WEEK ONE Updates: Main Thread - What a delightful theme Beethoven wrote!

Gail Starr Merci! Vous parlez le français ou vous utilisez Google Translate? 

Monika Tusnady Je parle français pq j’ai travaillé en France à mi-temps comme chef de marketing pendant qques années (avant que mon fils soit né).  J’étais basée à NYC, mais notre siège social est à Paris:

Gail Starr Carrière, voyages, musique...Quelle belle vie, et intéressante, surtout! 

Monika Tusnady J'aimerais en savoir plus sur tout ce que vous avez fait!  

vous venez de prendre la retraite?  Moi aussi!  C’est comme ça que j’ai le temps de me remettre au piano.  

Gail Starr What interesting your information, comments and ideas!

Gail Starr Hi Gail, Thanks for that. I think I'm grappling with the same questions as you are: What is the true character of each variation? There are many differences between the variations, often humorous ones, and we need to make quick mental switches; the entire piece is BEETHOVEN through and through. The simplicity of the harmonic structure is only a smokescreen.  

Gail Starr I’m interested in how you guys are going to interpret this ( and help me like it ) as I’m afraid I just can’t get into it . I love Beethoven’s symphonies , piano concertos and most of his piano sonatas etc but embarrassingly I have difficulty liking some of his shorter pieces like the bagatelles , rondos etc .  

mariannejhampton I totally know what you mean! 

The first time I read through it, I wasn't feeling very inspired.  But, then I tricked myself into thinking it was more like a Haydn or Mozart variations (without the lush harmonic textures and complexity we expect in more mature Beethoven) and I kind of got more into it! 

I'm starting to think of it as a young Beethoven playing around, experimenting, and spreading his wings.  

Gail Starr After thinking about your reply , I searched for some info and came up with this from a Hal Leonard blog . I copied and pasted (as I’m not sure how to share the link ! )

I also listened to Alfred Brendel and fell in love with the piece . I did start memorizing the theme a couple of days ago and if I can do that I will have accomplished something in this challenge . Looking forward to hearing you play and thanks for the reply . 

WoO 77 dates from 1801, a very productive period for Beethoven; in that year he also completed the First Symphony, two violin sonatas, and four piano sonatas including the Moonlight. The critical notes in the Henle edition mention that he first sketched the theme in the summer of 1800 and reused the opening in his Piano Sonata in B-flat, Op. 22, in bar 18 of the fourth movement, which he was working on around the same time. It’s just a tiny little quotation, but kind of an interesting detail.

About the opening of that theme: there’s a chromatic rising line in the middle voice, creating a sighing motive from G major to A minor, which I think is the biggest source of interest in the whole theme. It occurs three times total. But Beethoven was such a genius that he thought: “Meh, I don’t need to do anything with that lick.” And if you listen to the piece, you won’t hear that exact chromatic treatment until the coda, where the theme is restated semi-intact.

Here’s my rundown of the variations:

Var. I. Simple bass, simple 16th note figurations that create a little more flow.

Var. II. Lots of fun right off the bat, with a texture of triplet arpeggios occasionally intensified by Beethoven’s trademark sf marks. I can totally imagine this transcribed for string quartet, with everyone taking turns with these swooping gestures.

Var. III. Still thinking string quartet, the viola gets a nice solo here, wandering down into a rich lower range (until the cello takes over later). I like how Beethoven flips between florid writing and more plain rhythms in both parts.

Var. IV. The inevitable “minore” variation is set in stark octaves, with stern double-dotted rhythms. The last four bars have some nice angular lines to finish off the mood.

Var. V. The return to “maggiore” comes twinkling down from above, with some sweet two-voice counterpoint in the right hand dancing over a bass ostinato. The B section maintains the same texture, building excitement over a pedal tone for four bars.

Var. VI. Violin solo! Beethoven had titled this set “easy variations,” but that depends on your tempo for these scintillating 32nd-note scales. The music really takes flight, reaching its most intense point just in time for the coda.

Coda. This is one of the cutest things I’ve heard in any Beethoven piece. The theme returns with some slight alterations, and that rising chromatic line I made such a big deal about…it’s here and it sounds like it’s sad to have missed out on the variations! You hear it as 16ths, then as triplets, then as 32nds, as if begging to come out and play. The irony is that, in this process, the gesture basically does get its own variation.

Obviously it’s a minor work in the context of Beethoven’s output, but it’s just absolutely charming. While still not “easy,” it’s mostly sightreadable and an intermediate upper intermediate student could tackle Var. VI with practice.

mariannejhampton I simply adore your commentary!  Super helpful and beautifully thought out.

Monika Tusnady Gail Starr Thank you , I found the info on the Hal Leonard blog , so much wonderful stuff on the internet these days !

mariannejhampton is the piece simply simple or infinitely refined (except when the fireworks come out)?

Richard George Littlewood Well done! Be happy that your home is animated!

Monika Tusnady Story of the last 20 years of my life!  But it’s fun to have the kiddos around.

Richard George Littlewood Enjoyed your video and can hear that you enjoyed it too ! Bravo ! I remember the days of a full house , sometimes I miss it and sometimes I get tired just thinking about it !