gross generalizations of course...

String Quartet 10 in Eb, Op 74 "Harp" (1809)

String Quartet 11 in Fm, Op.95 "Serioso" (1811)

Full Quartets Below:

Early Quartets: Opus 18

Middle Quartets: Opus 59, 74, 95

Late Quartets: Opus 127, 130, 131, 132, 133, 135

Symphonies tomorrow....

7/15 The Weirdest Piano Concerto Arrangements You'll Love Vol.2

2011-07-15T00:00:00.020-04:00

Remember when I posted the "The Weirdest Piano Concerto Arrangements You'll Love Vol.1"? Well here's Volume 2...hope you enjoy listening, these were a blast to put together!

Piano Concerto 1
I: 0:04 II: 12:29 III: 20:32

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Piano Concerto 2
I: 0:05 II: 13:15 III: 20:36

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Piano Concerto 4
I: 0:04 II: 16:44 III: 20:20

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Triple Concerto

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Next post is going to be delayed because I'm just BARELY keeping up in these last few mega-posts and Youtube just yanked my unlimited time-limit video rights for no apparent reason - which means I may have to redo a whole lot of already completed videos. Sad face.

7/14 String Quartet Op.59, No.2

2011-07-14T00:00:00.046-04:00

http://www.lvbeethoven.com/Lieux/AllemagneLeipzig.html

One more string quartet before the final lap...

String Quartet No.8 in E minor, Op.59, No.2 ('Rasumovsky' 2)
Recorded live at the Taos School of Music, July 22, 2007
Alexandra Osborne, violin; Wojciech Kardewicz, violin; Elizabeth Kuefler, viola; Bronwyn Banerdt, cello

Linklist

Allmusic:
Beethoven began drafting the score of the first of the Opus 59 quartets on May 26, 1806, although there is evidence that he started to sketch them in the fall of 1804; by November 1806, all three were complete. Because Rasumovsky was to have exclusive rights to the pieces for a year, their publication was delayed until January 1808. Beethoven sold the rights to not only the Bureau des Arts et d'Industrie in Vienna, but also to Clementi and Co. in London. As a tribute to Rasumovsky's heritage, Beethoven planned to use Russian folk themes in each of the three quartets, but did so only in the finale of the first and the slow movement of the second. All three are in four movements, the third augmented by a slow introduction to the first movement.

The opening of the first movement of the String Quartet in E minor is actually more evocative of the Symphony No. 3 than it is the beginning of Op. 59/1. Two widely spaced chords introduce the piece, which immediately begins a presentation of the theme. However, the movement lacks the expansiveness of its two siblings, creating a very tight, nervous atmosphere and calling for a traditional repeat of the development section. The prominence of the Neapolitan, both the pitch F natural and the harmony of F major, creates a palpable pathos. The large coda takes a path as harmonically adventurous as the development section.

Carl Czerny (1791-1857), a former student of Beethoven, noted that the composer was inspired to write the slow movement of Op. 59/2, in E major, while contemplating a starry sky. The chorale-like opening of the movement looks forward to the Heiliger Dankgesang, Op. 132. The recapitulation of the hymn-like theme features an active cello line and a second violin part that sails above the first violin's melody.

As in the first movement, the E minor scherzo emphasizes the Neapolitan F major. The Russian theme appears in the E major Trio, where it is given extensive contrapuntal treatment, appearing first in the viola, followed by the second violin, cello, and lastly, first violin.

The finale again flirts with F major, this time primarily through C major (the dominant of F), which is found throughout the first 50 measures. Marked Presto, it is generally light and jovial, featuring a carefree main theme, rather atypical of the composer's style at this time. The second subject leads to a development section, after which the themes reappear to suggest a Rondo. Overall, this movement has much charm and rather parallels in spirit the finale in the previous quartet. This one, however, seems to fit in better with the character of its preceding three movements.

Mily Balakirev's Arrangement of the 2nd movement for solo piano:
Balakirev Centenary Celebrations Concert, Nicholas Walker - Pianist
Mr. Walker also performed the piano arrangement of the Op.130 Cavatina..

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Finally. the 1st movement in a guitar arrangement (Oregon Guitar Quartet):
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7/13 String Quartet Op.127

2011-07-13T00:00:00.040-04:00

http://www.lvbeethoven.com/MeetLvB/GermanyBonnBeethoven-Haus.html

Beethoven's String Quartet No.12 in Eb, Op.127, has been sadly overlooked here in favor of the personal "hits" like the Grosse Fugue and the Heiliger Dankgesang.. however it's an absolutely sublime and daring work in its own right.

!st Movement performed by the Jasper String Quartet:

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Here's a vintage recording of the complete work, featuring the renowned Busch Quartet (from 1936):

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Allmusic: This work may well be the most mild-mannered and conventional of Beethoven's late quartets. It is ironic that he originally had more grandiose ideas for it, intending it to contain six movements, including one subtitled "La gaieté" and an Adagio apparently of darker character. In any event, Beethoven settled on this less ambitious, but still effective scheme of four movements, with an Adagio theme and variations second movement, followed by a scherzo and a jovial finale.

What is unusual about this quartet, however, is not its traditional qualities—rare enough in Beethoven—but its lack of muscularity and conflict in the first movement. One hears little nervous energy and angst here, but plenty of lyricism in the main Allegro section that makes up the bulk of the movement. The introduction is marked Maestoso and presents a fanfare that builds up, imparting some expectation of drama and drive, if not of Beethovenian heroic fury. What follows is a lively theme of gentle, lyrical character. In fact, all the thematic material in this movement is nearly free of tension and grit. There is some contrapuntal activity in the fabric of the main theme (and its variants), and the fanfare of the opening returns just before the development, but merely yields once more to the cheerful main material. If there is anything unusual about this movement, it is the development, which resembles a succession of variations. The recapitulation maintains the generally peaceful tenor of the movement, and the coda turns sweet and caressing.

The aforementioned second movement theme-and-variations (Adagio ma non troppo e molto cantabile) presents a lovely, songful melody and six variations. Yet the movement has a thematic structure similar to a typical ABA scheme, with the third variation comprising the middle section. But one may hear it as separate variations as well. It has been asserted that the main theme does not appear conducive to thematic offshoots, owing to its mellifluous character and seeming uniqueness (and lush beauty), but Beethoven manages to mine its depths to find the six very attractive variations and a coda. The third variation's prayerful character imparts a religiosity that seems to highlight, if not define, the mood of the entire Adagio.

The third movement Scherzando vivace breaks with the gentler moods of the music thus far. It begins, like the first movement, with a fanfare, but here on pizzicato strings. The main theme appears on the cello, and is bandied about amid a fugal treatment that starts, stops, and starts again. The middle section is colorful in its dance-like music and constantly changing ideas. On the whole, this movement offers splendid contrast to the lyricism of the preceding pair.

The finale returns to the mood of the first two movements, with lively but unhurried music that shows no sign of that Beethovenian nervous energy. This is music of folk character, with the main theme sounding a bit oafish, but cleverly so. Its slightly odd character and husky rhythmic accompaniment impart a rural air to the proceedings. The thematic material of the second subject is in much the same mode. There is a short development section, followed by a reprise (which comes after a deftly wrought false reprise). This quartet was first published in Mainz in 1826. The composer dedicated it to Prince Nikolai Golitsin, who had commissioned him to write it and the two quartets that followed.

7/12 Violin Romance in G, Op.40

2011-07-12T00:00:00.028-04:00

(www.lvbeethoven.com)

Beethoven's second Violin Romance actually has a lower opus number than his first, but it immediately sounds more bold due to it's wiry unaccompanied violin entrance...Renaud Capuçon gives a somewhat unique performance - I do believe he's using an updated ur-text?

Romance for Violin and Orchestra No.1 in G, Op.40 (1802)
Renaud Capuçon violin / Gewandhaus Orchestra Leipzig, Kurt Masur conductor

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Allmusic: Often described as a "preparation" for the Violin Concerto, Op. 61, of 1806, the Romance in G stands as a fine work in its own right, clearly demonstrating Beethoven's mastery of the high-Classical style of Mozart and Haydn. Furthermore, Beethoven creates subtle connections between disparate sections of a work.

Cast in a two-episode rondo format (ABACA coda), the Romance in G is not imbued with sonata-form characteristics, as are many of Beethoven's later rondo movements. The rondo theme (A) is in two parts, each performed first by the soloist then repeated by the orchestra. Descending sixteenth notes in the solo part mark the beginning of B, in which the orchestra is relegated to a purely accompanimental role, creating unity by including figures from the rondo. Section B spends a significant amount of time on the dominant (D major); however, this does not represent a modulation but a preparation for the return of the rondo in G major. Again, the soloist performs both segments of the A section alone, this time including a running eighth note accompaniment under each of the literally repeated themes. Beethoven set the second episode, C, in E minor. The minor mode, dotted rhythms, and staccato passages give the section a "gypsy" music tinge. The foray into a new key area ends with the return of the G major rondo theme, again played by the soloist, but with accompaniment by the orchestra. Beethoven forgoes the repetition of each of the two parts of the rondo and ends the work with a brief coda featuring a lengthy trill in the solo violin. The three fortissimo chords that close the piece seem oddly, possibly comically, out of place in this generally quiet work, but they do resemble the orchestral string parts at the end of each rondo section.

7/11 Tchaikovsky's Beethoven

2011-07-11T00:00:00.038-04:00

Having posted previously about composers "rewriting Beethoven" (Bartok, Rachmaninoff, Hindemith, Liszt), I submit Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky to the list...courtesy of quarrion100:
"One of his student orchestrations, Tchaikovsky scored Beethoven's famous violin sonata up to the end of the exposition of the first movement. There apparently is a recording of this on the Melodiya label, but I have not been able to acquire it yet. The current performance was made using the Garritan Personal Orchestra."

"Kreutzer" Violin Sonata (excerpt) (orch. Tchaikovsky) (1863-4):
"Roll over Beethoven, And tell Tchaikovsky the news"
Created by quarrion100.

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7/10 String Quartet Op.18, No. 3

2011-07-10T00:00:00.061-04:00

Klinger's Beethoven sculpture postcard (www.lvbeethoven.com)

I haven't yet posted a complete live String Quartet No.3 in D, Op.18, No.3, mainly because I couldn't find one on the "Tube of You"...however here are movements 1 and 4...

1st movement -The Stolyarsky String Quartet

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4th movement

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Allmusic:
The number of quartets comprising his Opus 18 is but one of Beethoven's nods to tradition, for sets usually included six works. In his Opus 18 quartets we find Beethoven both mastering the styles of his predecessors and forging into new territory. For instance, the independence of the four parts is much greater than in the works of his predecessors, which may be attributable to the fact that Beethoven developed his skills during a time freed from the hitherto ubiquitous basso continuo. Despite the numerous recent models, and despite the fact that the String Quartets, Op. 18, are clearly a product of their time, they could not have been written by any composer other than Beethoven.

The quartet in D major (No. 3) was the first composed. Its opening, with nearly all of the motion in the first violin supported by sustained harmonies, resembles the beginning of Haydn's Quartet, Op. 50/6, also in D major. The first movement begins with an emphasis on the dominant-seventh chord, while the second theme group flirts with the minor dominant, allowing an unusual excursion into C major. The rest of the quartet comprises a conventional movement pattern, but the Presto finale is a sonata, not a rondo. Although it is not labeled as such, the third movement is a minuet, albeit with some unusual, forward-looking touches. For example, the return of the minuet after the trio is not the standard da capo repeat, but is completely written out, with additional repetitions of and variations on the original material.
2nd Movement
3rd Movement

7/9 A Few Remaining Piano Sonatas (No. 15, 22, 25)

2011-07-09T00:00:00.053-04:00

Beethoven composes the 14th sonata (www.lvbeethoven.com)

Looking over my "Works Index" there are a few gaps in my list, so I'll try to fill those in the next few days...

Pt 1-3: Piano Sonata #15 In D, Op.28, "Pastoral" (1801) (Sahun Hong)
Pt 4-5: Piano Sonata #22 In F, Op.54 - (1804) (Jan Moeyaert)
Pt 6: Piano Sonata #25 In G, Op.79 (1809) ('Cuckoo') (Matthias Soucek)

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Piano Sonata No.15 in D, Op.28 ('Pastoral')
Allmusic: A remarkable feature of this work is that each movement establishes its own insistent, dominating rhythm at its outset. The first measure of the opening Allegro, for example, is simply three quarter notes on the tonic note D, a figure that both establishes the work's 3/4 meter and commences the first subject. The flowing, carefree second subject, based on the same rhythmic pattern, derives from a series of rocking chords in both hands. The overall effect is one of cheerful contentment, though the development builds to a considerably dramatic climax.

The second movement, Andante is a not-very-slow slow movement in ABA song form. Here, Beethoven creates a serious, lyrical theme in D minor from a series of chords over an insistent left hand in sixteenth notes. The middle section, in the major mode, alternates syncopated chords with descending right-hand triplets, material that makes a plaintive minor-mode return in the coda.

The Allegro vivace Scherzo, again in 3/4, rises from a sardonic series of descending single notes, one to a measure and an octave apart, after which the right hand jumps both above and below the left with the theme. The Trio section, reviving the minor mode, is a series of rocking triplet figures.

Like the first movement, the Allegro, ma non troppo finale at once establishes a rhythm and commences with the main theme. The movement is in 6/8; the alternation of quarter note and eighth note rhythms provides a syncopated "rambling" feel. Beethoven finds fresh variants for every repeat of this theme, all the way to the brilliant coda.

Piano Sonata No.22 in F, Op.54
Allmusic: Playable on a five-octave keyboard, this little sonata lures amateurs and then snares them in unexpected technical complications. Billed as minuet, the first movement takes a measured, deliberate tempo, the simple, pleasant, ruminative theme lifting up from the bass. However, just when the student pianist starts enjoying the somewhat complacent mood of this beginning, the trio storms through with nasty octaves in both hands. This development, which really feels like a strange interruption, seems inexplicable. Returning in a slightly more ornate form, the stately opening utterance leads, once again, to the ill-tempered trio, then appears again, goes through transformations which include some dissonant chords, and ends.

The second of the two movements, an Allegretto, is one of Beethoven's typical perpetual-motion rondos. This one has a dark edge to it, veering into the minor and keeping up the flood of sixteenth notes, thus seriously limiting the individuality of the various episodes. Amateurs generally must give up entirely by the time they reach the strenuous coda, in which the two hands race each other to the final bar.

Piano Sonata No.25 in G, Op.79 ('Cuckoo')
Allmusic: The G major Sonata No. 25 contains an opening Presto, an Andante slow movement, and a finale marked Vivace. The first movement also has the qualifying term alla Tedesca, or "in the German style." From the outset, the work arouses a strong and positive impression, as a result of its sharply chiselled rhythmic formulae and a certain direct (if not to say at times abrupt) candor and spontaneity.

That feeling of directness and clarity of expression also informs the following movement, a brief but eloquent Andante in 9/8 meter and simple ternary form. This not only re-affirms Viennese tastes, both in terms of the directness already referred to, but also in the pronounced feeling of "naturalness," at times approaching pastoral straightforwardness that is an unmistakable characteristic here.

Simplicity and directness are also crucial in the brief and witty finale, a fully formed Vivace rondo, lasting fractionally under two minutes. This sonata is sometimes given the nickname "The Cuckoo," because of the distinctive pattern of falling intervals and repeated note groupings that permeate the score at various points, never more obviously than during the final movement.

7/8 Clockwork and a Calendar

2011-07-08T00:00:00.036-04:00

From a "Beethoven Calendar"

Remix time...
Marc Heatley: Created as part of Sound Affairs' 2008 "Ludwig" tour - "A tribute to Beethoven in music and film." I was asked to create original work in response to the music. This piece (to accompany the Orlando Gough composition "Dead White European Male") is based on David Pelham's iconic 1972 Penguin cover to the Anthony Burgess' classic "A Clockwork Orange".
"Dead White European Male" (Symphony 7 Allegretto remix)

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Coriolan Overture (Dance Style)
(wykonanie Krashgul)

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If 1907 comes around again this will be handy:

A Beethoven Kalendar from 1907...

7/7 String Quartet Op.132, "Song of Thanksgiving"

2011-07-07T00:00:00.043-04:00

Beethoven and the blind woman, F. Armin (www.lvbeethoven.com)

Beethoven's String Quartet Op.132 is most famous for the 3rd movement "Heiliger Dankgesang eines Genesenen an die Gottheit, in der lydischen Tonart" (A Convalescent's Holy Song of Thanksgiving to the Divinity, in the Lydian Mode) which I wrote at length about in a previous post. But today I present the entire work:

String Quartet 15 in Am, Op.132 (1825)
(Blair String Quartet)

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(Link to an alternate performance by Brown University students in 5 parts)
Performers: June Yoon (vln I), J.D. Andrade (vln II), Miranda Forman (vla) and Martha Niemiec (vlc)

Allmusic: The work carries the nickname "Heiliger Dankgesang" because of the note written in the score (actually in French) by Beethoven that pertains to the third movement. From this note, as well as from the time of the work's composition, one can safely deduce that the crisis one clearly hears in the music is related to the lengthy illness Beethoven suffered from April 1825 until August of that year. The composer makes no attempt to depict his feelings during the illness; rather, he reflects on them and gives thanks in this score for his recovery, for the vanquishing of the pain and suffering that he must surely have felt were symptoms of a life-threatening illness.

