Ludwig van Beethoven 15 Variations et Fugue pour piano en mi bémol majeur, Opp. 35, « Eroica-Variationen » Vidéos
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2024-03-28
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Kempff Beethoven Maximilian Stadler Stadler Mozart Breitkopf Bach 1748 1802 1803 1833
Fifteen Variations and Fugue for Piano in E-flat major, op.35; composed in 1802, first published in 1803; dedicated to Count Maurice Lichnowski. As it served as the model for the finale of the Third Symphony, Fifteen Variations became known as the Eroica Variations. In both, the bass of the theme is heard first on its own and then with introductory variations with two, three, and then four voices, before the theme is heard in its full form. ~~~ PART I : - Introduzione col Bassa del Tema / Allegretto vivace - Tema - Var I - IX PART II : (http•••) - Variations X - XV PART III : (http•••) - Finale. Alla fuga ~~~ A letter of Beethoven highlights how his dedication of the Variations to Maurice Lichnowski happened, replacing Abbé Maximilian Stadler, a priest and artist +••.••(...)), who was as glowing admirer of Mozart as he was a despiser of Beethoven whereby Beethoven was so friendly with the artistic Abbé, that initially, he thought of dedicating the Variations to him. Abbé, however, was never weary of running down Beethoven's music, and many of his remarks must have reached the composers ears; consequently the dedication was withdrawn. Beethoven's letter, from Vienna, on April 8, 1803, to Breitkopf & Haertel in Leipzig : I have been long wanting to write to you, but my many business matters do not allow me to carry on even a short correspondence. With regard to the Variations, you are mistaken in thinking that there are not so many. They could not, however, be exactly indicated; for instance, in the great ones where the variations run into one another in the adagio; then the fugue certainly cannot count as a variation, and so with the introduction to these great variations, which, as you yourself have already seen, commences with the bass of the theme, then a 2, 3 and 4 parts. Finally the theme appears which again cannot be called a variation. If, however, all this is not clear to you, send me, as soon as a copy is printed, a proof for correction, together with the manuscripts, that I may be certain of no confusion. And you would show me a great kindness if from the great variations you would leave out the dedication to the Abbé Stadler, and put in its place this one: A Monsieur le Comte Maurice Lichnowski. He is the brother of Prince Lichnowski, and only recently has shown me unexpected kindness, and I have no other opportunity of doing anything nice for him. If you have already put the dedication to Abbé Stadler, I will willingly bear the costs of changing the title-page. You need not hesitate at all. Only write and say what it costs. I will willingly pay, and beg you earnestly to see to it, unless some have been sent away. The small Variations (op.34) are to be, as arranged, dedicated to the Princess Odescalchi. I thank you heartily for the beautiful things of Sebastian Bach; I will keep and study them. If any more follow, do please let me have them also. If you have a good text for a Cantata, or for any vocal piece, let me see it, from one, who holds you in high esteem, BEETHOVEN ~~~
Richter Beethoven Maximilian Stadler Stadler Mozart Breitkopf Bach 1748 1802 1803 1833
Fifteen Variations and Fugue for Piano in E-flat major, op.35; composed in 1802, first published in 1803; dedicated to Count Maurice Lichnowski. As it served as the model for the finale of the Third Symphony, Fifteen Variations became known as the Eroica Variations. In both, the bass of the theme is heard first on its own and then with introductory variations with two, three, and then four voices, before the theme is heard in its full form. ~~~ PART I : - Introduzione col Basso del Tema - A due - A tre - A quattro - Tema - Variations I - IX PART II : (http•••) - Variations X - XV PART III : (http•••) - Finale. Alla fuga ~~~ A letter of Beethoven highlights how his dedication of the Variations to Maurice Lichnowski happened, replacing Abbé Maximilian Stadler, a priest and artist +••.••(...)), who was as glowing admirer of Mozart as he was a despiser of Beethoven whereby Beethoven was so friendly with the artistic Abbé, that initially, he thought of dedicating the Variations to him. Abbé, however, was never weary of running down Beethoven's music, and many of his remarks must have reached the composers ears; consequently the dedication was withdrawn. Beethoven's letter, from Vienna, on April 8, 1803, to Breitkopf & Haertel in Leipzig : I have been long wanting to write to you, but my many business matters do not allow me to carry on even a short correspondence. With regard to the Variations, you are mistaken in thinking that there are not so many. They could not, however, be exactly indicated; for instance, in the great ones where the variations run into one another in the adagio; then the fugue certainly cannot count as a variation, and so with the introduction to these great variations, which, as you yourself have already seen, commences with the bass of the theme, then a 2, 3 and 4 parts. Finally the theme appears which again cannot be