Piano Freaks Only!

Posted on June 2nd, 2008 and filed in Beethoven, Diabelli, Opera/Vocal, Piano, Piano Freaks Only!

UPDATE: As a result of the two comments above (thanks again Taneyev!) – I’ve replaced the “sleeping pianist”! with the master Maurizio Pollini

If you Google stuff like: Greatest Piano pieces or Greatest Piano Compositions; you’ll find a wealth of information. And you’ll almost always find in the list: Beethoven’s Variations on a theme by Diabelli. It’s a really strange story.

This guy Diabelli who wasn’t exactly a shining star in the composition world at the time! – Asked all the “Greats” of the day, to compose some variations on this roughly 1 minute piece. Then he would use the proceeds for charitable donations. (perhaps a forerunner of Bob Geldorf!?)

So what does Beethoven do? He composes 33 Variations on this piddly little theme! (*the critics evaluation of Diabelli’s initial effort range from praise, all the way to this trashing by critic William Kinderman, who says: “Banal, trite, a beer hall waltz”)

The full story is here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabelli_

(AND you get to listen to bits of Beethoven’s Masterwork)

First we have the original piece by Diabelli, followed by Beethoven. I’ve only included 6 of the 33 variations he did. Afterall … how many ”Piano Freaks” are there out there?!

Diabelli theme
http://jimsclassicalmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/08-ludwig-van-beethoven-33-variationen-tema-vivace.mp3Right Click to Download

Now … here’s what “The Man” – The Big B … did with them. NOTE: Some of the variations are often included in the most difficult to play categorie.

11-ludwig-van-beethoven-33-variationen-var-3-listesso-tempo
http://jimsclassicalmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/11-ludwig-van-beethoven-33-variationen-var-3-listesso-tempo.mp3Right Click to Download

13-ludwig-van-beethoven-33-variationen-var-5-allegro-vivace
http://jimsclassicalmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/13-ludwig-van-beethoven-33-variationen-var-5-allegro-vivace.mp3Right Click to Download

14-ludwig-van-beethoven-33-variationenvar-6-allegro-ma-non-troppo-e-serioso
http://jimsclassicalmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/14-ludwig-van-beethoven-33-variationenvar-6-allegro-ma-non-troppo-e-serioso.mp3Right Click to Download

29-ludwig-van-beethoven-33-variationenvar-21-allegro-con-brio-meno-allegro
http://jimsclassicalmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/29-ludwig-van-beethoven-33-variationenvar-21-allegro-con-brio-meno-allegro.mp3Right Click to Download

32-ludwig-van-beethoven-33-variationen-var-24-fughetta-andante
http://jimsclassicalmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/32-ludwig-van-beethoven-33-variationen-var-24-fughetta-andante.mp3Right Click to Download

40-ludwig-van-beethoven-33-variationen-var-32-fuga-allegro
http://jimsclassicalmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/40-ludwig-van-beethoven-33-variationen-var-32-fuga-allegro.mp3Right Click to Download

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