The first movement, marked Assai sostenuto, Allegro, has an odd but ingenious structure: Beethoven presents a four-note motif that proves to be the central force throughout, developing it in between three separate expositions. There are two main theme groups, the first of which apparently represents the composer's physical suffering, the latter his sense of hope to overcome it. These subjects transform brilliantly as the movement progresses, with the theme of suffering finally appearing as a joyous hymn at the close.

The second movement is a Scherzo marked Allegro ma non tanto. While the mood of the music here is happy, its slightly restrained character suggests the recovering composer is a bit leery about venturing into too much activity.

The third movement, marked Molto adagio, is the work's emotional centerpiece. A slow, hymn-like theme of religious character dominates the proceedings, appearing in different guises throughout, in the end arriving at its definitive, celestial version. The form of this movement is unusual, consisting of five sections and progressing from depictions of the sick composer's hopes, to his feelings of recovery and returning strength, and finally to his recovery and thankfulness to God.

The fourth movement is comprised of a short march, marked Assai vivace. In certain ways, this is a rather puzzling chapter in the overall scheme of the music, the slightly martial nature of the theme seeming out of focus with the rest of the work. Yet, the music here serves as an effective contrast to the preceding movement, as if to suggest a return from the heavens back to the reality of earth.

The finale is a Rondo marked Allegro appassionato. There is nothing innovative in the form here, Beethoven apparently content to suggest that a return to routine can bring sufficient rewards for his purposes, as it may symbolize that a return to health can make one appreciate the simple things in life. Here the mood is joyous throughout and full of color and sunshine. The composer clearly conveys that the crisis is behind him, that the music does not celebrate triumph here, but rather expresses joy and thankfulness. This work was first published in Paris and Berlin in 1827 and was dedicated to Prince Nikolai Golitzin.

7/6 Miami Int'l Piano Festival: A couple selections...

2011-07-06T00:00:00.040-04:00

Musical Map of "Rage" by James Boyk

The Miami Int'l Piano Festival 's Youtube channel has almost 400 videos of complete performances of classical works on piano and other chamber instruments. Here's a few Beethoven selections...I decided not to include any of the piano sonatas since I've got so many up here already from the previous piano competitions.

Rondo a capriccio in G Major, 'Rage over a Lost Penny' Op.129
Sijing from China is 15 here. She plays this so called "Rage Over a Lost Penny" as though it were a masterpiece. performed at Broward Center, Fort Lauderdale, FL at The Miami International Piano Festival Master Series 2006.

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6 Variations in F, Op.34
March 2008 performance at the Miami International Piano Festival. Kit Armstrong is 16 years old.

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Not Beethoven, but a pretty cool arrangement of Bartok's Roumanian Dances
GILLES APAP violin & arrangement
THE TRANSYLVANIA MOUNTAIN BOYS - Christopher Judge, guitar Brendon Statom, double bass
from a May 22, 2011 performance at the Colony Theatre Miami Beach Florida

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7/5 Jonathan Grows Up

2011-07-05T00:00:00.010-04:00

The Chamber Orchestra Kremlin

Jonathan

A while ago I did a post on young and exciting talents and one of the people I mentioned was Jonathan (Okseniuk), who did an AMAZING job conducting Beethoven's final movement to the 5th Symphony. You can see the video HERE.

Since then, Jonathan has skyrocketed in internet fame and even attracted the attention of a real conductor who had him conduct a chamber symphony arrangement of B.'s String Quartet #4, Op.18, No.4. Here's a short video feature on this amazing little guy.

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Another view of the performance can be seen here. Meanwhile back at home Jonathan is still conducting Symphony 6!

The Chamber Orchestra Kremlin can be seen below (with it's regular conductor, Misha Rachlevsky) performing the complete orchestrated string arrangement.
Pt 1-4: String Quartet #4, Op.18, No.4
Pt 5, 6: String Quartet Op.131
Pt 7-10" String Quartet #4, Op.18, No.4 (alternate performance)

Linklist

7/4 Kreisler's Rondino

2011-07-04T00:00:00.028-04:00

Fritz Kreisler

Fritz Kreisler was one of the most important violinists of the 20th century, both for his playing as well as his composing for the instrument. In fact he wrote a Rondino based on an unused theme by Beethoven (from the rejected final movement of B.'s Wind Octet in E flat (1793).

Link

This version is a piano arrangement by Leopold Godowsky, performed by Phillip Sear..which would make this Sear's Godowsky's Kreisler's Beethoven B-side.

Link

7/3 Marmottes and Beethoven

2011-07-03T00:00:00.022-04:00

Marmottes.

I've recently noticed a plethora of arrangements of Beethoven's own arrangement of the traditional air, "La Marmotte".

First, a "straight version:

Link

Now..on accordion:

Link

and electric guitar & synthesizer:

Link

Of course, I did my own arrangement as well...

7/2 Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde Play Beethoven

2011-07-02T00:00:00.056-04:00

Robert Louis Stevenson is best known as a writer of books like "Treasure Island", "Kidnapped" and "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" but he also had an unusual side-career of transcribing works for recorder.

Here's a performance of Stevenson's recorder version of a song from Beethoven's "Egmont" score:
Egmont (Clarchen's Lied): Die Trommel gerühret, Op.84b no. 1
Played on tenor recorder by J.F.M. Russell from a Stevenson manuscript at Princeton University as part of a project to record the complete music of RLS.

Link
A regular version of Die Trommel gerühret can be found HERE.

And here's Stevenson's arrangement of
Seufzer eines Ungeliebten - Gegenlieb, WoO.118 (1795)
Gegenlieb interestingly uses a melody which re-occurs in the 9th Symphony...

Played on soprano recorder by J.F.M. Russell from a Stevenson manuscript in the Yale University Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library as part of a project to record the complete music of RLS.

Link

A regular version of this song can be found in my earlier post HERE.

7/1 Beethoven, The Ventures and a Giant Harmonica

2011-07-01T00:00:00.027-04:00

The Ventures are pretty famous as a surf-rock band but here they do some groovy arrangements of Beethoven:

The Ventures play the 5th Symphony

Link

The Ventures play the Moonlight Sonata

Link

And for no logical reason whatsoever I'm going to throw in another 5th Symphony arrangement on what looks like soprano, tenor and baritone harmonicas...

Mendes Harmónica Trio

6/30 The Eroica Without a Net

2011-06-30T00:00:00.041-04:00

Persimfans is one of the few orchestras which perform without a conductor. Judging from a short video documentary about them (link at bottom) they apparently do a good deal of modern, avant-theatrical repertoire. However in this video they perform Beethoven's 3rd Symphony, the ever-inspiring "Eroica".

I really like the fact that (here at least) they play in a circle facing inwards. Somehow it reminds me of a campfire jamboree... I believe B. would have approved of this kind of unusual "communal" music-making.

From Youtube:
PERSIMFANS is a symphony conductorless ensemble organized in Moscow by the Music Laboratory of the School of Dramatic Art Theatre in early 2008. Originally PERvyi SIMFonicheskiy ANSambl bez dirizhera (an abbreviation for The First Conductorless Symphony Ensemble) was founded by the violinist Lev Ceitlin in 1922 right after the Civil War. The first Soviet years were marked by collectivist utopia that in the case of PerSimfAns revealed itself in the idea of providing all its members (up to 150 musicians) with the self-managing authority free from baton/scepter despotism, demonstrating, as Nicholas Slonimsky once wrote, that "in a proletarian state orchestra men do not need a musical dictator". PerSimfAns was striving to make familiar the new-born proletariat with the classical and modern pieces, arranging concerts virtually anywhere: concert halls, working clubs and factories, reaching the widest possible audience, inspiring dozens of imitators in other Soviet cities as well as in Paris, Leipzig and New York and wining worldwide acclaim from such collaborators as Prokofiev, Milhaud, Myaskovsky, Zecchi, Petri etc., including even Klemperer. In 1933 despite its lasting fame the ensemble was forced to halt its activity, thus indicating the end of pure socialist idealism and anticipating total dictatorship of Stalinist regime.

As back in the 1920s, today PerSimfAns consists of the highly acclaimed orchestras members and Moscow conservatory teachers, however nowadays its concerts include not exclusively conductorless performance of symphonic pieces, but the reconstruction of the original noise-ensembles adjusted to their authentic repertoire, ballet troupe staging a forgotten Prokofiev "Trapèze" ballet , litmontage, documentary video montage etc. PerSimfAns brings into public focus rare musical pieces (i.e. "First Concert" by A. Mossolov (1927), "Metal March" by G. Lobachev (1928), "On the Dneprostroi" by J. Meituss (1932), "Intégrations" by I. Wyschnegradsky (1969) etc.) as well as bizarre versions of the famous ones (i.e. "Die Zauberflöte Overture" (Soviet edition for cinemas, clubs and variety from 1930) or even compositions by the contemporary composers (such as Pavel Karmanov or "Vezhlivyi Otkaz" (The Polite Denial) rock-band). In 2010 PerSimfAns is planning to perform Beethovens "Third Symphony", one of the symbolic landmarks in the early Soviet repertoire."

Symphony No.3 in E flat major, op.55 'Eroica' (1805)

Linklist

PERSIMFANS PROMO (documentary)

6/29 Bernard Herrmann's 100th Birthday

2011-06-29T00:00:00.125-04:00

Today marks the 100th anniversary of Bernard Herrmann's birth (let's call it his 100th birthday). I've always cited Herrmann as my favorite 20th Century composer. In fact he was my introduction to orchestral music in general. Back when I was deep into experimental music and free jazz, I used to comb through old thrift stores for kitschey records to sample/collage. One time I found a 99 cent cassette of the original score recording to Herrmann's "The Day the Earth Stood Still". I was literally blown away at how awesome this score from the 50's was. For me as an electronic musician, the 2 theremins, electric basses and organs were a perfect entry point into film score music. From there I collected ALL of Herrmann's works, as well as the best stuff from Goldsmith, North, Steiner, Waxman, Korngold, Elfman, Horner, Morricone, etc... However Herrmann was still way ahead of every other film music composer in my estimation...one of Bennie's infamous claims is that he did all the orchestrations of his music himself - and that most film composers didn't. I think that had alot to do with the uniqueness of his sound...his wind writing is almost immediately recognizable.

Main Title from "The Day The Earth Stood Still"
"the score included electric violin, electric bass, 2 theremins* (treble & bass), test oscillators, vibraphone, 4 pianos, 4 harps & approximately 30 brass instruments"

Link

So, thinking about Herrmann recently made me think of some parallels between Beethoven and Bennie...

Both left their original hometown for a new city...
(LvB:Bonn->Vienna / BH:Brooklyn->Hollywood)

Both had big early successes...
(LvB: most celebrated pianist in Vienna / BH:"Citizen Kane")

Both very stubborn and refused to make changes to their scores...
(LvB:Fidelio / BH:"Wuthering Heights", Symphony 1)

Both had and early "derivative period"...
(LvB:Haydn, Mozart / BH: Copland, Elgar)

Both had strong middle periods...
(Herrmann's middle period was when he worked with Hitchcock and Harryhausen)

Late success...
(Herrmann's last film, "Taxi Driver" was nominated for an Academy Award)

Use of technology......
(LvB: metronome, panharmonicon, extended timpani, trombones / Herrmann used theremin in "The Day The Earth Stood Still", and Moog on "Sisters", "Endless Night" etc..)

Difficulty getting along..
(Herrmann was not shy about putting down his fellow composers, as well as the directors who he disdained.)

Both had an "out of favor" period...
(After his partnership with Hitchcock ended, Herrmann had fewer big productions until very late in his life)

Finally, both had a prodigious talent for writing very simple motifs and "exploding" then into orchestral masterpieces.
(LvB:5th and 6th Symphonies / BH: "Psycho", "North by Northwest", etc...)

Happy 100th, Bennie!

"Vertigo" Main Title:

Link

"Death Hunt" from "On Dangerous Ground"
(Esa Pekka-Salonen with the L.A. Phil)

Link

Transcript of a lecture given by Bernard Herrmann at the George Eastman House Museum in October, 1973.

Bernard Herrmann Society (News, Forum, articles)

Herrmann Works Listing

Analysis of "Vertigo"

Here's a fine article about Herrmann's best scores from Film Music Review:
http://www.americanmusicpreservation.com/BernardHerrmannCentennial.htm

Here's a link to the New York Philharmonic's archive of Herrmann-related performances:
http://archives.nyphil.org/index.php/search?search-type=singleFilter&search-text=Herrmann

6/28 Violin Concerto 3rd Movement (Chee-Yun Kim)

2011-06-28T00:00:00.038-04:00

Chee-Yun

I usually make it a rule not to post a work unless all the movements are available (or at the very least the 1st movement) so when I came across a performance of Beethoven's Violin Concerto Op.61 which was missing the 1st movement I hadn't planned on posting about it - but after watching I was so impressed with this performance I decided that just the 3rd movement alone was worth featuring. The featured violinist, Chee-Yun Kim, has a great tone and articulation and the orchestra give a committed reading. Apparently she's also appeared on TV on a show called "Curb Your Enthusiasm"...

Allmusic: "The second movement takes a place among the most serene music Beethoven ever produced. Free from the dramatic unrest of the first movement, the second is marked by a tranquil, organic lyricism. Toward the end, an abrupt orchestral outburst leads into a cadenza, which in turn takes the work directly into the final movement. The genial Rondo, marked by a folk-like robustness and dancelike energy, makes some of the work's more virtuosic demands on the soloist."

Violin Concerto Op.61 in D, 3rd Movement:

Link

The 2nd movement can be found HERE.

6/27 Bagatelles on Guitar, Hand Cannons

2011-06-27T00:00:00.037-04:00

Though I have posted a good chunk of my own sequenced versions of Beethoven's works arranged/transcribed for guitar, there are of course many great live performances - among them this fine set of Bagatelles transcribed and performed by David Pavlovits.

3 Bagatelles:
From 11 Bagatelles, Op.119, No. 4. Andante cantabile (@ 0:00)
From 11 Bagatelles, Op.119, No. 9. Vivace moderato (@ 1:36)
From 7 Bagatelles Op.33, No. 4. Andante (@ 2:21)

Link

What the heck, here's my arrangement of Wellington's Seige arranged for guitar. Adapted from Wellington's Victory, or the Battle of Vittoria op. 91, for Piano and Two Cannons, Hess 97..

(Shootin' starts at 2:45)

Modified and adapted from an original sequence by Mark S. Zimmer from The Unheard Beethoven.

6/26 Artur Rubinstein Competition Beethoven Works Pt. 2

2011-06-26T00:00:00.024-04:00

Helene Tysman

Continued from yesterday, here is a selection of Beethoven's latter works as performed at the recent Rubinstein Competition.

Sonata no. 21 in C major, op. 53 ("Waldstein") (Eduard Kunz)
Sonata no. 23 in F minor, op. 57 ("Appassionata") (Anna Fedorova)
Sonata no. 26 in E-flat major, op. 81a (Les Adieux) (Helene Tysman)
Sonata no. 31 in A-flat major, op. 110 (Kotaro Fukuma)
Sonata no. 32 in C minor, op. 111 (Alexey Chernov)

Linklist (1hr 44 min)

6/25 Artur Rubinstein Competition Beethoven Works Pt. 1

2011-06-25T00:00:00.032-04:00

The Arthur Rubinstein 13th International Piano Master Competition was recently held and most of the performances were uploaded to Youtube. Here are some of the best Beethoven performances. Today will be the early Beethoven works and tomorrow I'll post a playlist of the later works...

32 variations in C minor, WoO 80 (Sijing Ye)
Sonata no. 7 in D major, op. 10 no. 3 (Eric Zuber)
Sonata no. 16 in G major, op. 31 no. 1 (Sasha Grynyuk)
Sonata no. 18 in E-flat major, op. 31 no. 3 (The Hunt) (Ilya Rashkovskiy)
Sonata no. 21 in C major, op. 53 (Waldstein) (Alexandre Moutouzkine)

Linklist (1 hr 39 min)

6/24 Paganini's Caprices and Bartok's Mikrokosmos on Guitar

2011-06-24T00:00:00.038-04:00

Nicolo Paganini, by Richard James Lane (died 1872), published 1831

Thought I'd divert from Beethoven today to post some of my guitar sequences of Paganini and Bartok...fun stuff (if I do say so myself).

Paganini - All 24 Solo Violin Caprices on Guitar

Linklist (1 hour)

Bartok on Guitar (and in various "rock-metal" arrangements)

Scherzo (Arr. for Guitar)
Allegro Barbaro (Rock Arrangement)
Mikrokosmos (27 selections arranged for solo Guitar)
Mikrokosmos 140 - Free Variations (arr. for Guitar & Drums)
Mikrokosmos 122, 146, 113, 147 (Arr. for Guitar & Drums)
3 Piano Works (Arranged for guitar)
Mikrokosmos 149 - Burgarian Dance 2 (arr. for Guitar & Drums)
Mikrokosmos 148 - Bulgarian Dance 1 (Arr for Guitar & Drums)
Mikrokosmos 153 - Burgarian Dance 6 (arr. for Guitar & Drums)

Linklist (1 hour)

6/23 Sonata No.31 with Hélène Grimaud

2011-06-23T00:00:00.028-04:00

It was just a couple days ago that I snuck in a Richter performance of Beethoven's Piano Sontata 31, so here's a more descriptive post with a performance by Hélène Grimaud..

