Category Archives: Beethoven at 26

Day 247: Piano Sonatas Op. 10 No. 3, Op. 2 Nos. 2 & 3

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BeethovenCD52Piano Sonata No. 7 in D Op. 10 No. 3 starts off with a bang – Movement I carries the tempo “Presto” – and never lets up.

I’ve heard a lot of opening movements in my journeys through all of these composers. I don’t recall too many that began like a race horse out of the gate.

But I do believe that may be the unifying theme on today’s CD.

Each of the piano sonatas on today’s CD begin with a speedier-than-usual opening movement:

Presto
Allegro vivace
Allegro con brio

Respectively.

At least, they all sounded that way to me.

What do I know? I’m not a musicologist.

Here’s what I’m Continue reading →

Day 224: Cello Sonatas I

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BeethovenCD29Just two musicians are making all of this beautiful music!

They are:

Timora Rosler cello
Klara Wurtz piano

The level of musicianship is outstanding. The full, rich, dynamic sounds emanating from this duo need to be heard to be believed. I realize the lion’s share of credit goes to Ludwig himself who composed these sonatas. But, still, they’re played with extraordinary skill.

Cello Sonata in F Op. 5 No. 1 (composed 1796; Beethoven was 26)

Cello Sonata in G Minor Op. 5 No. 2 (composed 1796; Beethoven was 26)

Cello Sonata in A Op. 69 (composed in 1808; Beethoven was 38)

Of the last sonata, its entry on Wikipedia says this:

The Sonata No. 3 dates from Beethoven’s most productive compositional period. Composed in the same year were the Violin Concerto and the two piano trios of Op. 70; the same year also saw the completion and publication of the Fifth and Sixth Symphonies.

Day 210: Music For Wind Ensemble I

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BeethovenCD15Beethoven’s wind ensembles are fun, partly because I love the sound of oboes, clarinets, bassoons, and horns playing together.

Octet in E Flat Op 103 is clever and lively. According to its entry on Wikipedia,

…it was written in 1792/1793, during Beethoven’s early period. Beethoven reworked and expanded the Octet in 1795 as his first String Quintet, Op. 4.

That means Beethoven was 22 or 23 when he composed this octet.

Rondino in E Flat Wo025 is more subdued, a pretty but somber composition. It was composed in 1793. Beethoven was 23.

Beethoven Sextet in E Flat Op 71 was composed in 1796. Beethoven was 26. I’ve heard this music before, probably on the local Classical music radio station. It’s pretty and clever and soothing and intriguing – especially Movement III (“Menuetto: Quasi allegretto”). The interplay between all of my favorite orchestral instruments is grand.

According to the IMSLP web site, Beethoven Three Duos Wo027 (No 1 in C, No 2 in F, No 3 in B flat), is

…of disputed authorship. Accepted as authentic in Kinsky, 1955, but but listed as ‘probably spurious’ in Kerman, 1983.

I must say this doesn’t sound like anything I’ve yet heard from Beethoven. It sounds bouncier, less textured.

What what do I know? I’m no musicologist.

All of the music on today’s CD was performed by Ottetto Italiano, which probably means Italian octet.

Just a hunch.

Day 209: Dances II

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BeethovenCD14This morning’s CD, like yesterday’s, is filled to the brim with dance music.

Forty-six tracks of it, to be precise.

More menuets than I can shake a stick at.

Which wouldn’t phase them a bit, anyway.

Menuets are tough.

Today’s music sounds different, however, from what I heard yesterday. Not as dance-like. More complex. More like full orchestras playing very, very short pieces of music.

Here are the performers and orchestras on this CD:

Kammerorchester der Staatskapelle Weimar
Friedemann Batzel conductor
(tracks 1-12)

Capella Istropolitana
Ewald Donhoffer conductor
(tracks 13-19)

Sachiko Kobayashi violin (track 20)
Michael Wagner piano (track 20)
Rainer Maria Klaas piano (tracks 21-46)

Because of the wide variety of selections on Beethoven CD 14, it’s hard for me to know how old Beethoven was when these were composed. Plus, they’re all designated Wo0, meaning Works Without Opus number (Works without Opus). That indicates they were scraps of music gathered together at some point, more less authenticated as being Beethoven’s, and given a special type of cataloging number to tell them apart.

There are eight different Wo0 catalog numbers on today’s CD:

Wo07
Wo024
Wo010
Wo042
Wo083
Wo023
Wo011
Wo013

Of those, only one has a date assigned to it, according to the Wiki list of the complete works of Beethoven: Wo042, which is given the date of 1796.

If that is correct, then Beethoven was 26.

I have no idea how old he was for the rest of these.

If you’re interested in knowing how authentic some of these pieces are, scan the listing on Wikipedia. Some are considered “spurious” and/or composed by Beethoven’s brother, Carl.