Music Group 2022-12-15 Lesser Known Beethoven

Above: Ludwig von Beethoven

       Piano Sonata in G Major, Op. 14 No. 2, second movement

Played by yours truly during a pandemic-time Zoom performance. This is a less-known Beethoven sonata. My last and greatest piano mentor, Agi Rado, introduced me to it. [Lewis]

       Rondo e capriccio, Op. 129, "Rage over a Lost Penny"

I believe Evengy Kissin to be the greatest pianist in the world at present. [Lewis]

       Six Bagatelles, Op. 126: No. 4, Presto.

"My most favorite bagatelle! I love the jazzy section at about 17 seconds. Enjoy!" [Myndall]

       Eleven Bagatelles, Op. 119: No. 1

My most favorite bagatelle! I'm sure I've posted this before, but whatever. This is my favorite performance. It's almost just like I would have played it. [Lewis]

       Variations on God Save the King, WoO 78

WoO = "without opus". You'll get to hear me play this in April in honor of a coronation in May.

       Nine Variations on a March by Dressler, WoO 63

Beethoven's first childhood composition. Not too shabby for a pre-teen. [Scott]

       New Finale (mvmt. 5) from Quartet No. 13, Op. 130

When he turned in his Quartet no. 13 in Bb Major, Op. 130, his publisher was appalled at the size of the finale, which overbalanced the first 5 movements and was so complex that no one understood it. So he asked Beethoven to please write another finale and publish the original as a separate piece. Beethoven agreed to this and the original finale was published as the Grösse Fugue, Op. 133. To this day, it remains one of his most puzzling and least accessible compositions. By the time he got around to writing the new finale for Op. 130, Beethoven was very ill, and after he completed it in November 1826, he laid down his pen forever. He may have made some sketches between then and his death in March 1827, but the new finale of his Bb Major Quartet, Op. 130 was his last completed piece of music. [Scott]