From Allmusic:

Beethoven's piano sonatas grew in complexity and depth as the cycle of 32 progressed. The last dozen or so could be called absolute masterpieces of piano music, with the latter half of that group rising to a level that often inspires awe and wonderment. This work, though sometimes overshadowed by the mighty "Hammerklavier" Sonata, and the last, the C minor, Op. 111, seems quite as impressive as these better-known works. This unusual work, thematically threadbare at the outset, is a great and deeply profound composition, whose fugal finale achieves the highest keyboard art. This composition opens with a gentle, slow idea of strong spiritual character, the music sounding mesmeric, tranquil, chorale-like, intimate. Its fabric consists of many threads, but on the surface there is little of actual substance, at least from the standpoint of musical analysis. Yet this lovely but seemingly unpromising opening contains the seeds of this movement's rich thematic and harmonic material. The latter half of the first subject is borrowed from the Largo second movement of Haydn's Symphony No. 88, in G major. At the time Beethoven was writing this sonata, he was suffering the first bouts of the illness that would take his life six years later. The serene, rather valedictory mood of the first movement (Moderato cantabile, molto espressivo) may reflect his sense of mortality, of an impending doom. The second subject is lively, but in all its elements seems to be on the descent, expressing, perhaps the end of a journey. The development introduces some tension and subtly disrupts the serenity, without, however, essentially altering the general mood of tranquility.

The second movement (Allegro molto) is short and jovial. Or is it? It certainly starts off with a happy demeanor, but that temperament is periodically interrupted by a ponderous ritardando, which finally overtakes the direction and character of the piece. The third movement, marked Adagio ma non troppo, is somber, bordering on the funereal. This ponderous, dark music may reflect the composer's deepest doubts and disappointments. The finale begins without pause after the Adagio. Its theme, almost Bach-like in its contentedness and fugal character, sounds serene, expressing, perhaps, the composer's acceptance of his fate. This is a movement of great subtlety and beauty, and its structure is masterful and original. The middle section is quiet and dark, its mood looking back to the darkness of the Adagio. Suddenly the piano unleashes ten fateful chords in a slow crescendo. The main theme then reappears and struggles for a time with the dominant mood of darkness. Eventually it gains strength, transforming the movement into a triumphant, ecstatic, radiant utterance.

Piano Sonata #31 In Ab, Op.110 (1822)

Linklist

(A slightly better video of this performance can be found here)

6/22 Beethoven Loves Doris

2011-06-22T00:00:00.011-04:00

Written in 1793 at age 23, this is a charming piece by the young Beethoven.
(Text by Johann Wilhelm Ludwig Gleim)

Ein Selbstgespräch (Soliloquy), WoO.114 (1793)

Ich, der mit flatterndem Sinn
Bisher ein Feind der Liebe bin
Und es so gern beständig bliebe,
Ich! Ach! Ich glaube, daß ich liebe.

Der ich sonst Hymen angeschwärzt
Und mit der liebe nur gescherzt,
Der ich im Wankelmut mich übe,
Ich glaube, daß ich Doris liebe.

Denn ach! Seitdem ich sie gesehn,
Ist mir kein'andre Schöne schön.
Ach, die Tyrannin meiner Triebe,
Ich glaubte gar, daß ich sie liebe.

I who, fickle of mind,
have been hostile to love until now
and who would like to remain so,
I, ah! I think I´m in love.

I who once denounced marriage
and only made fun of love
and who is well-practiced in inconstancy,
I think I´m in love with Doris.

For ah! since I first saw her,
no other beauty seems as fair,
Ah, the tyrant who rules my desires,
I do indeed think that I love her.

6/21 The Weirdest Piano Concerto Arrangements You'll Love Vol.1

2011-06-21T00:00:00.073-04:00

The Weirdest Piano Concerto Arrangements You'll Love Vol.1...or perhaps can "Like Eventually"...

After doing rock versions of Beethoven's complete string quartets, I decided that I wanted to hear how his concertos might sound if the lead instrument were a guitar instead of a piano or violin (or cello). After a few fruitless attempts at incorporation guitar sounds into symphonic arrangements, I tried to do a guitar and synthesizer version. Despite a good amount of work I finally had to admit that it just didn't sound that good. Finally I realized that I should go back to my previous idea with the quartets and make full rock band arrangements for these works. It took a bit more work since I didn't want to lose a single note, but I managed to get everything down to 2 electric guitars, bass and organ (as well as the lead instrument).

Here's Beethoven's Violin Concerto in a "Rock" arrangement. Electric guitar replaces the violin solo, as well as the 1st violin part.
1 Allegro ma non troppo: from 0:03
2 Larghetto: from 22:03
3 Rondo. Allegro: from 29:18
Guitar Arrangement sequenced by Ed Chang using Synthfont.

Link

And here's Beethoven's 3rd Piano Concerto in a similar arrangement, with acoustic guitar as the soloist and electric guitars in the 1st and 2nd violin roles...
1. Allegro con brio: from 0:03
2. Largo: from 14:24
3. Rondo-Allegro: from 21:49
Guitar Arrangement sequenced by Ed Chang using Synthfont.

Link

Piano Concerto 5...the piano solo is divided into Left Hand -> Acoustic, Right Hand -> Electric
I: 0:03 II: 18:44 III: 25:15

Link

I did arrangements for all of B.'s concertos so I'll put up some more soon....

6/20 Listening to Music

2011-06-20T00:00:00.096-04:00

One of the most unique (and rewarding) things about Beethoven (and classical music in general) is that it functions as music to be listened to. I mean listened to in the same way that most people read a book, or watch a movie (in a theater). Much of popular music today is really designed for dancing or as "mood" music - that's why there's so much repetition in the drum and bass line, and the song usually doesn't modulate in any kind of way to draw attention to the fact that "it's modulating". The dynamic level is arranged in a way so that it starts loud..and stays that way. This makes it easier to listen while at the gym, or driving in traffic. However classical music was never intended to be listened to as an attention-dividing experience. It's meant to be listened to and followed like a dramatic Russian war epic ("War & Peace"?). In a single piano sonata movement there is often a variety of mood swings and jokey witticisms littered throughout the exposition and development sections. And very often Beethoven will not just repeat the notes in the recapitulation, but add some new, poignant/funny element to keep it unpredictable.

Of course it's perfectly fine to just listen to a Beethoven symphony for the "vibe" - I do it all the time, especially since I have music playing every waking hour. But it's always worth mentioning that Beethoven is not just giving us "notes" - there's human drama and comedy splashed all over those string textures.

Here's a few ideas that have helped me to "read" classical music:

Listen for how each instrumental group (winds, horns, strings, percussion) enters
the piece. Then follow how B. uses each of these groups. In general, the strings are the lead instrument and the horns are used for extra "oomph".

Listen for the main motif or melody and break it up into it's "parts". By parts I mean the antecedent/consequent (call/response) nature of a theme melody. It's fun to listen to a melody and see how it gets echoed by other instruments and altered in different ways. My research on my blog post on homophonic forms was pretty handy to learn about theme structures.

Listen for the larger structure of the work - notice when the exposition repeats, how the development develops, and how the recap retransitions into the original theme. These are all signposts saying things like "You are now entering the State of Lyrical Theme in Dominant Harmony". If the work is in variation form, compare how Beethoven develops and twists the original theme.

These all may sound like school homework assignments I suppose, but after awhile this kind of "active listening" becomes as easy as recognizing when a commercial comes on during a TV show and it all just adds to the experience. When an action movie slows down for some "romance", you don't have to think "oh it's the lyrical part". But you do recognize it as a change in the mood and pace and this is exactly the kind of thing Beethoven wants us to feel during one of his symphonies.

The idea for today's post on "listening" came from an article about how reading and doing crosswords can block your ability to hear.

Piano Sonata #31 In Ab, Op.110 (1822)
Sviatoslav Richter

Link

6/19 Beethoven Highlights from the 20th New Orleans International Piano Competition.

2011-06-19T00:00:00.052-04:00

Plain Dealer File: "Spencer Myer, a native of North Ridgeville, won first prize Sunday in the New Orleans International Piano Competition. He is shown here accepting the audience's applause after performing with the Cleveland Orchestra in the finals of the 2005 Cleveland International Piano Competition, in which he won fourth prize."

More piano music today featuring Beethoven highlights from the 2008 20th Annual New Orleans International Piano Competition. Each of these videos features a (longish) infomercial by the sponsor (Hall Piano Company), followed by a Beethoven piece and some other works in the performance recital. I put links below to go directly to the Beethoven sonatas, but the other works are also well worth checking out.

Di Wu: Piano Sonata 11, 1st & 2nd Movements
Di Wu of China performing: Beethoven Sonata #11 in B-flat Major, Op22; Ravel Excerpt from Miroirs.

Chetan Tierra: Piano Sonata 26 "Les Adieux", 1st Movement
Chetan Tierra of the United States performing: Alexander Scriaban Sonata No.4 in F-sharp Major, Op.30; Beethoven Sonata in E-flat Major, Op.81a, Les Adieux; Brahms Variations on a Theme by Paganinni, Book 1 Op.35.

Spencer Myer: Piano Sonata 24 "Fur Therese"
Gold Medalist Spencer Myer: Beethoven: Sonata No.24 F-sharp Major, Albeniz: Iberia Book 1, Evocation, El Puertp, Corpus Christi en Sevilla; Liszt: Venezia e Napoli, S.159 Gondoliera, Canzone, Tarantella.

6/18 Valentina Lisitsa's Hanover Recording Sessions

2011-06-18T00:00:00.047-04:00

Not too long ago I featured Valentina Lisitsa's exquisite rendition of Fur Elise here. Ms. Lisitsa has a huge and wonderful Youtube channel featuring hours of her great pianistic ability, and so here's a "small" collection of her Beethoven recorded in Hannover, Germany, Dec 2009.

Pt 1-3: Piano Sonata #7 In D, Op.10/3 (1798)
Pt 4-5: Piano Sonata #14 In C#m, Op.27/2, "Moonlight" (1801)
Pt 6-10: Piano Sonata #29 In Bb, Op.106, "Hammerklavier" (1818)

Linklist (Total length: 1 hour, 15 minutes)

More Beethoven by Ms. Lisitsa here - a LOT more.

6/17 All New Beethoven Guitar Hits!

2011-06-17T00:00:00.081-04:00

There's nothing more educational (for me, at least) than to post about Beethoven every single day - but a close second would arranging his works for guitar. Taking a close look at each and every measure and tweaking them to fit in the context, range and style of a guitar is a bit of work - but quite rewarding. A couple of my recent "experiments" are these two transcriptions: an arrangement of B.'s Symphony 3 "Eroica" 1st Movement (adapted from Franz Liszt's transcription for solo piano) and the Diabelli Variations (using a new guitar sound than my 2 previous versions). As with my other guitar arrangements these sequenced realizations would probably be extremely difficult (if not impossible) to play in real life without special tunings, etc...but they sound still pretty cool I think as "virtual extrapolations"...

Symphony 3 "Eroica" for 2 Guitars

Link

The Diabelli Variations for 2 Guitars

Link
Left Side Guitar - TOP Right Side Guitar = BOTTOM
0:04 - Tema : Vivace
0:52 - Variation 1 : Alla marcia maestoso
2:22 - Variation 2 : Poco allegro
3:22 - Variation 3 : L'istesso tempo
4:15 - Variation 4 : Un poco piu vivace
5:03 - Variation 5 : Allegro vivace
5:52 - Variation 6 : Allegro ma non troppo e serioso
7:24 - Variation 7 : Un poco piu allegro
8:40 - Variation 8 : Poco vivace
9:47 - Variation 9 : Allegro pesante e risoluto
11:25 - Variation 10 : Presto
12:24 - Variation 11 : Allegretto
13:40 - Variation 12 : Un poco piu moto
14:45 - Variation 13 : Vivace
15:53 - Variation 14 : Grave e maestoso
19:46 - Variation 15 : Presto scherzando
20:34 - Variation 16 : Allegro
21:39 - Variation 17 : Allegro
22:45 - Variation 18 : Poco moderato
25:10 - Variation 19 : Presto
26:07 - Variation 20 : Andante
27:32 - Variation 21 : Allegro con brio - Meno allegro
28:50 - Variation 22 : Allegro molto ( alla 'Notte e giorno faticar' di Mozart)
29:36 - Variation 23 : Allegro assai
30:25 - Variation 24 : Fughetta ( Andante)
32:52 - Variation 25 : Allegro
33:37 - Variation 26 : Piacevole
34:21 - Variation 27 : Vivace
35:09 - Variation 28 : Allegro
36:11 - Variation 29 : Adagio ma non troppo
37:19 - Variation 30 : Andante, sempre cantabile
38:49 - Variation 31 : Largo, molto espressivo
42:28 - Variation 32 : Fuga (Allegro)
46:07 - Variation 33 : Tempo di minuetto moderato

This is my 3rd try at making a Diabelli Variations guitar recording, I think it's the final version...the previous two are OK but this one has the best guitar sound I think. Previous versions:

Electric and Acoustic guitars: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0RyJF5Uavo
Acoustic Guitars (1st version): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTg1GWIiX7w

However, for a live rendition of an arrangement of B.'s 5th Symphony I think this is the guy to beat:
Warning - very loud recording...

Beethoven 「運命」　LUNA KENZO

6/16 Hindemith Plays Beethoven

2011-06-16T00:00:00.042-04:00

Previously I've featured other composers playing Beethoven's music (Bartok, Rachmaninoff) so today it's Paul Hindemith's turn. Hindemith (1895-1963) is mentioned by Leonard Bernstein in my "profile" quote: "Melodies, fugues, rhythms – leave them to the Tchaikovskys and Hindemiths and Ravels..." The fugue Lenny refers to is undoubtedly Ludus Tonalis ("Play of Tones" or "Tonal Game", subtitled "counterpoint, tonal and technical studies for the piano") which contains 12 fugues with interludes.

Here I collected Paul Hindemith performing two Beethoven works:
Duo for Violin and Cello (Es-dur) WoO.32 (1797) 'w 2 Obbligato Eyeglasses'
(with Rudolph Hindemith/Cello)
and Serenade for Violin, Viola & Cello in D major, Op.8 (1797)
Violin: Szymon Goldberg
Viola: Paul Hindemith
Cello: Emanuel Feuermann

Linklist

6/15 Sextet in Eb Op.81 b for 2 Horns and Strings

2011-06-15T00:00:00.004-04:00

A fine performance of an under-played Beethoven work...

From Allmusic:

This composition is something of a chamber concerto for two horns with accompanying strings; the string quartet rarely comes forward with interesting material, except to give the horn players an occasional rest during transitions. Those horn parts, on the other hand, are quite taxing, full of hunting calls and fanfares. The first movement, Allegro con brio, is a sonata form built on conventional eighteenth-century-style themes. What's interesting here is the development, which allows the horns several lyrical passages as relief from their more intricate, percolating and burbling material. In the Adagio, a pastoral image, possibly that of a tranquil forest scene is described by a warm, extended theme uttered by the horns and repeated by the strings. This theme forms the movement's outer sections; in the middle is a sweet, slow duet for the horns with minimal accompaniment. The third and final movement is a rondo (\Allegro) abounding in hunting calls and close harmony; the movement calls to mind the cheerful rondo-finales of Mozart's horn concertos, although Beethoven's writing tends to be less exuberant than Mozart's.

Sextet In Eb for 2 Horns and Strings, Op.81B (1795)
1. Allegro Con Brio
2. Adagio
3. Rondo: Allegro

Amici Ensemble Frankfurt: Samuel Seidenberg, Michael Armbruster, Andrea Kim, Elisabeth Krause, Dirk Niewöhner, Florian Fischer, Christoph Schmidt

Linklist

6/14 "The Vale of Clwyd": A Welsh Folk Song

2011-06-14T00:00:00.037-04:00

The Vale of Clwyd

"The Vale of Clwyd" (Welsh: Dyffryn Clwyd) is a folk song arranged by Beethoven as part of 26 Welsh Songs WoO.155 (1810). I've never heard of it but when I looked it up on the web I immediately knew B. would have loved it there. Here's a great performance filmed from the balcony of someone's living room..

"The Vale of Clwyd" (text), from 26 Welsh Songs WoO.155 (1810).
with Anne Roberts, Gordon Robson, James Ruggles and Margaret Sewell on vocals.

Salon Classical House Concerts Beethoven Welsh Songs

Think not I'll leave fair Clwyd's vale;
To me 'tis fondly dear!
For still its scenes those hours recall
When I was blest (when I was blest) and Henry here.

Long, long, to part our willing hands
An angry father strove;
While sorrow press'd on Henry's health,
A sorrow nurs'd, (a sorrow nurs'd) by hopeless love.

Nor was the idea vain:
How sad thou art, he cried;
But smile again, my darling child;
For thou shalt be thy Henry's bride.

At that glad sound, on wings of love,
To Henry's cot I flew:
But, ah! The transient flush of joy
From his wan cheek too soon withdrew.

'Twas doubtful bliss, 'twas sure alarm;
I only smil'd through tears:
But soon we hailed the bridal day,
And Love's fond hopes o'ercame its fears.

Ah! Hopes too false; ah! Fears too true,
Nor love nor joy could save:
I can no more, - but mark you turf
With flow'rs o'erspread, - 'tis Henry's grave!

6/13 Organ Overture

2011-06-13T00:00:00.005-04:00

I previously did a blog post featuring pretty much all of Beethoven's epic and wonderful overtures so there's no point in bringing them up again - unless it's the Egmont played on an organ...

