Beethoven: Diabelli variations

Review PianoNews Review MusicWeb International Review Politiken (Danish) Review Pianist Ludwig van Beethoven 33 Veränderungen über einen Walzer von Anton Diabelli, op. 120 1. Thema: Vivace 2. Var. I: Alla Marcia maestoso 3. Var. II: Poco allegro 4. Var. III: L’istesso tempo 5. Var. IV: Un poco più vivace 6. Var. V: Allegro vivace 7. Var. VI: Allegro ma non troppo e serioso 8. Var. VII: Un poco più allegro 9. Var. VIII: Poco vivace 10. Var. IX: Allegro pesante e risoluto 11. Var. X: Presto 12. Var. XI: Allegretto 13. Var. XII: Un poco più moto 14. Var. XIII: Vivace 15. Var. XIV: Grave e maestoso 16. Var. XV: Presto scherzando 17. Var. XVI: Allegro 18. Var. XVII: (Allegro) 19. Var. XVIII: Poco moderato 20. Var. XIX: Presto 21. Var. XX: Andante 22. Var. XXI: Allegro con brio – Meno allegro 23. Var. XXII: Allegro molto alla “Notte e giorno faticar” di Mozart 24. Var. XXIII: Allegro assai 25. Var. XXIV: Fughetta. Andante 26. Var. XXV: Allegro 27. Var. XXVI: (Piacevole) 28. Var. XXVII: Vivace 29. Var. XXVIII: Allegro 30. Var. XXIX: Adagio ma non troppo 31. Var. XXX: Andante, sempre cantabile 32. Var. XXXI: Largo, molto espressivo 33. Var. XXXII: Fuga. Allegro – Poco adagio 34. Var. XXXIII: Tempo di Menuetto moderato About the Diabelli Variations © Beethoven’s 33 Variations on a Waltz by Anton Diabelli, op. 120 is a high point in the piano literature, and along with the Hammerklavier Sonata, it is Beethoven’s greatest and most important work for the piano. Anton Diabelli was amongst the most enterprising composers and music publishers of his time. Today, his works have largely been forgotten, but in the Viennese music scene of his time, he was a known and much admired character. In 1819 he had the idea of asking several composers to collaborate on writing a large set of variations on one of his own themes. Schubert, Czerny and Hummel were a few of the composers on the list of contributors. The financial profit of the project would be donated to the widows of the fallen soldiers in the Napoleonic Wars. Beethoven was asked to write a submission, as well. But, as the story goes, Beethoven declined the invitation, saying it was below him to have any thing to do with such a banal project. Instead, Beethoven decided to write a complete set of variations himself on Diabelli’s theme. And thus he did indeed: The works encompasses nearly an hour of music in which Beethoven unfolds his genius in such a way that Diabelli must not have known whether to feel glorified or humiliated. Diabelli’s Waltz gives Beethoven the opportunity to demonstrate his abilities: Transforming something trivial into a masterpiece. Immediately from Variation no. 1, the basis of Diabelli’s Waltz is irrevocably changed. Beethoven selects the smallest elements of the theme and emphasises them. Melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic elements from Diabelli’s Waltz form the basis of each variation. The music constantly changes between poetic depth and devilish virtuosity and is never predictable — neither for the pianist nor the audience. Contrasts are everywhere. Yet, the work still forms a coherent line, gradually intensifying until the colossal and very difficult fugue in Variation 32. Beethoven himself did not choose the title Variations. He named his compositional technique Transformations (Veränderungen). Trying to count the number of variations while listening to the piece is difficult, indeed, and one variation will often seamlessly connect to the other. It is hardly a coincidence that Beethoven wrote exactly 33 variations. He might have known the 32 pieces in Bach’s Goldberg Variations, one of the greatest and most impressive works in the genre. Did Beethoven want to demonstrate his own greatness and surpass Bach’s masterpiece? One thing is for certain: He wanted to find a radically new way of realising the variation form. And he did. At least according to the great pianist Alfred Brendel, there is no doubt: “Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations is the greatest piano work ever written.” RELEASE DATE: MARCH 2019 CATALOGUE NUMBER: DACOCD 837 EAN: 5709499837009 Download BOOKLET (PDF) Related