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Donald Macleod journeys through Beethoven's early career and the composition of his first piano concerto.

Donald Macleod journeys through Beethoven's early career and the composition of his first piano concerto

Composer of the Week explores Beethoven the pianist and composer for the piano. He became renowned in his day both as a virtuoso performer at the keyboard, and for his ground-breaking works for the instrument. When first starting out on his musical career, he greatly admired Mozart for his piano works, particularly the concertos. Beethoven sought out the older composer for lessons, although these never took place. Similarly to Mozart's own career, Beethoven also made a name for himself initially not only as a composer, but as a pianist, and after Mozart's death was destined to take his place in Vienna as the leading composer there. From the outset, his works for the piano showed great skill and an independence of creative thought. In each programme this week, Donald Macleod explores one of Beethoven's five piano concertos, and the period in which it was written.

L Specific Paragraph:
Beethoven came from a musical family, and the learning of the keyboard was part of his education. From early on, not only did he prove himself to be an accomplished pianist, but it became apparent that he was also destined to be a composer as well. His father sought out various tutors for his son, and Beethoven soon began to delight the Electoral court in Cologne with performances at the keyboard and his early compositions such as the Nine Variations on a March by Dressler. Around the age of thirteen, Beethoven was making early attempts at writing concertos for the piano, including one in E flat. It wasn't until his early twenties that he'd complete what would be deemed his first piano concerto, Opus 19 in B flat major, although it was labelled as his second concerto in print, because of the order in which his early concertos were published.

Bagatelle, WoO59 (F眉r Elise)
Steven Osborne, piano

Prelude in C, Op 39 No 2
Hans-Ola Ericsson, organ

Nine Variations on a March by Dressler, WoO63
Ronald Brautigam, fortepiano

Piano Concerto in E flat major, WoO4 (Larghetto)
Ronald Brautigam, piano
Norrk枚ping Symphony Orchestra
Andrew Parrott, conductor

Piano Concerto No 2 in B flat major, Op 19
Robert Levin, fortepiano
Orchestre R茅volutionnaire et Romantique
John Eliot Gardiner, conductor

Producer Luke Whitlock.

59 minutes

Last on

Mon 15 Oct 2018 12:00

Music Played

  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Bagatelle (Fur Elise) in A minor Woo 59

    Performer: Steven Osborne.
    • Beethoven: Bagatelles.
    • HYPERION.
    • 30.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Prelude and fugue in C major Hess31

    Performer: Hans鈥怬la Ericsson.
    • Mozart On The Organ / Hans Fagius.
    • BIS.
    • 39.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    9 Variations on a march by Dressler in C minor WoO.63 for piano

    Performer: Ronald Brautigam.
    • BIS : SACD-1883.
    • BIS.
    • 1.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    9 Variations on a march by Dressler in C minor WoO 63

    Performer: Ronald Brautigam.
    • Beethoven: Variations Vol 12 (Solo Piano Works Volume 12.
    • BIS.
    • 1.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Concerto in E flat major WoO 4

    Performer: Ronald Brautigam. Orchestra: Norrk枚pings Symfoniorkester. Conductor: Andrew Parrott.
    • BIS:SACD1792.
    • BIS.
    • 2.
  • Ludwig van Beethoven

    Concerto no 2 in B flat major Op19

    Performer: Robert Levin. Orchestra: Orchestre R茅volutionnaire et Romantique. Conductor: Sir John Eliot Gardiner.
    • Archiv: 4596222.
    • Archiv.
    • 1.

Broadcasts

  • Mon 15 Jan 2018 12:00
  • Mon 15 Oct 2018 12:00

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