Egmont Overture, Op.84
Xaver Varnus lays the Budapest Synagogue 2004.

Link

...or the Coriolan by a brass ensemble...
Coriolan Overture, Op.62
Transcribed by Michel Nowak
Harmonie Municipale d'Avion sous la direction de Luc Delozien

Link

or Egmont by a brass ensemble...
Egmont Overture, Op.84
live In Arouca Portugal December 2007

Link

6/12 Dudamel on Beethoven's 9th

2011-06-12T00:00:00.029-04:00

Gustavo Dudamel's inaugural concert as Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. This performance took place at the Hollywood Bowl. Rockin'.

Symphony No.9 in D minor, op.125 (1824)
Pt 1-2: I. Allegro ma non troppo e un poco maestoso (starts at 1:50)
Pt 3-5: II. Molto vivace
Pt 6-7: III. Adagio molto e cantabile
Pt 8: IV. Presto / Allegro Assai (Annoyingly, video goes off-sync from sound, just close your eyes and listen...)

Linklist (1hr 45 min)

6/11 Master Class w Ed Aaron on String Quartet 1

2011-06-11T00:00:00.026-04:00

Cellist Edward Aaron is an active classical musician and organizer in New York City who has performed at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Here he gives a master class to a very fresh student string quartet working on Beethoven's String Quartet Op.18 No.1 in F. Mr. Aaron comes in at around 8:30...

"BYO Chamber Group was lucky enough to have a master class with Ed Aaron from USB Festival Series. Working with our quartet on Beethoven String Quartet in F Major"

Link
It's a little rough at the beginning but that's what teachers are for, right? Fine group.

6/10 Nota Profana's Beethoven

2011-06-10T00:00:00.021-04:00

One of the most "gothic-metal" interpretations of Beethoven's Allegretto from the7th Symphony must be Nota Fortuna's arrangement with vocalist Gaby Koss singing some original (I think) lyrics.... It's an interesting mix of chamber strings with electric guitar and drums. Now if only Ms. Koss would do arrangements like this of the song lieder!

Link

Another more traditional arrangement of Beethoven with "new" lyrics would be "Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee" with text by Henry van Dyke using musical themes from the 9th Symphony Ode to Joy.
The Filipino American Symphony Orchestra and University of Santo Tomas Singers Alumni, conducted by Robert Shroder, perform Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee by Beethoven, arranged by Fr. Manuel Maramba, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, California.

Link
The text for this version can be found here.

6/9 Für Elise on Guitar (Twice)

2011-06-09T00:00:00.023-04:00

I can't believe I haven't featured a guitar version of Für Elise on this blog yet. It's such a ubiquitous piece I suppose I avoided it on purpose for most of this past year. Well anyways, here are 2 wonderful arrangements on guitar performed by 2 excellent guitarists...live.

Transcribed and performed by by Fredrik (FreddeGredde) Larsson:

Link

A more "liberated" performance by ludustestudinis

Link

(FYI: Taking a break from Thursday analysis for a few weeks)

6/8 Beethoven's Homework: Correcting Mozart

2011-06-08T00:00:00.008-04:00

As part of his compositional studies (which he continued his entire life) Beethoven would copy out works such as this one, Mozart's Fugue in C Minor, KV 426. The interesting thing here is that he made some "corrections" - as well as some "mistakes". The Unheard Beethoven site has a midi file of B.'s corrected/messed up version of Mozart's most difficult fugue -and so I rendered it in a "Beethoven 360" soundfont....

From The Unheard Beethoven's description:

Copy of Mozart's Fugue in C minor, KV.426, Hess 37 (Date of Beethoven's version unknown). Without any doubt, Mozart's Fugue in C minor for two pianos, KV.426, is one of the greatest fugues ever written since the death of J.S.Bach. A staggering amount of canonic devices is let loose on the fugue's main subject, while maintaining a remarkable clarity of texture, demonstrating Mozart's total control of counterpoint. At the same time the music is pervaded with a holy anger one expects of a Beethoven, rather than a Mozart. In short, Mozart combines in this unique masterpiece Bach's intellectual techniques with Beethoven's deep passion. It's therefore important to realize that Beethoven not only knew Mozart's fugue, but even made a copy of it in his own handwriting. We must assume he was impressed by this work. It's somewhat surprising that, as far as we know, Beethoven never attempted to compose a similar fugue himself. There are 36 minor deviations in the copy compared to Mozart's original, most of them mere slips of the pen. Yet there are also several improvements by Beethoven...

Link

Since today has a kind of "pedagogical" theme, here's Yvonne Lefébure teaching how to play Beethoven: (Piano Sonatas 31, 32 (Op. 110, 111))

6/7 The Elegiac Song (3 Versions)

2011-06-07T00:00:00.029-04:00

Beethoven's Elegischer Gesang Op. 118 has the unusual instrumentation of chorus and string quartet. Though it's more commonly performed with a a string orchestra these days, it was originally scored with a quartet in mind and the video below features just that.

Allmusic:

The Elegiac Song was composed during the summer of 1814 in memory of Eleanore von Pasqualati, the wife of Baron Johann (Beethoven's frequent and favorite landlord beginning in 1804), who had died in childbirth three years earlier. Her music-loving husband, the Empress Maria Theresia's physician, not only tolerated Beethoven's obsessive-compulsive changes of residence but made him feel a member of the family. We don't know who wrote the words, originally assigned to four singers and string quartet and later reworked for small chorus and string orchestra without double-basses. The music, which raises its voice only on the words "himmlischen Geistes," is indubitably the heartfelt product of its composer; its brevity alone is the reason we hear it so seldom in concert.

(Actually Allmusic's info may be a bit out of date since I've read from other sources that Op.118 was still in sketch phase in 1814 and that modern scholars actually think the vocal group was originally for chorus, not 4 soloists. The text was possibly written by Ignaz Franz von Castelli.)

Text:

Sanft, wie du lebtest, 
hast du vollendet, 
zu heilig für den Schmerz!
Kein Auge wein' ob 
des himmlischen Geistes Heimkehr.

Gently, as you lived,

have you died,

too holy for sorrow!

Let no eye shed tears

for the spirit's heavenly homecoming.

Elegischer Gesang Op. 118
Emory Mastersingers , Jonathan Arnold, conductor
VEGA String Quartet, 3/27/2011

Link

In keeping with the idea that no one is exactly sure what the instrumentation is supposed to be for this work I took the liberty of sequencing a version for guitar and winds (HERE), as well as a version for piano and winds (HERE).

6/6 The Other Symphony in C Minor

2011-06-06T00:00:00.048-04:00

YOUNG BEETHOVEN (Lladró Porcelain Figures)

One of my favorite finds on the Unheard Beethoven site is the early Symphony in C minor which Beethoven sketched but never completed. Composed while still in Bonn, this sketch exists mainly as a piano score, but with markings for future orchestration. In any case, it stands with the early Piano Quartet WoO. 36 as some of my favorite early Beethoven. I have no idea why this is not more well known...

The Unheard Beethoven site features a midi version using full orchestration, completed by Willem, but I've never had much luck with full-symphony midi files. So what I did here is to condense this completion back into piano score (in the video below), though I kept the timpani part.

Symphony Movement in C minor, Hess 298. (1791/93). orchestrated and completed
Midi Author: xickx
(The Unheard Beethoven)
"The Hess 298 sketch can be found in the Kafka Sketchbook, which is in the British Library. The heading reads: Sinfonia, and the tempo indication is Presto. It is in 3/4 time. The 111 bars long sketch is written on two staves, as if for piano. We have therefore not only the main melody, but also the bassline, which indicates unambiguously the intended harmonies. Once, in bar 91, there is an indication regarding the orchestration: obo[e]. Following this big chunk there are two little snippets, one 9 bars, the other 5 bars long. Clearly Beethoven intended to write a movement in Sonata form: the sketch covers the larger part of the expostion, with a first theme in C minor (bar 1), a transition (bar 68) and a second theme in the parallel key of E flat major (bar 86). The sketch breaks off halfway the second theme group.
"As is clear from the state in which Beethoven has left the sketch, it is impossible to complete this movement without the addition of extra material. A completion can therefore never claim to be authentic. It should be stressed that the aim of such a completion is to merely provide a framework which places the notes as written by Beethoven in an appropriate context, so that they can be judged and enjoyed as real music."

Willem's orchestrated version can be found here. A midi of Beethoven's original sketch can be found here.

My reduction of Willem's orchestral arrangement to piano and timpani is below:

Link

6/5 Lieder Redux 2 (More Clarinet and Guitar Arrangements)

2011-06-05T00:00:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I featured my sequenced arrangements of some of Beethoven's song lieder in the form of guitar and clarinet duos. This time I cover some of my favorite lieder without Opus numbers:

1. WoO 116 Que le temps me dure (How slowly time passes) 2 Versions

2. WoO 118 Seufzer eines Ungeliebten - Gegenlieb (Sigh of one who is unloved - Love returned)

3. Some Short Songs w/o Opus numbers:

WoO 125 La tiranna (The tyranny) (0:04)
Hess 133 Das Liebe Katzchen (The Dear Kitten) (2:30)
WoO 142 Der Bardengeist (The Bardic spirit) (2:56)
WoO 117 Der freie Mann (The free Man) (3:34)

4. WoO.131 Erlkoenig

5. WoO 134 Sehnsucht (Longing)

Linklist

(Postcard images from http://www.lvbeethoven.com)

6/4 Lieder Redux (Clarinet and Guitar Arrangements)

2011-06-04T00:00:00.040-04:00

Recently I've been having some more fun with sequencing Beethoven compositions - this time rearranging vocal lieder from the original piano and voice instrumentation into guitar and clarinet duos. Why? The fact that I don't sing or play piano (tho I do play guitar and clarinet) may have something to do with it...Nonetheless I find these versions can provide additional appreciation for the melodies that Beethoven worked into the various texts he put to music.

Lieder Redux Playlist 1 (Works with Opus Numbers)

An Die Hoffnung Op.32
Adelaide, Op.46
6 Songs Op.48

- No.1 Bitten (Entreaty) (0:02)
- No.2 Die Liebe des Nachsten (Love of one's neighbor) (1:06)
- No.3 Vom Tode (Of Death) (1:53)
- No.4 Die Ehre Gottes aus de Natur (The Glory of God in nature) (3:59)
- No.5 Gottes Macht und Vorsehung (God's power and providence) (5:24)
- No.6 Busslied (Song of penance) (5:57)

8 Songs, Op.52

- No.1 Urians Reise um die Welt (Urian's voyage round the world) (0:02)
- No.2 Feuerfarb (The color of flame) (0:45)
- No.3 Das Liedchen von der Ruhe (The Little song about peace) (1:43)
- No.4 Maigesang (Maying Song) (2:36)
- No.5 Mollys Abschied (Molly's Departure) 4:38)
- No.6 Die Liebe (Love) (5:08)
- No.7 Marmotte (5:52)
- No.8 Das Blümchen Wunderhold (The Little flower wondrous fair) (6:24)

6 Songs Op.75

- No.1 Kennst du das Land (Do you know the land) (0:01)
- No.2 Neue Liebe, neues Leben (New love new life) (3:15)
- No.3 Aus Goethes Faust (Mephisto's Flohlied/Song of the flea) (6:09)
- No.4 Gretels Warnung (Gretel's warning) (8:05)
- No.5 An den fernen Geliebten (To the distant beloved) (9:25)
- No.6 Der Zufriedene (The Contented man) (10:20)

3 Songs, Op. 83

- 1. Wonne der Wehmut (Joy of Sadness) (0:01)
- 2. Sehnsucht (Longing) (2:08)
- 3. Mit einem gemalten Band (With a painted ribbon) (3:57)

Songs 1803-1822

- Arietta Op.82, No.1 Hoffnung (1809) (Tell Me Dearest, That You Love Me..) (0:01)
- Op.84 Egmont: Clarchen's Song: 'Freudvoll und leidvoll' (1810) (Joy and Sorrow) (1:40)
- Op.88 Das Glück der Freundschaft (1803)(The Good Fortune of Friendship)(3:03)
- Op.99 Der Mann von Wort (1816)(A man of his word)(5:04)
- Op.100 Merkenstein (1816)(6:30)
- Op.128 Ariette (Der Kuss/The Kiss) (1822)(6:54)

Linklist

6/3 Phan's Freestyle Pathetique

2011-06-03T00:00:00.004-04:00

I've featured different kinds of dance accompaniments to Beethoven before (1/15 Quartet with Obbligato Dancers and 4/22 Ballet & Beethoven) but this video features yet another approach: improvised "freestyle" dancing in a completely unpremeditated situation between a classical performance of Beethoven's Pathetique and Shawn Phan's "street style" dancing...apparently Beethoven is quite alive and well. Phat.

"STORY: I walked into a classroom with a guy that was playing classical music. I was never a fan of that genre but for some reason....today....i wanted to dance to it. I asked him if he wanted to JAM and he said, "I'm down." He chose a song I never heard of but that's the cool thing about the art of freestyle and being on the spot and in the moment. One take.

Shawn Phan Beatrockers"

Link

6/2 Piano Sonata 12 (Color Analysis)

2011-06-02T00:00:00.024-04:00

(Artwk by Chocolate-Cocoa)

Continuing visual breakdowns of Beethoven's piano sonatas...

Piano Sonata #12 In Ab, Op.26, "Funeral March" (1801)

- 1. Andante Con Variazioni (starting from 0:04)
- 2. Scherzo: Allegro Molto (starting from 6:44)
- 3. Marcia Funebre Sulla Morte D'Un Eroe (starting from 9:34)
- 4. Allegro (starting from 15:03)

The audio for this analysis was generated from a midi file originally sequenced by Bunji Hisamori in 1999. I took that file and "spread" the notes so that listening to this on headphones will give a very distinct spacial distinction between the low voices and the high voices. In other words, it sounds like you're sitting in front of the piano, with low notes on the right and higher notes going towards the right. I'm calling this "Beethoven 360".

CHANNEL LINK (Click here to see this video on my YT Channel. Once there, click on "(more info)" and then you can view the video in place, while scrolling through the text below)

Movement I. Andante Con Variazioni

Theme (GREEN)
Variation 1 (GREEN 1)
Variation 2 (GREEN 2)
Variation 3 (GREEN 3)
Variation 4 (GREEN 4)
Variation 5 (GREEN 5)
Coda (BROWN)

Movement II. - Scherzo: Allegro Molto

Part A
1st Part (GREEN)
2nd Part (BLUE)
3rd Part (PURPLE)
2nd Part (BLUE)
3rd Part (PURPLE)
Trio (MAROON)
Part A Repeat
1st Part (GREEN)
2nd Part (BLUE)
3rd Part (PURPLE)

Movement III. - Marcia Funebre Sulla Morte D'Un Eroe

March (BLUE)
Trio (PURPLE)
March Reprise (BLUE)
Coda (DARK BLUE)

Movement IV. - Allegro (RONDO ABACABA)

1st Theme (I) (BLUE)
2nd Theme (V) (GREEN)
1st Theme (BLUE)
3rd Theme (Development) (iii) (PURPLE)
1st Theme (BLUE)
2nd Theme (I) (GREEN)
Coda (VIOLET)

(Assisted by Donald Tovey's in depth analysis)

6/1 Röder's Electro-Acoustic Beethoven Cadenza

2011-06-01T00:00:00.027-04:00

As someone with a background in electro-acoustic music, I was quite excited to hear about this project: pianist Seda Röder performs an original piano-&-electronics cadenza as part of a performance of Beethoven's Emperor Concerto. I have to admit I was a bit skeptical that it could work - but I can honestly say Ms. Röder pulled it off beautifully! The trill going into the "modern" section was a stroke of brilliance.

From the video description:
In this video, New Music Pianist Seda Röder improvises the first-ever electro-acoustic cadenza for a classical concerto! Röder, who specializes on bringing contemporary music to new audiences, says that "the public at Beethoven's time would expect the soloist to improvise in the cadenzas. I wanted to do the same, but in a style that is my own and entirely modern." To turn this vision into reality, Seda worked together with Mexican composer Edgar Barroso who provided her with an electro-acoustic framework that she could use for her improvisations. When Röder was approached by Harvard conductor Hanjay Wang with the suggestion to perform with the orchestra of the Harvard-Radcliffe Chinese Students Association, the unusual idea finally came to life! Please visit the artist's website to find out more about this very special project: http://www.sedaroeder.com/blackbox-011/
Seda Röder improvizes first-ever electro-acoustic cadenza for a classical concerto
Piano Concerto 5 Cadenza by Seda Röder and Edgar Barroso

Link

5/31 A Wind Trio on Mozart's Don Giovanni

2011-05-31T00:00:00.031-04:00

Beethoven's wind music is always great fun. In the WoO 28 wind trio (usually for 2 oboes and cor anglais and based on a theme form Mozart's Don Giovanni) Beethoven sets up several different variations, each one seemingly designed to highlight one of the three instruments. It's a light, lean and jolly work. What's especially interesting is that the variation that starts at 6:11 in the video below seemingly features the clarinetist doing a technique called "circular breathing", where a note or phrase can be held indefinitely...or maybe the guy just has big lungs.

