Ludwig van - variations

[martin_s]

Which one is your favourite set of variations by Beethoven?? They're all quite "new" to me, and I am currently learning some of them (32 C minor and Eroica var. op. 35)...
...just curious...

[Dmitri_Shteinberg]

Quite interesting question; it seems like there is a pregression from the Baroque variations (32) to continuous variations (Eroica) and to that peculiar Beethvenian model, that links Op. 120 with Op. 106, 101 - a a huge piece that culmiantes with a fugue. So, there is a set for everybody's taste, especially if we include 3rd Symphony, 6th vln. sonata, Op. 111 and a couple of quartets.

[Diabolos]

I guess it's hard to make a choice, since B composed some very nice variations, but right now my favourites are the variations on a theme by diabelli, especially since you can compare these with other composer's works (remember, it was more than 20 composers who recieved his theme with a letter asking to write variations on by Diabelli).

Regards

[martin_s]

How interesting, I did not know of this thing with the twenty composers of Diabelli varaiations. Who were the others?? And is the music of any of the other peoples variation available from somewhere??

[Diabolos]

I have to ask my Professor about it, she had a really old book with some of these pieces in it; I wouldn't have believed this story myself, I suppose. But, since I read a Beethoven biography that also linked to that little 'Diabelli competition', there might be a possibility that at least some of these pieces are still available.

Regards

[Pianorak]

Schubert, Liszt, Czerny, Moscheles, Hummel, Tomaschek, Kalkbrenner and Franz Roser were among the 50 composers who submitted sets of variations.

[Diabolos]

Good job, pianorak; you just saved me some time. Thanx a lot  

[trunks]

Hey . . . the Variation on God Save the King/Queen! That is my National Anthem! Yes I am ethnic Chinese native to Hong Kong, but I was born while Hong Kong was still under under British sovereignty, thus a British National by birth.