About the concert
The bronze monument to Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the landmarks of tourist-filled Vienna, gazing sternly over the bustle of visitors and locals alike. Stern, resolute, uncompromising. Just like his music—or so the image suggests. But let us listen instead to the music that preceded this monumental reputation: the works of Beethoven's early creative period. This is the Beethoven who had just established himself in Vienna as both a virtuoso pianist and a composer. Building on the legacy of Haydn and Mozart, he was already searching for a language of his own—bolder in its contrasts, more dynamic in its expression, and marked by a distinctive sense of drive. This program presents him in three different roles: as the composer of brilliant variations, the master of the solo piano sonata, and the creator of the new genre of the cello-and-piano sonata.
The Seven Variations, WoO 46 are based on the duet "Bei Männern, welche Liebe fühlen" from Mozart's The Magic Flute, sung by Papageno and Pamina. Beethoven takes the familiar lyrical melody and transforms it through a series of imaginative variations, ranging from flowing, songful lyricism to sparkling virtuosity, with cello and piano emerging as equal partners throughout.
Piano Sonata No. 5 in C minor, Op. 10 No. 1 is one of the earliest examples of Beethoven's characteristic "C minor" style—a key that would later give rise to the Pathétique Sonata and the Fifth Symphony. Even here, we hear the drama, sharp contrasts, and forceful character that would become hallmarks of his musical voice.
Cello Sonata No. 1 in F major, Op. 5 No. 1 is one of the two sonatas with which Beethoven effectively established the cello-and-piano sonata as a fully developed genre. Before him, the cello had largely served as a bass accompaniment; Beethoven elevated it to the role of an equal partner in dialogue with the piano. Bright, radiant in its F-major tonality, and crowned by a brilliant finale, this sonata opened the way for generations of composers to explore and expand the genre.
Concert Program
- Ludwig van Beethoven — Seven Variations on the Theme from W. A. Mozart's Opera The Magic Flute for Cello and Piano, WoO 46
- Ludwig van Beethoven — Piano Sonata No. 5 in C minor, Op. 10 No. 1
- Ludwig van Beethoven — Cello Sonata No. 1 in F major, Op. 5 No. 1
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