Here WoO 28 is performed to perfection on flute, bassoon, and clarinet by Trio Eccentrico al Teatro Rossini di Lugo - 18/01/2011:
Trio for on a theme from Mozart's Don Giovanni ("Give me Thy Hand") WoO.28 (1795):

Link

5/30 Orchestrated Pathetique

2011-05-30T00:00:00.001-04:00

As readers of The Daily Beethoven should know by now, I'm a sucker for orchestral arrangements of chamber and solo works - and apparently Lenny Bernstein and Leopold Stokowski (among many others) also felt the same way. So when I came across this string orchestra version of the Pathetique Sonata - well, I was delighted. It's not uncommon to find alternate versions of the 2nd movement Adagio Cantabile, but this group does the 1st Movement Allegro Di Molto E Con Brio....

Beethoven's piano sonata "Pathetique" arranged for string orchestra by cellist, Leo Soeda. Cocoro Strings (formerly known as Kokolo Ensemble) is a conductorless string orchestra. This was our debut concert that took place at Judson Memorial Church in NYC on 8/30/07.

Link

Here's a version of the 3rd movement that is obviously sequenced and not live, but it's still interesting to hear someone (besides myself) create some original arrangements of B.'s works digitally....

Pathetique (Orchestral Version) - Beethoven

5/29 Pianos, Cannons and the Gift of Fire

2011-05-29T00:00:00.073-04:00

One of the best Beethoven-related sites around is the Unheard Beethoven site. The people there have cataloged pretty much every Beethoven work not recorded (or seldom recorded) and posted midi files for B. fans to audition. Midi files are more or less "piano rolls" of compositions and sometimes need a bit of finessing before they can sound musical. So I took a few of these and did my best.... Here's the piano arrangement of Opus 43, "The Creatures of Prometheus" (Hess 90) authored by Willem. I used my surround-piano sound ("Beethoven 360") for this...

From the Unheard Beethoven:
The Creatures of Prometheus op. 43, for Piano, Hess 90 (1801).
This transcription by Beethoven was published in 1801. The transcription quite faithfully follows the orchestral work, though with very different effects. Act One of the ballet--even including the overture--is much shorter than the second act. Act One concerns the creation of the first man and woman from dust by Prometheus; the second act concerns the education of these creatures. The theatre-bill for the first performance of March 28, 1801, describes the action as follows:
"This allegorical ballet is based on the myth of Prometheus. The Greek philosophers, who knew of him, elucidate the story in the following manner--they depict Prometheus as a lofty spirit who, finding the human beings of his time in a state of ignorance, refined them through art and knowledge and gave them laws of right conduct. In accordance with this source, the ballet presents two animated statues who, by the power of harmony, are made susceptible to all the passions of human existence. Prometheus takes them to Parnassus, to receive instruction from Apollo, god of the arts, who commands Amphion, Arion and Orpheus to teach them music, Melpomene and Thalia tragedy and comedy. Terpsichore aids Pan who introduces them to the Pastoral Dance which he has invented, and from Bacchus they learn invented, and from Baccus they learn his invention, the Heroic Dance. The music is by Herr van Beethoven."
Link
More on The Creatures of Prometheus op. 43 in a previous post HERE.

Another piece I worked out is Wellington's Victory, or the Battle of Vittoria op. 91, for Piano and Two Cannons, Hess 97. In this case I spruced up the cannons mostly - because I'm such a "cannon-expert" of course...(Midi Author: Mark S. Zimmer).
From the Unheard Beethoven:
Wellington's Victory, or the Battle of Vittoria op. 91, for Piano and Cannons, Hess 97 (1816).
This is certainly the strangest of Beethoven's arrangements for piano, since it also calls for two cannon to be fired throughout the first (Battle) portion of the piece. In this midi, the English forces are on the right channel; the French are on the left. As the battle progresses, the English march toward and take the center, forcing the French further left and eventually completely off the soundstage. The piece was wildly popular in its time as anti-Napoleonic feeling increased in Europe. This "symphony" (as Beethoven referred to it in letters) is easily the most clearly descriptive piece Beethoven ever wrote. The transcription ends, as does the orchestral version, with a fugato treatment of "God Save the King." Published 1816 by Steiner in Vienna.

Link

5/28 String Quartet 7 with the Juilliard Quartet

2011-05-28T00:00:00.049-04:00

Beethoven's 7th string quartet, Opus 59, No.1 ("Razumovsky" 1) has always been one of my favorites. Composed at the height of his "heroic" phase, this quartet takes many chances and always lands on its feet. Despite the fact that it actually "offended" a few early performers, now it's one of the bedrocks of the string quartet repertoire. Here's the Juilliard Quartet in a performance from 1975.

Juilliard String Quartet:
Polling in Bavaria in 1975, at the beautiful baroque library of the former Augustinian Monastery to the south-west of Munich.
Robert Mann violino
Earl Carliss violino
Samuel Rhodes viola
Joel Krosnick violoncello

String Quartet 7 "Razumovsky", in F, Op.59 (1806) No 1
1.Allegro
2.Allegretto vivace e sempre scherzando (si bemolle maggiore)
3.Adagio molto e mesto (fa minore)
4.Allegro

Link
More about String Quartet 7 in a previous post HERE.

Here's a rough but interesting rehearsal extract of String Quartet 5, Opus 18, No.5 with an ensemble led by violin virtuoso Jascha Heifetz:
(Jascha Heifetz, Carol Sindell, Erick Friedman and Nathaniel Rosen)

Link

5/27 Timpani of the 9th / Slow Elise

2011-05-27T00:00:00.047-04:00

Oliver at Timpani

Beethoven was a big fan of timpani and basically set the timpani world on fire with his use of them in his symphonies. No previous symphonies and concertos had utilized timpani as such an integral part of the larger form of the work. In fact the Violin Concerto in D has a timpani intro motif which echoes throughout the remainder of the first movement. The 9th Symphony however, holds my favorite timpani part of all time - the incredibly long roll in the beginning of the recap of the 1st movement. In the famous Furtwangler recording of 1942 this section fairly explodes out of the speakers.

It's just as interesting to hear this part solo (unaccompanied), and thanks to these videos (auditions?) we can hear just how rich the sounds can be. Also it's easier to see how different interpretations can create different sound fields...

Percussionist Alisson:

Link

Percussionist Fernanda Kremer:

Link

Since today has a kind of "droney" vibe, perhaps there's no better day than today to hear "Fur Elise" 800% S-L-O-W-E-R than normal (created using "Paul's Stretch" software):

Link

5/26 Piano Sonata 11 (Color Analysis)

2011-05-26T00:00:00.021-04:00

(Artwk by Chocolate-Cocoa)

Continuing visual breakdowns of Beethoven's piano sonatas...

Piano Sonata #11 In Bb, Op.22 (1800)

- 1. Allegro Con Brio (starting from 0:04)
- 2. Adagio Con Molta Espressione (starting from 7:35)
- 3. Minuetto (starting from 15:33)
- 4. Rondo: Allegretto (starting from 18:44)

The audio for this analysis was generated from a midi file originally sequenced by Bunji Hisamori in 1999. I took that file and "spread" the notes so that listening to this on headphones will give a very distinct spacial distinction between the low voices and the high voices. In other words, it sounds like you're sitting in front of the piano, with low notes on the right and higher notes going towards the right. I'm calling this "Beethoven 360".

CHANNEL LINK (Click here to see this video on my YT Channel. Once there, click on "(more info)" and then you can view the video in place, while scrolling through the text below)

Movement I. Allegro Con Brio (Sonata form)

Exposition
1st Theme (I) (GREEN)
Transition (BLUE)
2nd Theme (V) / Cadence (BROWN)
Exposition Repeat
1st Theme (I) (LT GREEN)
Transition (LT BLUE)
2nd Theme (V) / Cadence (LT BROWN)
Development (VIOLET)
Recapitulation
1st Theme (I) GREEN)
Transition (BLUE)
2nd Theme (I) / Cadence (BROWN)

Movement II. - Adagio Con Molta Espressione

Exposition
1st Theme (I) (GREEN)
Transition (BLUE)
2nd Theme (V) (MAROON)
Development (DARK BLUE)
Recapitulation
1st Theme (I) (GREEN)
Transition (BLUE)
2nd Theme (I) (MAROON)

Movement III. - Minuetto

Part A
1st Theme (GREEN)
2nd Theme (BLUE)
1st Theme Var. (GREEN 2)
2nd Theme (BLUE)
1st Theme Var. (GREEN 2)
Trio B (vi) (BROWN)
Part A Repeat
1st Theme (GREEN)
2nd Theme (BLUE)
1st Theme Var. (GREEN 2)

Movement IV. - Rondo: Allegretto

1st Theme (I) (BLUE)
2nd Theme Group (V) (MAROON)
1st Theme (BLUE)
3rd Theme (i) (GREEN)
1st Theme (BLUE)
2nd Theme Group (I) (MAROON)
1st Theme (BLUE)
Coda (PURPLE)

(Assisted by Donald Tovey's in depth analysis)

5/25 Beethoven's Violin Sonata 8

2011-05-25T00:00:00.042-04:00

Violin Sonata No.8 is here performed by the duo of Reina and Brasil who are unknown to me - but they do a brilliant job.

From Allmusic:

Overflowing with Haydnesque humor, the first movement of the Sonata in G Major eschews the relaxed, lilting lyricism of the A-major sonata and the somber dramatic power of the C-minor. Surprises abound, including tiny touches such as the squeaky violin punctuation at the end of the opening four-measure phrase, and the much more significant move to the dominant minor for the second theme. Motives and themes either rise or plummet, never arching in a Mozartean manner, and the main theme resembles the rising arpeggio gestures associated with the Mannheim composers, often called the "Mannheim Rocket." After the development section, which is dominated by the first theme and a trill figure drawn from the closing material, the recapitulation resolves the second theme to the tonic, but Beethoven retains the minor mode.

The second movement, marked Tempo di Minuetto, is in E-flat major. The outer sections of the ABA'(coda), song-like movement vacillate between E-flat major and G minor, while the contrasting central section spirals into E-flat minor shortly before the return of A. The subdued warmth that permeates this movement is unusual in Beethoven's music.

Humor seems to be the main ingredient in the finale, which is like a rondo but with an important exception: there is only one theme for both the episodes and the rondo. The theme has two elements, one consisting of rapid sixteenth-notes and the other of repeated eight-notes. The theme appears in several harmonies, including the distantly related E-flat major, the key of the second movement. As in the first two movements, an arpeggiated figure is an important part of the main theme.

Violin Sonata No.8 in G Op.30 No.3 (1802)
- I. Allegro assai
- II. Tempo di Minuetto ma molto moderato e...
- III. Allegro vivace
Ruben Dario Reina, violin. Paulo Brasil, piano (Recorded for Spanish National Television)

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5/24 Schumann's "Kreisleriana"

2011-05-24T00:00:00.032-04:00

B. Monument

Robert Schumann was a big fan of Beethoven. He composed his Fantasy Opus 17 as part of a fund raiser towards a Beethoven monument (right). He also composed "Beethoven Etüden, WoO31", several variations on B.'s 7th Symphony Allegretto. It can be heard here and here. However today's post is about Schumann's "Kreisleriana", one of my favorite Schumann works...which I think B. would have liked as well.

Allmusic:

Eccentric, wild, and clever aptly sum up one aspect of the work, but Kreisleriana is tender, ardent, and passionate as well. This alternation between the fantastic and the lyrical, the grotesque and the loving, is one of the key characteristics of Kreisleriana. Written in four days in April 1838, it is dedicated to Chopin in the score, but, like most of Schumann's piano music from the late 1830s, it is really about Schumann's love for Clara Wieck. Extremely virtuosic and extremely subjective, Schumann's Kreisleriana is one of the high points of his compositional career.

1. Ausserst bewegt (Extremely moving) Fast and diabolical D minor outer sections flank a slow and supple B flat major central section.

2. Sehr innig und nicht zu rasch (Very inwardly and not to quickly) This is a triple time-stylized dance movement with two trios. After a tenderly musing B flat major outer section follows the fast and capricious Intermezzo I in G minor. After the return of the opening section follows the fast and passionate Intermezzo II in G minor. The second Intermezzo is followed by intensely chromatic music and darkly wends it way back to the final return of the opening.

3. Sehr aufgereg (Very agitated) Quietly creeping chromatic music in G minor, reminiscent of the first movement, flanks somewhat slower and deeply affectionate music in B flat major. The return of the G minor music is at first exact, but rises to a fortissimo climax in which the rhythm slows and the music drops down into the depths of the piano.

4. Sehr langsam (Very slowly) This meditative music in B flat major has intense lyrical music, bordering on a recitative, followed by intimately poetic music hovering between quietness and stillness.

5. Sehr lebhaft (Very lively) In this pianissimo triple-time movement in G minor that is close to a Scherzo in tone and speed are two trios: one whimsical and the other building to a dramatic climax.

6. Sehr langsam (Very slowly) The heart of Kreisleriana starts with a folk-like melody in B flat major, but transforms into an extremely ardent central section in C minor.

7. Sehr rasch (Very fast) A violently excited movement in C minor, the velocity and intensity increase in a central fugato until it collapses in slower, chorale-like music at its close.

8. Schnell und spielend (Fast and playful) This G minor music skulks and slinks in seemingly two tempos at once: the right hand's frisky melody moving in one tempo while the left hand's slow-moving melody in octaves is slightly out of sync. The music enigmatically ends on the bottom of the keyboard.

From live performance at Tokyo Opera City Recital Hall in June 2009 by Akiko Nakai

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5/23 Beethoven's Finger Exercises

2011-05-23T00:00:00.063-04:00

Rocking on the (Musical) Beach Chair

Beethoven's Opus 49 Piano Sonatas were first published in 1805 and are numbered Sonatas 19 and 20, but they were originally written in 1795 and 1796. Apparently they were originally written as exercise sonatas ("light sonatas") for family and friends, but Beethoven's brother published them in order to generate inventory. I've posted bits of these 2 sonatas before (19, 20), but there are a couple other "educational" pieces which are somewhat more mysterious - but still pretty charming.

Piano Exercise in B-flat major/minor, Hess 58
Piano Exercise in B-flat major/minor, Hess 58 (1792? 1800?). Published in Nottebohm, Beethoveniana II (1887) pp. 361-2.

Piano Exercise in C, Hess 59
Piano Exercise in C, Hess 59 (1800). Published in Nottebohm, Beethoveniana II (1887) pp. 361-2; Hess Supp. IX.

Original midi files from The Unheard Beethoven site.

5/22 A Pretty Darn Good Selection of Piano Works

2011-05-22T00:00:00.072-04:00

From Beethoven's early, "giddy" piano works to his last sublime piano achievements, with his most played piano work in the mix (you know the one), these are all very fine performances - but Valentina Lisitsa's "Fur Elise" especially stands out. It's such a ubiquitous and over-exposed piano trifle - and yet here she makes it fresh as a spring day in the country...

Piano Sonatas 3, 13, 23, 32, WoO 76, Fur Elise (Total 1 hr, 40 min.)
Pt 1-4: Piano Sonata #3 In C, Op.2/3 (1795) (Johannes Gaechter)
Pt 5-6: Piano Sonata #13 In Eb, Op.27/1, "Quasi Una Fantasia" (1801) (Ran Dank)
Pt 7-8: Piano Sonata #23 In Fm, Op.57, "Appassionata" (1805) (Irina Lankova)
Pt 9-11: Piano Sonata #32, Op.111 (1822) (Corrado Rollero)
Pt 12: Variations on "Tändeln und Scherzen" from "Soliman oder die drei Sultaninnen" by Süssmayr, WoO.76 (1799) (Corrado Rollero)
Pt 13: Bagatelle 'Für Elise,' WoO.59 (1810) (Valentina Lisitsa)

Linklist

5/21 Ustinov's Immortal Beethoven

2011-05-21T00:00:00.037-04:00

Sir Peter Ustinov is no stranger to Beethoven. In fact he wrote and starred in a play called "Beethoven's Tenth". From a 1984 New York Times review:
"With his soiled 19th-century costume, wild thicket of hair and vast dyspeptic face, Mr. Ustinov is a spectacular sight. Forever muttering and cackling, he's not averse to lunging gluttonously at any available wine bottle or female derriere. And, at first, we delight in watching this portly anachronism bump heedlessly into the indignities of the modern world. Mr. Ustinov is the soul of mischievousness as he confronts an ear doctor dressed in jogging clothes or bounces on a chrome-and-leather chair or copes with the mysteries of a stereo system. Learning that his host is automatically sent free copies of new records, Mr. Ustinov slyly inquires, ''Critics get presents these days as well as bribes?''

So perhaps it doesn't seem so odd that Sir Peter hosted a 2 hour documentary called "The Immortal Beethoven with Sir Peter Ustinov" back in 1987.
Music Excerpts:
Variations In G Major On 'Nel Cor Piu Non Mi Sento'
String Quartet In C Minor Opus 18 No 4--Allegro Ma Non Tanto
Sonata No 9 In A Major For Violin And Piano Op 47
Sonata No 29 In B Flat Major Op 106--Scherzo
Symphony No 9 In D Minor Op 125

Featuring:
Neville Marriner (Conductor)
Hans Zender (Conductor)
Thomas Zehetmair (Violinist)
Mischa Meisky (Cellist)
Vladimir Ashkenazy Pianist)
Israela Margalit (Pianist)
Valerij Afanassiev (Pianist)

The Immortal Beethoven with Sir Peter Ustinov

5/20 "Heavy Metal" Beethoven (Carillons And Music Boxes)

2011-05-20T00:00:00.059-04:00

Carillon

I had no idea what a carillon was until I saw this video. What a fascinating instrument. Part organ, part voting machine - and part whack-a-mole. It also happens to be the heaviest instrument ever invented (more than 100 tons in some cases). How on earth do they get those onto the school buses? This piece was originally written for musical clock. Ironic, isn't it?

