Daily Beethoven

Beethoven: 6 Variations, Opus 34

Friday, July 16, 2021

Prior to Beethoven, variations in general were considered to be an inferior musical form, not on the same level as sonatas or symphonies. Indeed, Beethoven did not assign opus numbers to his early variations, reserving them for what he considered to be major works. But in 1802, Beethoven wrote to his publisher, “I have composed two sets of variations, one consisting of eight variations and the other of thirty. Both sets are worked out in quite a new manner, and each in a separate and different way. . .”

Beethoven Eroica variations, Opus 35

Thursday, July 15, 2021

Beethoven composed variations throughout his life, choosing themes that reflected changing tastes and times. Many of the earlier variations were on arias from popular operas by Mozart, Paisiello, Salieri, and others. In 1802, he published the amazing "Variations and Fugue on an Original Theme".

Schubert: Wanderer Fantasy

Wednesday, July 14, 2021

The Wanderer Fantasy was composed in 1822, and is considered to be Schubert’s most technically demanding work for solo piano; in fact Schubert himself lamented that he was unable to perform it.

Schubert: Der Wanderer, D. 489

Tuesday, July 13, 2021

Schubert composed the song "Der Wanderer“ (The Wanderer) in 1816, when he was about 19 years old. That same year, Beethoven had contracted a devastating illness which would persist well into the next year, when he began writing his 9th Symphony, a project that took 8 years to complete.

Schubert: Fantasy in F minor for 4 hands

Monday, July 12, 2021

Franz Schubert was not just a composer of songs, although he wrote hundreds of them. In his 31 short years he wrote 9 symphonies, 22 piano sonatas, 17 operas, 3 masses, and over a thousand works for piano. The Fantasy in F-minor for four hands is one of his most important piano works.

Schubert Winterreise: D. 911-12

Sunday, July 12, 2021

When Schubert first published his song cycle "Winterreise" (Winter Journey), it consisted of twelve songs, closing with “Einsamkeit” (Aloneness). Schubert subsequently discovered the full cycle of poems which included twelve more songs. These he subsequently composed and published as “Part II”.

Schubert Wintereisse: D. 911-11

Saturday, July 10, 2021

In the lovely song "Frühlingstraum“ (Dream of Springtime), the eleventh in Schubert's "Winterreise" (Winter Journey) cycle, the traveler is wishing that the impossible could become true.

Schubert: Wintereisse- Rast, D. 911-10

Friday, July 9, 2021

In the tenth song from Schubert’s „Winterreise“ (Winter Journey), the traveler stops to take a rest, only to find that there is no rest.

Schubert: Die Wintereisse- D 911-9

Thursday, July 8, 2021

The ninth song of Schubert’s "Winterreise" (Winter Journey) is called "Irrlicht“ – a ghost light, thought to be caused by marsh gases. Our narrator has followed such an illusion and now finds himself in a rocky chasm.

Schubert: Die Winterreise, Rückblick - D. 911-8

Wednesday, July 7, 2021

In an eerie foretaste of Heine’s poem "Der Doppelgänger“ (The Double, also set by Schubert), the narrator can’t wait to leave the town forever, yet is strongly pulled back. This is “Rückblick”, the eighth song in Schubert’s “Winterreise” (Winter Journey).

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