An unrivalled compendium on disc of the Beethoven's compositional laboratory, full of experiments that would be refined throughout his career to create the piano's 'New Testament' of 32 sonatas. Under the title of 'early variations', Alessandro Commellato has brought together all those theme with variation sets for solo and four hands piano that were not included in the main catalogue of Beethoven's compositions. In fact not all of them are early: the imposing C minor 32 Variations WoO80 are the best-known work here, composed as late as 1806, and the sets on Rule Britannia and God save the King were written a year or two earlier, and perhaps not only for commercially expedient reasons, given Beethoven's admiration for the British resistance to the proclamation of the French Empire. More common, however, are the variation sets where Beethoven was establishing his voice and refining his technique by exercising his imagination on melodies from popular marches and operas by GrÃ©try, Paisiello and Mozart. The composer used these works to curry favour with patrons such as Prince Lichnowsky; even on occasion as dedicatory gifts in order to make amends for his notoriously obstreperous behaviour, such as the variations on a Dittersdorf arietta, 'Es war einmal' (Once upon a time) which he gave in the summer of 1792 to Eleonore von Breuning, daughter of Maria Helena, who had welcomed the young wayward artist into her home. Alessandro Commellato uses an 1823 fortepiano by Joseph BÃ¶hm, a Viennese piano-maker whose instruments were known to Beethoven, bestowing on this recording an unusual degree of authenticity. He is a specialist in historically informed performances of Viennese Classicism: previous discs for Brilliant Classics include music by Beethoven's pupils such as the cello sonatas of Ferdinand Ries and piano concertos by Johann Nepomuk Hummel.

Tracklist:

32 Variations In C Minor Woo 80
5 Variations On "Rule Britannia" In D Major, Woo 79
7 Variations On "God Save The King" In D Major, Woo 78
6 Variations In G Major, Woo 77
8 Variations On "Tändeln Und Scherzen" In F Major, Woo 76
7 Variations On "Kind, Willst Du Ruhig Schlafen" In F Major, Woo 75
6 Variations For Piano Four Hands On "Ich Denke Dein"In D Major, Woo 74
10 Variation On "La Stessa La Stessissima" In B-Flat Major, Woo 73
8 Variations On "Un Fievre Brûlante" In C Major, Woo 72
12 Variations On A Russian Dance From Wranitsky's Ballet Das Waldmädchin A Major, Woo 71
6 Variations On "Nel Cor Più Non Mi Sento" In G Major, Woo 70
9 Variations On "Quant'è Più Bello" In A Major, Woo 69
12 Variations On "Menuet À La Viganò" In C Major, Woo 68
8 Variations On A Theme By Count Waldstein In C Major, Woo 67
13 Variations On "Es War Einmal Ein Alter Mann" In A Major, Woo 66
24 Variations On Righini's Air "Venni Amore" In D Major Woo 65
6 Easy Variations On A Swiss Air In F Major, Woo 64
9 Variations On A March By Dressler In C Minor, Woo 63

UPC: 5028421954257
Label: Brilliant Classics
Release Date: 2.23.18
Format: CD

Alessandro Commellato - Complete Early Variations (CD)