5 Pieces for Musical Clock, WoO.33 (1799) - No. 4 C-dur Allegro non più molto (on Carillon)
Spring 2011- Carillon Performance for UC Berkeley Cal Day 2011
Performed by Jessie Lee (Primo) and Stanley Tang (Secondo)

Carillon Performance for UC Berkeley Cal Day 2011

From massive to tiny, here's "Minuet in G Maj", "Fur Elise", and "Symphony No.9" on the Sankyo Orpheus 50-Note music box:

Beethoven Sankyo Orpheus 50N

A different kind of music box can be seen here. This guy gets pretty creative by afterwards flipping the "record" over and playing it backwards. Did I hear any "backwards masking" in there?

Beethoven 9, forwards and backwards

Getting "big" again, but still in the theme of long tines being struck, here's the Adagio from the Pathetique on marimba...

Piano Sonata No. 8 in c minor, op. 13, Adagio Cantabile (Beethoven) Marimba

5/19 Piano Sonata 10 (Color Analysis)

2011-05-19T00:00:00.050-04:00

Continuing color analysis of Beethoven's piano sonatas...some interesting rising bass figures in this one, like small eruptions leading to polite conversation, or something like that...

Piano Sonata #10 In E, Op.14/2 (1798)

- 1. Allegro (starting from 0:04)
- 2. Andante (starting from 5:43)
- 3. Scherzo: Allegro Assai (starting from 11:49)

The audio for this analysis was generated from a midi file originally sequenced by Bunji Hisamori in 1999. I took that file and "spread" the notes so that listening to this on headphones will give a very distinct spacial distinction between the low voices and the high voices. In other words, it sounds like you're sitting in front of the piano, with low notes on the right and higher notes going towards the right. I'm calling this "Beethoven 360".

CHANNEL LINK (Click here to see this video on my YT Channel. Once there, click on "(more info)" and then you can view the video in place, while scrolling through the text below)

Movement I. Allegro (Sonata form)

Exposition
1st Theme (I) (GREEN)
Transition (OLIVE)
2nd Theme (V) (BLUE)
Exposition Repeat
1st Theme (I) (LT GREEN)
Transition (LT OLIVE)
2nd Theme (V) (LT BLUE)
Development
Variations on 1st and 2nd Themes (PURPLE)
Recapitulation
1st Theme (I) GREEN)
Transition (OLIVE)
2nd Theme (I) (BLUE)
Coda (VIOLET)

Movement II. - Andante (Theme and Variations)

Original Theme (MAROON)
Variation 1 (BROWN)
Variation 2 (TAN)
Variation 3 (OLIVE)
Coda (GREEN)

Movement III. - Scherzo - Allegro Assai (Rondo)

1st Theme (I) (BLUE)
2nd Theme (iv) (GREEN)
1st Theme (BLUE)
3rd Theme (IV) (BROWN)
1st Theme (BLUE)
Coda (PURPLE)
Epilogue (VIOLET)

(Assisted by Donald Tovey's in depth analysis)
Top image by Chocolate-Cocoa.

5/18 Beethoven and the Piano

2011-05-18T00:00:00.095-04:00

I recently read through Jeremy Siepman's The Piano, a nice little 'layman's' volume about the history of the piano and some of it's most famous practitioners. It normally comes with 3 CDs but the one I got from the "used" book deposit was sadly missing these discs. Ah well, there's always Youtube. It had some great things to say about our man B. though...here are some selected highlights (below the video of P.C. 4):

Beethoven - Piano Concerto 4 (Piano: Lukas Geniusas, w Anatoly Levin (conductor))

In 1792, the year after Mozart’s death at 35, a pianistic bombshell burst over the Viennese musical scene. The detonator was a squat, swarthy, uningratiating young man of 22. Born in the provincial city of Bonn in Germany, he was to change the face of Western music to a degree unmatched by any musician before or since. Even as a youth, he fairly bristled with arrogance.

As a pianist, Ludwig van Beethoven was the ﬁrst to overwhelm the instrument with the force of his own personality. Compared to Mozart or Clementi, his playing may have been a triﬂe rough and elemental...a born iconoclast, he was prepared to rock any boat, wring any withers, and to challenge all comers. He was the ﬁrst pianist regularly to overpower his audiences, drawing them into a world of emotional intensity and spiritual daring the like of which had never been experienced before. Particularly in his incomparable improvisations, he often moved his listeners not merely to tears but to uncontrollable sobbing. He tore aside the curtains of eighteenth-century reserve and laid bare the realities of life with a courage bordering on ruthlessness. Even before his Viennese debut, critics recognized the sheer danger in Beethoven’s playing.

As early as the middle 1790s Anton Reicha recalled turning pages for Beethoven in a concerto: ‘I was mostly occupied in wrenching the strings of the piano which snapped, while the hammers stuck among the broken strings. Back and forth I leaped, jerking out a string, disentangling a hammer, turning a page — I worked harder than Beethoven.’

Nor was the composer’s frustration conﬁned to matters of volume. He chafed under the restrictions of the piano’s range. The standard grand of the early 1800s had a compass of only 5 1/2 octaves (as against the 7+ we take for granted today). It was a great day for Beethoven when Broadwood of London sent him in 1818 a magniﬁcent instrument with a compass of 6 1/2 octaves and a reservoir of power then unknown in Viennese instruments. And though he soon reduced it to a ruin, ‘its strings broken and tangled, like a thorn bush whipped by a storm’ (Johann Stumpff), ‘its innards blackened by overturned inkwells’ (Ferdinand Ries), and its upper registers mute - ‘as dumb as the musician himself was deaf’ (Sir John Russell) — it inspired him to some of his greatest achievements. Indeed it received its musical baptism with the low C which ends the ﬁrst movement of his last sonata, Op. 111.

Oddly enough, Beethoven, perhaps the most universal of all composers, was not, in the opinion of many professional singers, a great songwriter. The essence of his pianistic output is to be found in his unparalleled collection of 32 sonatas, which trace his emotional, stylistic and instrumental development from the blazing self-conﬁdence of his ‘angry young man’ phase, through the crisis of his middle years, when the onset of deafness had him hovering on the brink of madness, to the transcendent spiritual and pianistic odyssey of his last 6 sonatas and the towering ‘Diabelli’ Variations. Hardly less remarkable, though, are the 5 mature concertos, the 9 trios, the 10 violin sonatas, the 5 cello sonatas and a host of lesser pieces. What gives this music its unique importance is the unequalled scope of its spiritual journeyings, the unpitying intellect controlling its expression, and the sheer genius and boldness of its formal daring. In its very universality, Beethoven’s music posed a challenge to his successors which few were equipped to address.

Beethoven’s ﬁnal sonata, Op. 111, widely felt to be the greatest piano sonata ever written, is perhaps the most comprehensive self-portrait ever entrusted to the keyboard. Here, to a degree unmatched in any other work, we ﬁnd Beethoven the titanic struggler with Fate (the turbulent, highly disciplined 1st movement, which uses every resource available in the piano of his time) and Beethoven the transcendental mystic (2nd movement), whose journey through the extremes of pain and despair resulted in music whose purity, serenity and awe are beyond the power of words to describe. Formally a theme and variations, this valedictory movement amounts by general consent to the most profound amen in pianistic history.

In purely instrumental terms, Beethoven expanded the tonal palette of the piano into realms scarcely hinted at before. His late sonatas are as supremely idiomatic as anything by Liszt, Chopin or Debussy, all of whom he preﬁgures in one way or another (not least in the mystical haze of his pedal markings in such works as the so-called ‘Moonlight’, ‘Tempest’ and ‘Waldstein’ sonatas). At the same time he seems frequently to have envisaged the piano as a kind of surrogate orchestra. Certainly no pianist, no composer, had ever made such revolutionary demands of the instrument before.

----

The Classical concerto reached its climax with Beethoven, who also forged the key to the Romantic concerto of the nineteenth century. Among Beethoven’s major innovations was the increased importance of the orchestra, to the extent that his last two, despite their three-movement layout, can almost be perceived as symphonies with piano obbligato. He was also the ﬁrst composer to link movements together without a break (speciﬁcally, the middle and last movements of his Fourth and Fifth Concertos).

If Beethoven’s ﬁrst two concertos can be seen as further developments of the Mozartian model, the Third, in C minor, introduces us to a new ﬁgure in the history of the form, and again it mirrors developments in the outside world. Here we get our ﬁrst glimpse of the Romantic hero in the concerto, the glorious (sometimes vainglorious) individual who dares to stand apart from society and hurl thunderbolts at conventional assumptions.

In his Fourth Concerto he begins the work with a short piano solo, which the orchestra then answers with one of the most magical key changes ever conceived. And in the Fifth (the ‘Emperor’) he allows the orchestra a single introductory chord before the soloist grandiloquently enters with a long, brilliant and resplendent cadenza, enhanced by two widely separated chords of support from the orchestra. With the piano’s heroic credentials ﬁrmly established, the orchestra then takes over with an exposition of extraordinary grandeur. For all the heroics of the solo part, this is no Romantic ego-trip but one of Beethoven’s most tightly ‘organic’ works - yet the prevailing feeling is expansive rather than compressed.

Graf Pyramid Piano 1829 (click to enlarge)

5/17 Beethoven for Mandolin Lovers

2011-05-17T00:00:00.043-04:00

Some of Beethoven's least known works are his works for mandolin (or guitar) and piano (or cembalo)...

Allmusic:

In 1796, Beethoven wrote four pieces for piano and mandolin—Sonatina WoO. 43a, an Adagio in E flat, WoO. 43b, and a Sonatina and Andante con Variazioni for piano & mandolin in D major, WoO. 44a and WoO. 44b, respectively. It appears that all four pieces were composed for the Countess Josephine de Clary. She would later become Countess von Clam-Gallas, and it would be in the library of her husband that the manuscripts of these four unusual works would be found.

This WoO. 43a Sonatina is a minor composition by the composer. It is delightful and colorful in its lightness, and, for its instrumentation, it is certainly a worthwhile effort. WoO 44a is a single-movement rondo. The mandolin leads a dashing rondo theme, pausing for breath only in the contrasting episodes. If you didn't know any better you'd think you were listening to bluegrass. The harpsichord or piano accompanies throughout, occasionally imitating a phrase of the mandolin's.

Here's a good selection I 'plucked' out of the YT ether...
1. WoO 43b - Adagio ma non troppo (Live)
2. WoO.44a - Sonatina in C (Rondo) (Live)
3. "The Ruins of Athens" mandolin duet (RANIERI "L'Art de la Mandoline") (Live)
4. WoO.43a - Sonatina in Cm
5. WoO.44b - Andante con variazioni in D

Linklist

5/16 Fly Tyrolean Air with Beethoven (Flute works)

2011-05-16T00:00:00.074-04:00

Tyrolean Air (ways)

10 National Airs with Variations (Flute & Piano), Op.107 (1820)
From Allmusic:

The first of the ten sets of variations that comprise Op. 107 is generally regarded as one of Beethoven's finest humorous pieces. No.1 - using an Alpine air (E flat), "Ich bin a Tiroler Bua", Beethoven presents the theme with some positively hilarious writing for the flute (or violin), using the instrument as the brunt of his clownishness: first the flute can hardly play a meaningful accompaniment, then it cannot keep up with the busy piano. There follow four colorful and, again, humorous variations, with the flute once more the victim of Beethoven's mischievous pen.

The next piece, No.2 uses the Scottish "Bonny Laddie, Highland Laddie," producing a fine set of variations. No. 3 takes "Volkslied aus Kleinrussland," and imparts a sense of nearly reckless abandon to this infectious Russian dance theme. No.4 employs the popular "St. Patrick's Day." This is one of the more successful sets among the ten here, featuring a moving Adagio variation.

No. 5 ("A Madel, ja a madel") is important, too, but mainly for its great difficulty for both instruments. No.6, perhaps by no coincidence, bears a resemblance in mood to the composer's Sixth Symphony ("Pastoral"). Using the popular tune from Peggy's Daughter, Beethoven fashions a mostly tranquil, bucolic piece. The composer returns to the world of the third piece in No. 7, using a widely-known Russian tune from "Schöne Minka." The next set No.8 may rival the First in quality. The five variations on "O Mary, at thy Window be" are solidly conceived and quite inventive.

No.s 9 and 10 are based on a Scottish tune ("O, Thou art the Lad of my Heart") and a march, "The Highland Watch." Both are colorful and deftly-wrought creations, with the latter supplying a brilliant conclusion to the collection.

Here's No.5, Tirolian Air: "A Madel, ja a Madel" - that one is by far my personal favorite. It's a "total gas".
- Original Theme (0:00)
- Var 1 (1:01) - positively jazzy in that Charlie Brown way
- Var 2 (2:08) - almost has a little bit of that Diabelli Variations adventurousness
- Var 3 (3:22) - long flute trills and more jazzy scalar runs
- Coda (Maestoso - Allegro) (5:03) - jaunty combination of variations

10 National Airs with Variations for Flute (or Violin) and Piano, Op.107 (1818)
Flute : Jean-Pierre Rampal. Piano : Robert Veyron-Lacrois.
1.Tirolian Air: I bin a Tiroler Bua (Theme: Moderato. Var. 1-4)
2.Scottish Air: Bonnie laddie, Highland Laddie (Theme: Allegretto, quasi vivace. Var. 1-4)
3.Volkslied aus Kleinrussland (Theme: Vivace. Var.1-5)
4.Scottish Air: St. Patrick's Day (Theme: Allegretto scherzoso. Var. 1-2)
5.Tirolian Air: A Madel, ja a Madel (Theme: Moderato. Var. 1-3)
6.Scottish Air: Peggy's Daughter (Theme: Andante comodo. Var.1-4)
7.Russian Air: Schöne Minka (Theme: Andante. Var.1-6)
8.Scottish Air: Oh, Mary at thy window be (Theme: Andantino quasi allegretto. Var.1-3)
9.Scottish Air: Oh, Thou art the Lad of my Heart (Theme: Allegretto più tosto vivace. Var.1-5)
10.Scottish Air: The Highland Watch (Theme: Spiritoso e marziale. Var.1-3)

Linklist

5/15 The Last Big Five (Pili on Beethoven)

2011-05-15T00:00:00.050-04:00

In 2009 pianist Roberta Pili gave a recital of the Beethoven's last 5 piano sonatas at Carnegie Hall.
She repeated this performance in Tokyo Japan recently and graciously shared these interpretations on her YT channel. Enjoy...

Roberta Pili piano recital at Sogakudo Concert Hall (Tokyo, Japan, February, 2011)
Pt. 1-4: Piano Sonata #28 in A, Op.101 (1816)
Pt. 5-8: Piano Sonata #29 In Bb, Op.106, "Hammerklavier" (1818)
Pt. 9-11: Piano Sonata #30 In E, Op.109 (1820)
Pt. 12-15: Piano Sonata #31 In Ab, Op.110 (1822)
Pt. 16-17: Piano Sonata #32, Op.111 (1822)
Pt. 18-19: Piano Sonata #32, Op.111 (1822) (alternate performance)

Linklist

5/14 The Robert Greenberg Lectures

2011-05-14T00:00:00.038-04:00

Robert Greenberg's Teaching Company Lectures were a great help to me when I was first getting my feet wet with classical music in general and Beethoven in particular. He has a pretty outgoing and fun approach to lecturing on music and his "Wordscore Guides" were very helpful when I was doing those video-annotated analyses of the first 5 symphonies. Now a good chuck of his lecturing is available online so...get your Greenberg on!

30. The French Revolution and an Introduction to Beethoven

31. Beethoven's 5th Symphony Part 1

32. Beethoven's 5th Symphony Part 2

You can find about 40 more of these Greenberg lectures at Viddler.com (DialTeam01's public videos)

Here's a single 71 minute lecture (in front of a live audience) Professor Greenberg gave called "Heart, Soul and Dollar".
01.    Introduction
02.    Language of Music
03.    Search for Meaning
04.    Interpretive Potential
05.    Waste No Time
06.    Shostakovich Threatened by Stalin
07.    Fifth Symphony
08.    Fifteenth Symphony
09.    West African Polyrhythm
10.    Microtonal Pitches
11.    Call and Response
12.    Brahms Meets Schumann
13.    First Piano Concerto
14.    Beethoven Imitation
15.    Finding Truth in Music
16.    Q1: Music Education
17.    Q2: Modern Composers
18.    Q3: Taste

Music: Heart, Soul and Dollar - Robert Greenberg

5/13 Beethoven on Baritone Garbage Truck

2011-05-13T00:00:00.041-04:00

Today featuring a mixed bag of multi-disciplinary approaches to Beethoven...and I mean multi-disciplinary...

Lydia Koniordou recites extracts from the poem of Yiannis Ritsos "Moonlight Sonata" in Greek.

Lydia Koniordou recites "Moonlight Sonata" a poem by Yiannis Ritsos

Old HP scanner is happy and sings the Ode to Joy.

Scanner plays Beethoven

Garbage Truck in Taiwan: Fur Elise - (Turn down the volume, this is a bit LOUD!)

Kaohsiung - garbage truck

Finally, there's always the pop version of the 7th Symphony Allegretto 2nd movement with Karaoke recorder visuals.

