Written for Beethoven's friend Franz Gerhard Wegeler, Biamonti 21 consists of a brisk opening movement for piano and a fragmentary allegretto. It took me some time to get my fingers around this awkward first movement, but after doing so, it became rather fun to play. The phrases aren't what you'd expect, and the Alberti bass plays some tricks on you as well - Beethoven puts in a little countermelody at some point. The second sonata movement is a tender pastoral in 3/4. Published in the Ninth volume of the Hess addenda.
Showing posts with label unfinished. Show all posts
Showing posts with label unfinished. Show all posts
Monday, August 24, 2009
2 Sonata Movements for Piano in F major (1788 – 1790)
Biamonti 21, WoO 50, Hess 53
Written for Beethoven's friend Franz Gerhard Wegeler, Biamonti 21 consists of a brisk opening movement for piano and a fragmentary allegretto. It took me some time to get my fingers around this awkward first movement, but after doing so, it became rather fun to play. The phrases aren't what you'd expect, and the Alberti bass plays some tricks on you as well - Beethoven puts in a little countermelody at some point. The second sonata movement is a tender pastoral in 3/4. Published in the Ninth volume of the Hess addenda.
Written for Beethoven's friend Franz Gerhard Wegeler, Biamonti 21 consists of a brisk opening movement for piano and a fragmentary allegretto. It took me some time to get my fingers around this awkward first movement, but after doing so, it became rather fun to play. The phrases aren't what you'd expect, and the Alberti bass plays some tricks on you as well - Beethoven puts in a little countermelody at some point. The second sonata movement is a tender pastoral in 3/4. Published in the Ninth volume of the Hess addenda.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Unknown Part for Cello (1788)
Biamonti 16
It is suggested that this is a cadenza from the Leopold cantata (Biamonti 18): it is nothing special, some figuration, some compound melody, an arpeggiation and a trill ending. It was probably written by Beethoven
The good folk at Unheard Beethoven have created a midi version of this fragment.
It is suggested that this is a cadenza from the Leopold cantata (Biamonti 18): it is nothing special, some figuration, some compound melody, an arpeggiation and a trill ending. It was probably written by Beethoven
The good folk at Unheard Beethoven have created a midi version of this fragment.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Sketch in C minor: sketch for a movement of a Symphony; unfinished (1785)
Biamonti 11; Hess 298
Beethoven was a meticulous sketch writer and filled pages and pages with often indecipherable music. Some pages he carried around with him to his death when they were sold to the publisher Artaria. One imagines that throughout his career Beethoven was looking for opportunities to clean up early works, which he had a certain fondness for, or else from a cynical perspective, cash in on his fame with pieces that could yield him a quick profit. Most composers - myself included - have piles of early sketches and pieces that they hold on to and hope to resurrect, so in this way these collections are nothing special. One of the most important sources of fragments and sketches from Beethoven's early years is what has been intriguingly refered to as the "Kafka Miscellany." There is no connection here to the writer, but rather to J.N. Kafka, a Viennese musician and collector who owned the pages for some time in the nineteenth century. The miscellany itself was published in an elegant dual volume facsimile and transcription edited by Joseph Kerman in 1973 and is currently in the possession of the British Museum.
Within this collection are numerous fragments and early drafts of known works including this: the first theme and beginning of the second theme of a first movement of a symphony. The first theme is a standard minor Mannheim Rocket (a rapid upward arpeggio) that develops somewhat, the second, a descending scale figure with Lombard snaps (the rhythm: sixteenth, dotted sixteenth or a variant): one of those things that, in good hands, could take off into something quite powerful. But here remains a tantalizing remnant.
The good folks at Unheard Beethoven have created a midi version of this.
Beethoven was a meticulous sketch writer and filled pages and pages with often indecipherable music. Some pages he carried around with him to his death when they were sold to the publisher Artaria. One imagines that throughout his career Beethoven was looking for opportunities to clean up early works, which he had a certain fondness for, or else from a cynical perspective, cash in on his fame with pieces that could yield him a quick profit. Most composers - myself included - have piles of early sketches and pieces that they hold on to and hope to resurrect, so in this way these collections are nothing special. One of the most important sources of fragments and sketches from Beethoven's early years is what has been intriguingly refered to as the "Kafka Miscellany." There is no connection here to the writer, but rather to J.N. Kafka, a Viennese musician and collector who owned the pages for some time in the nineteenth century. The miscellany itself was published in an elegant dual volume facsimile and transcription edited by Joseph Kerman in 1973 and is currently in the possession of the British Museum.
Within this collection are numerous fragments and early drafts of known works including this: the first theme and beginning of the second theme of a first movement of a symphony. The first theme is a standard minor Mannheim Rocket (a rapid upward arpeggio) that develops somewhat, the second, a descending scale figure with Lombard snaps (the rhythm: sixteenth, dotted sixteenth or a variant): one of those things that, in good hands, could take off into something quite powerful. But here remains a tantalizing remnant.
The good folks at Unheard Beethoven have created a midi version of this.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Allegretto for Piano Trio in E flat major (1783)
Biamonti 8; Hess 48
A miniature of Beethoven's youth: a minuet with a fragment of a trio. The minuet is in a dotted military rhythm with a small dissolutionary development. Competent.
A miniature of Beethoven's youth: a minuet with a fragment of a trio. The minuet is in a dotted military rhythm with a small dissolutionary development. Competent.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Sonata for Piano & Violin in A major; unfinished (1783)
Biamonti 3, Hess 46
These are two fragments, one has the character of a minuet and may come from an intended minuet movement or variation movement, or perhaps even a final movement, the other perhaps episodes of a rondo. The first makes use of a canonic moments between violin and piano likely Beethoven is trying to be cute here - it bears some similarities to the “Spring” sonata. The rondo fragments move back and forth between the major and minor, I don’t get the sense that they are meant to be continuous. A recording exists on the Unheard Beethoven website.
These are two fragments, one has the character of a minuet and may come from an intended minuet movement or variation movement, or perhaps even a final movement, the other perhaps episodes of a rondo. The first makes use of a canonic moments between violin and piano likely Beethoven is trying to be cute here - it bears some similarities to the “Spring” sonata. The rondo fragments move back and forth between the major and minor, I don’t get the sense that they are meant to be continuous. A recording exists on the Unheard Beethoven website.
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