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Ludwig van Beethoven
33 VerƤnderungen Ć¼ber einen Walzer von Anton Diabelli, op. 120
1. Thema: Vivace
2. Var. I: Alla Marcia maestoso
3. Var. II: Poco allegro
4. Var. III: Lāistesso tempo
5. Var. IV: Un poco piĆ¹ vivace
6. Var. V: Allegro vivace
7. Var. VI: Allegro ma non troppo e serioso
8. Var. VII: Un poco piĆ¹ 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 piĆ¹ 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 ā Meno allegro
23. Var. XXII: Allegro molto alla āNotte e giorno faticarā 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 ā Poco adagio
34. Var. XXXIII: Tempo di Menuetto moderato
About the Diabelli Variations Ā©
Beethovenās 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 Beethovenās 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 Diabelliās 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.
Diabelliās Waltz gives Beethoven the opportunity to demonstrate his abilities: Transforming something trivial into a masterpiece. Immediately from Variation no. 1, the basis of Diabelliās Waltz is irrevocably changed. Beethoven selects the smallest elements of the theme and emphasises them. Melodic, rhythmic, and harmonic elements from Diabelliās Waltz form the basis of each variation. The music constantly changes between poetic depth and devilish virtuosity and is never predictable ā 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 (VerƤnderungen). 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 Bachās Goldberg Variations, one of the greatest and most impressive works in the genre. Did Beethoven want to demonstrate his own greatness and surpass Bachās 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: āBeethovenās Diabelli Variations is the greatest piano work ever written.ā
RELEASE DATE: MARCH 2019
CATALOGUE NUMBER: DACOCD 837
EAN: 5709499837009