Allegretto (7e symphonie) - Beethoven (flûte à bec)

5/12 Piano Sonata 9 (Color Analysis)

2011-05-12T00:00:00.096-04:00

(Artwk by Chocolate-Cocoa)

I'm going to start doing color analysis of some more piano sonatas...just to make it interesting I'm picking up after the Pathetique...

Piano Sonata #9 In E, Op.14/1 (1798)

- 1. Allegro (starting from 0:03)
- 2. Allegretto (starting from 6:01)
- 3. Rondo: Allegro Comodo (starting from 9:10)

The audio for this analysis was generated from a midi file originally sequenced by Bunji Hisamori in 1999. I took that file and "spread" the notes so that listening to this on headphones will give a very distinct spacial distinction between the low voices and the high voices. In other words, it sounds like you're sitting in front of the piano, with low notes on the right and higher notes going towards the right. I'm calling this "Beethoven 360".

CHANNEL LINK (Click here to see this video on my YT Channel. Once there, click on "(more info)" and then you can view the video in place, while scrolling through the text below)

Movement I. Allegro (Sonata form)

Exposition
1st Theme (I) (GREEN)
Transition (BROWN)
2nd Theme (V) (BLUE)
Exposition Repeat
1st Theme (I) (LT GREEN)
Transition (LT BROWN)
2nd Theme (V) (LT BLUE)
Development
Variations on 1st and 2nd Themes (VIOLET)
Recapitulation
1st Theme (Variation) (I) GREEN)
Transition (BROWN)
2nd Theme (I) (BLUE)
Coda (DARK BLUE)

Movement II. - Allegretto (Scherzo w Trio)

Part A
1st Theme (GREEN)
2nd Theme (BROWN)
3rd Theme (BLUE)
Codetta (PURPLE)
Trio (Maggiore) (V)
Part 1 (MAROON)
Part 2 (DARK BROWN)
Part A Repeat
1st Theme (LT GREEN)
2nd Theme (LT BROWN)
3rd Theme (LT BLUE)
Codetta (LT PURPLE)
Coda (PURPLE)

Movement III. - Allegro Comodo (Rondo ABACABA)

1st Theme (I) (GREEN)
2nd Theme (V) (BLUE)
1st Theme (GREEN)
Transition (MAROON)
3rd Theme (flat III) (VIOLET)
1st Theme(GREEN)
2nd Theme (IV) (BLUE)
1st Theme/Coda (SEA GREEN)

(Assisted by Donald Tovey's in depth analysis)

5/11 Beethoven's First Violin Romance

2011-05-11T00:00:00.249-04:00

(www.artbydoe.com)

Even though the Violin Romance in F (Op. 50) has a later opus number (and "Romance number") than the Romance in G (Opus 40), it was actually written much earlier - but not published immediately.

From Allmusic:

As he would for his Romance in G, Beethoven chose a two-episode rondo format (A,B,A,C,A, coda) for the brief, lyrical Romance in F. The rondo section (A) features an antecedent-consequent theme (we just talked about this yesterday) performed first by the soloist, with orchestral string accompaniment, then by the entire orchestra. The melody itself is highly decorated, with numerous trills, turns and grace notes. A forceful, dotted-rhythm figure that closes each appearance of the rondo acts as a transition to the ensuing episode. Episode B maintains the lyric character of the rondo theme, adding large, dramatic leaps followed by descending scales and arpeggios. A glimpse of F minor precedes a literal return to the rondo, this time performed with a lighter accompaniment. The minor mode at the end of episode B proves to be portentous, as episode C begins in the tonic minor. Beethoven makes full use of the "flat" key area by presenting the rondo theme on D flat major, initiating an extended transition back to F major for the final return of the rondo theme. The coda, while never venturing from the tonic, acts as something of a summation when the soloist borrows the triplet motion prominent in episode C and performs a dramatic, trilled figure from the end of episode B.

Usually recorded by solo violin and orchestra, here we have the arrangement for violin and piano:
Romance for Violin and Orchestra 2 in F, Op.50 (1798)
(Violin, Louise Chisson. Piano, Tamara Atschba.)
Here are the approximate start times for each of the sections, which should help alot with the above rundown:
A - 0:05
B - 1:38
A - 3:11
C - 4:39
A - 6:14
Coda - 7:02

http://youtu.be/CjYRHKPqNc0

The "traditional" version (as originally composed for violin and orchestra) is here performed by Ann Fontanella. Anne's a fantastic violinist and her annotations are quite wonderful as well.

http://youtu.be/x78oYxrbOVk

5/10 The Genetic Structure of Beethoven's Music

2011-05-10T00:00:00.084-04:00

Recently I read through Percy Goetchius' book on 'homophonic forms' (I found it used in Brooklyn for $7 - a very good deal even though it can be read for free online). This book breaks down what I like to call a "theme group" or ""subject strain" into it's musically grammatical parts. Despite that it's a musical textbook (and I hate doing homework of any kind) I was able to absorb the notion that melodic phrases and groups are "genetically" 2 or 3-part structures with sometimes extended beginnings, middles and endings. It seems that almost all themes and theme constructions can be thought of as a kind of statement and counter-statement, or "question and answer" - or even "joke and punchline". In the classical era, this kind of gag was everywhere, though of course there were also works based on polyphony (fugues and contrapuntal structures) and monophony (single melody chant). Beethoven used homophony (melody and accompaniment) quite extensively within the larger structures of sonata and rondo form and eventually fused all 3 'ophonies" together, especially in his later works. The fugue form for example is all over his ouvre, as seen in the Eroica, the Hammerklavier, the 2 Masses, the 9th Symphony Molto Vivace movement, etc...

Below are my semi-organized notes from this book. I think the binary, "yin-yang" nature of classical era construction is pretty clear. The technical terms below don't really matter all that much - the main thing is to know that it's possible to follow Beethoven's music as a sequence of melodic "sentences" - with each statement having a cause-and-effect dynamic. Even a single melody can have an introduction, a variation and an epilogue in it's presentation.

From smallest construction to largest:

1. Figure – uninterrupted association of 2 or more tones

2. Motives - 2 or more figures (usually small and less than one bar)

3. Members – 2 or more figures or motives (can be more than 1 bar)

4. Phrase

2 or more members, rarely 1 member
4 measures in moderate tempo
Opens with tonic, ends on cadence (perfect or semicadence)

Kinds of Phrase Development and Variation:

Repetition (including changes in harmony/register/accompaniment)
Extension at end (within and without the cadence)
Extension at beginning
Extension in the course of the phrase (sequences or repetitions of motives/figures)
Chain phrase (using repetition and sequencing)
Melody Expansion (no sequencing)

5. Period Form – 2 phrases / 8 meaures

a. Antecedent – 1st phrase: Opens on tonic, ends on semi-cadence (Dominant or Imperfect Cadence)

b. Consequent – 2nd phrase: Opens on any chord (dep. on semi-cad of Antec., ends w Perfect A. Cadence)

Kinds of Period Form:

Parallel Construction
Opposite Constr.
Contrasting Const.

Development of the Period Form:

Repetition of the entire period form
Repetition of conseq.
Repetition of antecedent
Repetition of antec., rep. of conseq.
extensions at beginning/end of either/both phrases
extensions in the course of the Conseq. (chain phrases, etc..)
Prelude. Codetta. Postlude

Group Formations:

Consequent Group
Phrase group – at least 3 phrases, not period form

6. Double Period – 2 periods/4 phrases PAC at end of 4^th phrase

Kinds of Extensions:

modified repetition of entire double period
modified repetition of both/either of the 2 periods
enlargement/rep of final phrases
beginning and ending intros, codettas

7. Part – created from 1 or more phrases (periods, groups, etc), ending in a strong Tonic Cadence

8. Song-forms - created from 2 or more parts, ending in a Tonic Perfect Cadence

2-Part Song form (NOT 1^st and 2^nd subject of Sonata Form)

1^st Part – repeated phrase, Period/ Dbl period/ phrase group, usually ending on Dom, rel major, tonic
2^nd Part – usually based on Dominant harmony in 1^st member

Diminutive 2 Part Song form – 1^st part is smaller
Fully Developed 2 Part Song Form – 2^nd part is extended

3-Part Song Form – 3^rd part returns to beginning part

1st Part – Statement – perfect cadence
2nd Part – Departure – dominant harmony, dominant cadence
3rd Part – Recurrence

1 may be repeated, 2 and 3 may be repeated together
Each part may be a full period or just a phrase

So in a Sonata-allegro form work, the themes can be created from the above structures. In other words, the 1st theme in the Exposition can be a Period, Double Period, Phrase Group, etc... 2-part song forms or even 3-part song forms are more usually assigned to folk tunes, hymns or smaller compositions like dances. The structure is similar tho. Song forms can also come with a "trio" section, such as in a typical scherzo movement.

From Goetschius' "Lessons in Music Form" (recommended, tho less detailed than "Homophonic Forms"):

...The tone, by the simplest process of reproduction, became a figure; the figure, by multiplication or repetition, gave rise to the motive; the latter, in the same manner, to the phrase. The repetition of the phrase, upon the infusion of a certain quality and degree of modification (chiefly affecting the cadences) became the period; the latter, by the same process, became the double-period. The limit of coherent phrase-succession (without a determined interruption) being therewith reached, the larger Part-forms became necessary. The Two-Part form emerged out of the double-period, the two "connected" periods of which separated into two "independent" Parts, by the determined interruption in the center. The Three-Part form resulted from adding to the Two-Part the perfecting reversion to the starting-point, and confirmation of the principal statement. The Five-part form, and the Song with Trio are enlargements of the Three-Part forms by repetition or multiplication; and with the latter the limit of this particular process appears to be achieved....

....perfection of structural design is attained in the Three-Part form, and every larger (or higher) form will have its type in this design, and its basis upon it. The coming designs will prove to be expansions of the Three-Part form.

Regarding the Sonata form Subject or Theme. .. a musical sentence of very distinct character, as concerns its melodic, harmonic and, particularly, its rhythmic consistency; and of sufficient length to establish this individuality,—seldom, if ever, less than an entire period or double-period; often a Two-Part, not infrequently a complete Three-Part Song-form, though never more than the latter.

At the risk of making this post ridiculously long, here's a great breakdown from Goetschius' "Lessons in Musical Form" book". Notice that there are lots of "semi-cadences" which eventually wrap up in "perfect cadences".
Beethoven. Piano Sonata Op.49, No.1 (simplified phrase breakdown):
(Claudio Arrau. Note that he takes an exposition repeat)

More about phrase form from the AWESOME www.sfcmtheory.com website
This site has presentations, audio lectures, musical examples, the works...

5/9 A Hammerklavier-Inspired Harp Concerto

2011-05-09T00:00:00.045-04:00

Ancient Harp from Ur

A while ago I featured Felix Weingartner's orchestrated version of the Hammerklavier piano sonata. Recently I came across a "harp concerto" arrangement of the slow 3rd movement arranged by Boris Tishchenko. The harp is an instrument Beethoven rarely wrote for (The Creatures of Prometheus ballet being a notable occasion) but this arrangement gives an idea of what a Beethoven harp concerto might have sounded like had he completed one. The harp texture in the more energetic section gives the piece a momentary "gypsy" feel....

I put together a playlist below featuring the above-mentioned Tishchenko harp and string orchestra arrangement followed by some other harp-arrangements of B.'s works for good measure.
Pt 1-2: Lamento for harp and string orchestra (Arr. of LvB Hammerklavier 3rd Movement)
Pt 3-4: Serenade Op.25 for Flute, Violin and Harp
Pt.5: Moonlight Sonata 1st Movement (on harp)
Pt.6: Pathetique Sonata 2nd Movement (on harp)
Pt.7: Fur Elise (on harp)
Pt.8: Sonatina in G major 2nd Mvmt (Romance) (Anh. 5) (on harp)

Linklist

5/8 Levine's Fidelio (with Subtitles)

2011-05-08T00:00:00.035-04:00

The theatrical mask contemplated by a putto on the Beethoven
monument by Kaspar von Zumbusch (Vienna, 1880) commemorates
Beethoven's sole opera in the city where it made its debut.

Beethoven's Opera, Fidelio
Conducted by James Levine
Production: Jürgen Flimm · Set Design: Robert Israel Costume Design: Florence von Gerkan
with Karita Mattila · Ben Heppner · René Pape · Falk Struckmann Robert Lloyd · Matthew Polenzani · Jennifer Welch-Babidge
Metropolitan Opera Chorus, Metropolitan Opera Orchestra
2003

This is one of those modern 20th century stagings of a 19th century opera. Personally, I have some trouble with these kinds of modern reimaginings, but I suppose if an opera is almost 200 years old, it can stand a few "unusual" variations. Either way, Maestro Levine's music direction is great and this particular YT video actually has subtitles.

Linklist (123 min)

5/7 Beethoven 2 & 3 with Jansons & Dudamel

2011-05-07T00:00:00.044-04:00

(Gustavo Dudamel taking flight)

Symphonies 2 and 3 really ushered in the new age of modern music in my opinion. Symphony 2 is a breakneck whirlwind of dynamic 'avant-garde' energy - Symphony 3 takes that energy and makes it Shakespearean, yet still primordial...

Symphony No. 2 in D major, op. 36
Sinfonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Mariss Jansons, conductor
Recorded at Herkulessaal, Residenz München, 2007

Symphony 2 (Jansons)

This Symphony 3 "Eroica" is with wunderkind Gustavo Dudamel and the Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela. At the end I added a few interview/rehearsal clips...

Symphony 3 (Dudamel)

5/6 Mark di Suvero's "Beethoven's Quartet" / Serioso at Zabar's

2011-05-06T00:00:00.037-04:00

"Beethoven's Quartet" (www.stormking.org)

Here's an interesting take on Beethoven-inspired art. This is an huge"moving" sculpture by Mark di Suvero called "Beethoven's Quartet". Apparently it has a sound element too...either the parts bang around in the wind, or the viewer is allowed to smack it with a hammer (it comes with its own hammers)? Anyways, I've always been a fan of Alexander Calder's mobiles so I think this is pretty cool.

From an interview with Mr. di Suvero in June 2005:
JGC: Another motion-filled work is Beethoven’s Quartet, which has a suspended, moving core. How did you develop the central shape? Could you discuss balancing the different kinds of steel?

MdS: There are three types of steel in the piece—Cor-ten (a specialized alloy), steel, and stainless steel. It took me almost three years to build. The central element is a suspended stainless steel mobius band. It’s a one-sided surface, and it has an ellipse that I used to change the center of gravity of the total piece. At one end, there is an evolution that seems to be a spiral. In fact, it’s not a direct spiral. That part is all cold bend. Most of the bend in the steel is cold bend, which I do with a crane. It is a minor version of a tour de force in handling the steel—to bend one-inch Cor-ten is quite difficult. The other end is a straight Constructivist collage in which the cut-out circles and ellipses are important in a different way. They are suspended, and I try to give them a lot of detail up high, as you find in the flying buttresses of Gothic churches, to give a sense of the sky and liberty.

JGC: Does the title drive the work or emerge later?

MdS: Titling pieces is an important part for me. Sometimes they tell me their names; it’s written into the piece. Sometimes it’s difficult to do. Beethoven’s Quartet has changed the aesthetic evolution of my life. This work was very hard to name, and I think it’s an awkward title. There was a great book written by a mathematician called Beethoven: His Spiritual Development. It talks mostly about how the quartets evolve. The very late quartets have an exaltation to them and an anguish, with a realization on the other side of anguish, where there is not just acceptance but something above the landscape of human emotions. It is not otherworldly in the sense of spiritual, clean, and pure. It accepts the kind of cruelty that existence gives us—in Beethoven’s case, deafness, the worst thing that could happen to a composer.

Here's "Beethoven's Quartet" in action:

"Beethoven's Quartet", a closer view

And apropo of nothing, here's Beethoven's "Serioso" String Quartet 1st Movement performed at Zabar's fish market...
(Escher String Quartet)

Beethoven at Zabar's NYC

5/5 Wrapping Up ScoreVideos

2011-05-05T00:00:00.102-04:00

Here's the last of the ScoreVideo posts...this one covers everything not previously covered in piano sonatas, symphonies (in full score and in piano reductions) and chamber works. I'm going to try and keep these ScoreVideo playlists updated as long as I can (or at least for a few more weeks..?).

As this blog is as much a project for self-education as it is anything else, I've definitely gotten better at score-reading through following these videos, so I hope this has helped my readers as well...

Rondo Op. 51, No. 1
Jenö Jandó, piano

Piano Works:

12 Minuets (Jando)
Rondo a Capriccio Op.129 "Rage over a Lost Penny" (Jando)
Rondo in A (Jando)
Rondo Op.51 No1, 2 (Jando)
Andante Favori, WoO.57 (Jando)
Symphony 7, Piano Arr by Franz Liszt (Howard)
Bagatelle Op.33, No.1, 7
Fur Elise
Diabelli Variations (Sokolov)
Ecossaise WoO.83 (Gyorgy)
Symphony 9, 4th Mvmt, Piano Arr by Franz Liszt (Katsaris)
Fantasia Op. 77(Ciani)
Sonatina WoO.50 (Brautigam)
Bagatelle "Lustig - Traurig" WoO.54 (Cascioli)
Prelude WoO.55 (Cascioli)
Minuet WoO.82
Bagatelle Op.126, No.3 (Biss)
Kurfürstensonaten WoO.47 M1, M2
Bagatelle in F (Last work?)
Piano Concerto 1, Op.15

11 Piano Bagatelles, Op. 119 (Brendel)
6 Piano Bagatelles Op.126 (Brendel)
Eroica Variations for Piano (Kempff) Op.35 w Manuscript

Symphony 6 Op.68 (Boult) w Manuscript

Overtures in Full Score

Coriolan, Op.62
Egmont, Op.84
Leonore II, Op.72a
Wellington's Siege, Op.91
Choral Fantasia Op.80
King Stephen
Ruins of Athens

5/4 Why Einstein Didn't Like Beethoven (Except the Missa Solemnis)

2011-05-04T00:00:00.079-04:00

Even though it was recently revealed to me that Stephen Hawking is a big Beethoven fan, apparently another icon of 20th century genius felt differently. Albert Einstein was an actual musician and played the violin (tho not extremely well) and as seen below he much preferred Bach and Mozart...however...