called a variation. If, however, all this is not clear to you, send me, as soon as a copy is printed, a proof for correction, together with the manuscripts, that I may be certain of no confusion. And you would show me a great kindness if from the great variations you would leave out the dedication to the Abbé Stadler, and put in its place this one: A Monsieur le Comte Maurice Lichnowski. He is the brother of Prince Lichnowski, and only recently has shown me unexpected kindness, and I have no other opportunity of doing anything nice for him. If you have already put the dedication to Abbé Stadler, I will willingly bear the costs of changing the title-page. You need not hesitate at all. Only write and say what it costs. I will willingly pay, and beg you earnestly to see to it, unless some have been sent away. The small Variations (op.34) are to be, as arranged, dedicated to the Princess Odescalchi. I thank you heartily for the beautiful things of Sebastian Bach; I will keep and study them. If any more follow, do please let me have them also. If you have a good text for a Cantata, or for any vocal piece, let me see it, from one, who holds you in high esteem, BEETHOVEN ~~~
Ludwig Van Beethoven Mozart Joseph Haydn Eisenberg 1770 1787 1792 1801 1802 1804 1805 1827
Conducted by Dominique Hoskin Program Notes LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN was born in Bonn around December 17, 1770 and died in Vienna on March 26, 1827 at the age of 56. His father, Johann van Beethoven was a mediocre musician who suffered from alcoholism. Johann began teaching Ludwig music at an early age hoping that he could become an exploitable child prodigy as Mozart had been. Beethoven’s father was not only strict but cruel. Ludwig was often beaten, locked in a cellar and woken up in the middle of the night. Beethoven first visited Vienna in 1787 in hopes to study with Mozart, but the trip was cut short dues to concerns about his mother’s health. He did not return to Vienna again until 1792, the year after Mozart passed away. At this time he began studying with Joseph Haydn and establishing himself as the most gifted pianist in all of Vienna by challenged the best pianists to improvisation contests. At the turn of the 19th century, Beethoven composed his Symphony No. 1 in C major. Although Beethoven would grow to dislike the piece, the first symphony, well anchored in the classical tradition, established Beethoven as one of Europe’s greatest composers. As the first decade of the 19th century progressed, Beethoven began to develop his own unique style of composition. At the same time, Beethoven started to slowly lose his hearing. In 1802, he wrote a letter to his brothers which became known as the Heiglnstadt Testament. It begins: “O ye men who think or say that I am malevolent, stubborn or misanthropic, how greatly do ye wrong me, you do not know the secret causes of my seeming, from childhood my heart and mind were disposed to the gentle feelings of good will, I was even ever eager to accomplish great deeds, but reflect now that for six year I have been a hopeless case”. Beethoven composed his third symphony in 1804. The work was originally to be dedicated to Napoleon Bonaparte, who Beethoven thought embodied his ideals of freedom and democracy, but was renamed Eroica (Heroic), when Napoleon declared himself emperor. The piece is scored for two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, three horns, two trumpets, timpani and strings. This piece was first performed privately for one of Beethoven’s royal patrons, Prince Lobkowitz, at the castle Eisenberg in Bohemia. The first public performance of the symphony was in April 7, 1805 in Vienna. This symphony is a massive work and takes at least three quarters of an hour to perform. The first movement is a dense and complicated sonata form with frequent and sudden mood changes, strong accents and syncopated rhythms. The second is a very famous funeral march that is often used as a funeral march proper for famous individuals. The Boston Symphony gave an impromptu performance of the funeral march during a concert upon receiving the news that President Kennedy had been assassinated. The third is a lively scherzo which features hunting calls from the 3 horns in its trio section. The final movement is a set of variations on a theme which Beethoven used in the finale of his ballet The Creatures of Prometheus, Op 43 (1801) and Variations and Fugue for Piano in E-flat major, Op.35 (1802). At the time of its premiere, the work was considered so difficult and unlike anything ever heard before that the musicians could hardly play it. Some critics remarked that the work was dangerously immoral, much too long and without unity. One went as far as to call the symphony “a daring wild fantasia of inordinate length and extreme difficulty of execution seeming to lose itself in utter confusion.” It is ironic that the third symphony was premiered privately for an aristocrat because the work was not composed for the aristocracy at all, unlike much of the music of the classical era. Instead, Beethoven places himself and his world view at the center of the composition, leading some music historians to label this as the first romantic era symphony.
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