A comparison between this miniature set of variations and the previous entry, the Variations on Righini's "Venni, Amore" is particuarly telling. While both themes share a beginning that signals a closing, the approach to the two themes is radically different. The Righini variations take apart the theme in the manner we think of from Beethoven, the melody is lost, but the harmonic framework remains and itself becomes the subject of variation. This set of variations uses instead the shape and nearly entirety of the melody throughout, varying the setting in which it is placed. Almost Mozartean in style, it lacks any sort of surprise element. To call this tiny set of six variations on a miniscule Swiss song inconsequential would be to give it too much credit. It goes through the motions, maybe a little better than some but not many.
Showing posts with label Variations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Variations. Show all posts
Friday, August 28, 2009
6 Variations for Piano or Harp in F major: on a Swiss air (1790)
Biamonti 25, WoO 64, Grove 183
A comparison between this miniature set of variations and the previous entry, the Variations on Righini's "Venni, Amore" is particuarly telling. While both themes share a beginning that signals a closing, the approach to the two themes is radically different. The Righini variations take apart the theme in the manner we think of from Beethoven, the melody is lost, but the harmonic framework remains and itself becomes the subject of variation. This set of variations uses instead the shape and nearly entirety of the melody throughout, varying the setting in which it is placed. Almost Mozartean in style, it lacks any sort of surprise element. To call this tiny set of six variations on a miniscule Swiss song inconsequential would be to give it too much credit. It goes through the motions, maybe a little better than some but not many.
A comparison between this miniature set of variations and the previous entry, the Variations on Righini's "Venni, Amore" is particuarly telling. While both themes share a beginning that signals a closing, the approach to the two themes is radically different. The Righini variations take apart the theme in the manner we think of from Beethoven, the melody is lost, but the harmonic framework remains and itself becomes the subject of variation. This set of variations uses instead the shape and nearly entirety of the melody throughout, varying the setting in which it is placed. Almost Mozartean in style, it lacks any sort of surprise element. To call this tiny set of six variations on a miniscule Swiss song inconsequential would be to give it too much credit. It goes through the motions, maybe a little better than some but not many.
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Variations for Piano: on "Venni, Amore" by Vincenzo Righini (first version) (1790)
Biamonti 24, Hess 55, (WoO 65, Grove 177)
A set of variations on the Aria "Venni, Amore" by the pedestrian composer, singer and kapellmeister, Vincenzo Righini. Beethoven performed this set, none too delicately, as his debut as a pianist in Vienna. Biamonti 24 refers to what was thought to be an original edition of the work of the same title published in 1802 (Biamonti 299). Biamonti suggests that the original edition of this work was definitive as of 1801, but then lost. The Beethovenhaus-Bonn reports that a copy of this lost original edition was found in 1984 by the duo of Sieghard Brandenburg and Martin Staehelin and further reports that this edition and the more common 1802 edition are quite similar, making this version (biamonti 24) the only version and the latter version (Biamonti 299) an unnecessary duplication.
Musically we have 24 variations in D major on a quirky nothing of a theme. Beethoven seems to be drawn to two particular aspects of this small theme: the Lebewohl to decpetive cadence opening - such that the entire work seems to be the cadential part of a period - and the clash of G-natural versus G-sharp in the final cadential figure of the theme. Throughout, Beethoven plays with a number of topics and even brings about duet-like moments, both with register and meter. Most of the variations are interesting but don't get enough time to do anything extra special, the final few are particularly nice and feature a surprise move to the Neapolitan. Worth seeking out.
A set of variations on the Aria "Venni, Amore" by the pedestrian composer, singer and kapellmeister, Vincenzo Righini. Beethoven performed this set, none too delicately, as his debut as a pianist in Vienna. Biamonti 24 refers to what was thought to be an original edition of the work of the same title published in 1802 (Biamonti 299). Biamonti suggests that the original edition of this work was definitive as of 1801, but then lost. The Beethovenhaus-Bonn reports that a copy of this lost original edition was found in 1984 by the duo of Sieghard Brandenburg and Martin Staehelin and further reports that this edition and the more common 1802 edition are quite similar, making this version (biamonti 24) the only version and the latter version (Biamonti 299) an unnecessary duplication.
Musically we have 24 variations in D major on a quirky nothing of a theme. Beethoven seems to be drawn to two particular aspects of this small theme: the Lebewohl to decpetive cadence opening - such that the entire work seems to be the cadential part of a period - and the clash of G-natural versus G-sharp in the final cadential figure of the theme. Throughout, Beethoven plays with a number of topics and even brings about duet-like moments, both with register and meter. Most of the variations are interesting but don't get enough time to do anything extra special, the final few are particularly nice and feature a surprise move to the Neapolitan. Worth seeking out.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
9 Variations for Piano in C minor: on a march by Ernst Christoph Dressler (1782)
Biamonti 1; WoO 63
Variation sets of this time tend to be the dullest pieces - particularly those that follow the formula of progressive diminution - that is, adding more and more ornamentation to the melody. Eventually these Plateresque melodies fall under their own wieght into either then minor or something completely different. You find this a lot in Mozart's keyboard variations, what with their version of the theme in eighth notes and then triplets and then sixteenth notes, before the whole process begins again in the left hand. The twelve-year old Beethoven's first opus, a surprisingly engaging set of variations on a dull march by the long-forgotten composer Dressler, basically demonstrates just what exactly someone can do with the simple alternation of tonic minor and dominant major harmony. We begin very matter of factly with several variations that don't alter very much of the theme, before the fifth variation appears with its rapid broken octaves, it sort of returns to a diminuted style of variation before the final, ninth variation appears in the major and wipes all the dullness away with a touch of the odd, a strange move to the raised six. A good, if awkward, start.
Variation sets of this time tend to be the dullest pieces - particularly those that follow the formula of progressive diminution - that is, adding more and more ornamentation to the melody. Eventually these Plateresque melodies fall under their own wieght into either then minor or something completely different. You find this a lot in Mozart's keyboard variations, what with their version of the theme in eighth notes and then triplets and then sixteenth notes, before the whole process begins again in the left hand. The twelve-year old Beethoven's first opus, a surprisingly engaging set of variations on a dull march by the long-forgotten composer Dressler, basically demonstrates just what exactly someone can do with the simple alternation of tonic minor and dominant major harmony. We begin very matter of factly with several variations that don't alter very much of the theme, before the fifth variation appears with its rapid broken octaves, it sort of returns to a diminuted style of variation before the final, ninth variation appears in the major and wipes all the dullness away with a touch of the odd, a strange move to the raised six. A good, if awkward, start.
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