After his colleagues updated the music system they had given him five years earlier, Einstein began repeatedly to play an RCA recording of Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis. It was an unusual choice for two reasons. He tended to regard Beethoven, who was not his favorite composer, as “too personal, almost naked.” Also, his religious instincts did not usually include these sorts of trappings. “I am a deeply religious nonbeliever,” he noted to a friend who had sent him birthday greetings. “This is a somewhat new kind of religion.”

- From Walter Isaacson’s Einstein: His Life and Universe (Simon and Schuster, 2007)

From "Albert Einstein, the Human Side: New Glimpses from His Archives"

Responses to a questionnaire. Though the questionnaire itself appears to have been lost, "...the questions on it can be inferred more or less from Einstein's responses..."

(1) Bach, Mozart, and some old Italian and English composers are my favorites in music. Beethoven considerably less -- but certainly Schubert.

(2) It is impossible for me to say whether Bach or Mozart means more to me. In music I do not look for logic. I am quite intuitive on the whole and know no theories. I never like a work if I cannot intuitively grasp its inner unity (architecture).

(3) I always feel that Handel is good -- even perfect -- but that he has a certain shallowness. Beethoven is for me too dramatic and too personal.

(4) Schubert is one of my favorites because of his superlative ability to express emotion and his enormous powers of melodic invention. But in his larger works I am disturbed by a certain lack of architectonics [German: "Architektonik"].

(5) Schumann is attractive to me in his smaller works because of their originality and richness of feeling, but his lack of formal greatness prevents my full enjoyment. In Mendelssohn I perceive considerable talent but an indefinable lack of depth that often leads to banality.

(6) I find a few lieder and chamber works by Brahms truly signficant, also in their structure. But most of his works have for me no inner persuasiveness. I do not understand why it was necessary to write them.

(7) I admire Wagner's inventiveness, but I see his lack of architectural structure as decadence. Moreover, to me his musical personality is indescribably offensive so that for the most part I can listen to him only with disgust.

(8) I feel that [Richard] Strauss is gifted, but without inner truth and concerned only with outside effects. I cannot say that I care nothing for modern music in general. I feel that Debussy is delicately colorful but shows a poverty of structure. I cannot work up great enthusiasm for something of that sort.

(from Albert Einstein's Taste in Music (on Mozart, Bach, Beethoven, et al.))

Missa Solemnis in D, Op.123 (1823)
Luba Orgonasova, soprano, Catherine Robbin, mezzo-soprano, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, tenor, Alastair Miles, bass
NDR-Chor / Monteverdi Choir / NDR Sinfonieorchester / John Eliot Gardiner, conductor
Recorded at Marienkirche Lübeck, 1994

Linklist (71 min)

5/3 Symphonies 2, 4 and 5 Analyzed/Annotated

2011-05-03T00:00:00.053-04:00

As a fan of visually-aided analyses of Beethoven's music, I'm really impressed by Youtuber corksmusic1 for his annotated videos. His interpretations are generally very entertaining, and though sometimes the text flashes by really fast, the message and structure comes through quite nicely.

Here's a collection of his analyses up till now...
Pt. 1-4: Symphony 4 (MI, III, IV) (Noseda, BBC Phil)
Pt. 5-8: Symphony 5 (Llewellyn, BBC Symphony)
Pt. 9-10: 6 Piano Bagatelles Op.126 (Piano Ashley Wass)
Pt. 11-12: Cello Sonata 4 Op.102/1 (Peter Frankl (piano) / Frans Helmerson (cello))
Pt. 13-18: Symphony 2 (Harmonieband conducted by Charles Hazlewood)
Pt. 19: String Quartet Op.95 "Serioso" MI (Endellion Quartet)

Linklist (132 min)

5/2 An "Eroica" Round-Up

2011-05-02T00:00:00.002-04:00

I thought it might be interesting to round up a few different interpretations of Beethoven's 3rd Symphony, the "Eroica". The first movement of the Eroica is just about my favorite piece of music ever, so I probably have 7 or 8 versions on my iPod at all times. It never gets old and I've never heard a "bad" version (which is different from a "badly-played" one) - though some are more interesting than others. Here's my completely biased and subjective take on a few conductors' approaches to this incredible work which pretty much kicked over the classical table when it premiered...

The video below will take you through 9 excerpts from the Eroica 1st movement conducted by:
1. Fritz Reiner
2. Wilhelm Furtwangler
3. Arturo Toscanini
4. Hermann Scherchen
5. Jascha Horenstein
6. Jordi Savall
7. Herbert von Karajan
8. Pierre Monteux
9. Leonard Bernstein

Linklist (80 min)

And here's a few of my observations (which may change tomorrow, who knows):

Fritz Reiner
Precise, but measured. Brass and timpani are quite prominent, the orchestra is tightly controlled.

Wilhelm Furtwangler
Slower than Reiner, more of a flowing and organic style, phrases seem to connect to each other more.

Arturo Toscanini
Tight, coiled. More of a motoring feel, at times with a sense of effortless dancing.

Hermann Scherchen
Probably one of the most expressive from a tempo stand point. The pulse seems to change from phrase to phrase - suddenly fast, then slow.

Jascha Horenstein
Opening chords are like massive fists -but then it gets balletic and has a floating quality - until the sforzandos strike which again land like massive slabs of sound.

Jordi Savall
HIP (Historically Informed Performance) - Light, wiry, very fast. Orchestration is very transparent (instruments very clear). Possibly closest to what B originally intended.

Herbert von Karajan
Velvety sound, virtually flawless articulation. Almost too good. Possibly bloodless at times, but still awe-inspiring.

Pierre Monteux
A heavier approach, yet the pulse is so solid it has an inevitability to it. Wide sweeping arcs with phrases which are not afraid to stand up and be counted. Monteux of course conducted the famous first Stravinsky "Rite of Spring" with the riot and all that....

Leonard Bernstein
Powerful, emotive, Lenny feels it and wants us to feel it. Not as precise as Reiner, he doesn't mind a little glow around the accents.

Here's another video from andantekit which uses the "Funeral March" 2nd movement as a ruler for comparison featuring Giulini, Abbado and von Karajan).
1. Giulini and the Los Angeles Philharmonic 1979 (00:00 - 2:25)
2. Abbado and the Berlin Philharmonic 2000 (2:26 - 4:36)
3. Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic late 1960s (4:37 - 6:52)

Beethoven Symphony No. 3 Giulini, Abbado, Karajan

5/1 Bruggen's Beethoven 1, 3, 5 & 8

2011-05-01T00:00:00.034-04:00

(Cool poster courtesy http://gordon-whyte.livejournal.com/1137.html)

Symphonies 1, 3, 5 and 8 are featured today from Frans Bruggen and the Orchestra of the 18th Century. I featured Maestro Bruggen on the Triple Concerto in the past so here's his take on several of the "big 9".
(2 hrs 18 min)
Pt 1-3: Symphony 1
Pt 4-8: Symphony 3 "Eroica"
Pt 9-12: Symphony 5
Pt 13-16: Symphony 8

Linklist
Frans Bruggen and the Orchestra of the 18th Century Homepage

4/30 Barenboim Masterclasses 2

2011-04-30T00:00:00.060-04:00

A Piano Notes Chart

Several months ago I featured some masterclasses given by Daniel Barenboim with some fairly well-established pianists such as Lang Lang, Jonathan Biss and Alessio Bax. Here are some more classes held by Barenboim with:

Pt. 1-4: Shai Wosner & Piano Sonata #17 Op.31, No.2, "Tempest" 1. Largo, Allegro
Pt. 5-9: David Kadouch (expanded) & Piano Sonata #16, Op.31, No.1, 1. Allegro Vivace
Pt. 10-13: Abboud Ashkar & Piano Sonata #21, Op.53, "Waldstein" 1. Allegro Con Brio
Pt. 14-16: Javier Perianes & Piano Sonata #31, Op.110, 1. Moderato Cantabile, Molto Espressivo
It's kind of funny tho that sometimes Barenboim tells a student to play a certain way, and then the film cuts to Barenboim playing and forgetting his own advice...

Linklist (3 hours, 8 min)

4/29 The 5th Symphony Bamboo Happy Meal

2011-04-29T00:00:00.061-04:00

(www.beethovens-paola.com)

Today is kind of a food theme I suppose. After visiting the above "Beethoven's No. 9 Restaurant" (in historic Kansas), listen to Symphony 5 in an acapella arrangement - in Japanese... Apparently the lyrics are a kind of "menu-tribute" ("asa-gohan" means "breakfast" in Japanese). The video is not easily embeddable so click below to check it out in a new window:
Beethoven au Restaurant
This "Breakfast" arrangement is available as a mini CD.

And in case acapella is not your "cup of tea", here's a version on bamboo sticks:

Bamboo　Angklung　concert　　Beethoven　symphony　№５

4/28 Beethoven's Symphonies in Full ScoreVideos

2011-04-28T00:00:00.122-04:00

OK, here are the Big Enchiladas, "The Nine".

Hardly any explanations are necessary, except watch these in "full screen" and on the biggest monitor possible ;). However:

It's important to pay attention to the number of staff "lines" on the page, indicated by the brackets. If all the instruments are playing then the whole page will just be one huge staff line and 1 huge bracket. Usually though, especially in the early symphonies, there will be 2 staffs and brackets separated by a blank space or a "//" (if the strings are playing alone then there may be just 4 or 5 staffs bracketed in one line).
The 1st group at the top is the winds. In general the flauti (flutes) are at the top, followed by the other winds - oboi, clarinetti, fagotti (oboe, clarinet, bassoon).
The 2nd orchestral group is the brass/horns - corni, trombe (trumpets, horns).
The 3rd main "section": is the timpani or piano. The timpani is usually an easy enough part that following the timpani can aid locating where the music is at.
4th, the bottom 4-5 staffs are the strings - 2 violins, 1 viola, 1 cello and sometimes 1 bass. Lots of times the basses and cellos are on the same line. The strings are almost always going so those are a good place to keep one eye on.
It was pretty challenging following these score in book form and even now it's all too easy for me to get lost, but with a little practice these ScoreVideos should be very rewarding. One helpful tip is to read through each movement twice. The second time is always easier right after you've read it through the first time.

I know the above tips are woefully inadequate - I definitely recommend getting a real book! Anyways at the least we have here a blog post with the greatest body of symphonic literature ever composed all in one entry.

These videos are all by YT-er 12clar3412clar34. Bravo.

Symphony 1, 2 Full Score

Symphony 3, 4 Full Score

Symphony 5, 6 Full Score

Symphony 7, 8 Full Score

Symphony 9 Full Score

4/27 Chamber Music, Lieder ScoreVideos

2011-04-27T00:00:00.076-04:00

Continuing my mini-series listing "ScoreVideos" (Youtube videos where the score is displayed as the music plays) we now get to the chamber works. These include the complete cello sonatas, most of the best violin sonatas, some song lieder, complete string trios, etc...(Previously I listed the extant piano sonatas and symphonies with piano scores).

These have basically just one or two staffs more than the piano scores I've listed so far, so it shouldn't be too hard to follow these if the previous ScoreVideos are under one's belt. In general the piano lines are on the 2nd and 3rd staffs (right and left hands respectively) and the violin, cello, or voice is on the first line. Have fun! Remember - the scores are just for additional enjoyment. Even without the visual scores, these are all masterpieces of beauty. Click on the links below to be taken to the appropriate playlist.

(Some of these were featured on the blog before, like the cello sonatas and the string trios)

5 Cello Sonatas and 2 Sets of Variations (Brendel)

5 Violin Sonatas: No. 4, 5, 7, 9, 10 (Staier, Sepec, Kreisler, Rupp)
This set also includes 12 Variations in F for Violin and Piano on "Se vuol ballare" from Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro, WoO.40 (1793):
Andreas Staier: pianoforte
Daniel Sepec: Beethoven's violin (!)

4 String Trios & Serenade Op.8 (Grumiaux, etc)

Lieder, Aria and Other Chamber Works:

Serenade Op. 41 for flute and piano
Resignation (Lieder, Fritz Wunderlich)
Der Kuß (Lieder)
Adelaide, Op. 46 (Lieder)
Ich Liebe Dich (Lieder)
Ah, Perfido, Op. 65 (Aria, Regine Crespin)
Six National Airs Op. 105
Piano Quartett in C, WoO 36/3 - III.Rondo
Messe in C major Op.86 - Credo
3 Equali
Wind Trio Op. 87 (Piano Transcription)
Fugue for String Quintet Op. 137 in D (Piano Transcription)
String Quartet in E-flat Op. 127 (Mvmt 3 & 4)
String Quartet Op.74 "Harp" (Mvmt 3 & 4)
Unfinished Piano Cto 6
Grosse Fugue (Talich)
Elegie auf den Tod eines Pudels, WoO 110 (Schreier)
Zärtliche Liebe, WoO 123 (Fischer-Dieskau, Demus)
Canon in 3 Voices, WoO 159
An die Geliebte, WoO 140
Piano Sonata No. 30, Op. 109, Prestissimo Arranged for String Quartet

4/26 Clarinet Duos

2011-04-26T00:00:00.085-04:00

(tshirtsngiftideas.com)

Beethoven only wrote 3 sets of duos involving the clarinet. Actually he might have written none, since the 3 Duos for Clarinet and Bassoon WoO 27 are considered "spurious" by some Beethoven experts. They were published in Paris during B.'s lifetime so it's possible that if he might've even seen these "forgeries". However there exists no record or letter from him confirming/denying these duos. Maybe he wrote them in his sleep, who knows? In any case they are pretty fun and most woodwind players know them today as Beethoven pieces.

John Palmer writes about the 3rd duo:

Opening with a sonata-form movement set in B flat major and marked Allegro sostenuto, the third of the three Duos, WoO 27, is the most unusual. The secondary key area of the first movement is more a wash of figures and scales than a real thematic passage. The "reprise" of this material in the recapitulation is practically new music; the recapitulation is like the exposition only at its very beginning and end. A direction to repeat the development/recapitulation complex is an early Classical-era trait.

WoO 27, No.3, 1st M (Bassoon/Clarinet):

WoO 27/3 : Bassoon and Clarinet

WoO 27, No.1, 1st M is here arranged for 2 Clarinets, and sounding quite nice, I think:

Л.В.Бетховен \ Ludwig van Beethoven - Дуэт для двух кларнетов

Recently posted as a Clarinet/Cello duo, this time WoO 27, No. 2, is a Flute/Oboe duo:

WoO 27.2 Barbara Rosnitschek Flöte und Fagott Brenneke

For one more interesting duo arrangement of these "spurious-yet-ubiquitous" duos, click HERE to see a version of WoO 27, No.1 for Euphonium and Flute.

4/25 Bernstein on Beethoven's 9 Symphonies

2011-04-25T00:00:00.039-04:00

("Light'em up" Lenny)

I've featured Leonard Bernstein here several times before, but today Lenny is actually going to introduce all 9 Symphonies of Beethoven! These were done for TV broadcasts of concerts with the Vienna Philharmonic in the 70's I think. Even after all these years - there's simply nobody like Lenny!

Leonard Bernstein Introduces Beethoven's 9 Symphonies (36 min):
I'm tempted to add some kind of description to each of these - but that would spoil it...
1. Symphony 1
2. Symphony 2
3. Symphony 3
4. Symphony 4
5. Symphony 5
6. Symphony 6
7. Symphony 6 & 7 (w Maximilian Schell)
8. Symphony 8
9. Symphony 9
From dericho06's YT channel .

Linklist

4/24 Beethoven at El Jardín de Belagua

2011-04-24T00:00:00.056-04:00

At El Jardín de Belagua ("The Garden of Belagua") they hold regular chamber music concerts in the intimate setting of a very large living room. Their Youtube channel broadcasts these performances to the world outside. I really like that the camera is stationary and concentrates on the performer's hands and body movements. There are far too many "concert videos" where the camera swoops around the room or zooms in on the performer's "sweaty brow" - that drives me crazy. So here's a concert program compiled from some fine performances there of Beethoven works:

Pt. 1-3: Piano Sonata #6 In F, Op.10, No.2 (1797)
Pt. 4-7: Violin Sonata No.5 FM 'Spring', Op.24 (1801)
Pt. 8-11: Piano Sonata #13 In Eb, Op.27, No.1, "Quasi Una Fantasia" (1801)
Pt. 12-13: Piano Trio 4 (Clarinet ver), Op.11 "Gassenhauer" (1798) (I, II)
Pt. 14-15: Piano Trio 2 in G Op.1 No.2 (1794) (II, IV)
Pt. 16: Duo (Clarinet & Cello arr.), WoO 27, No.2, (III. Rondo)

Linklist (83 min)