Beethoven's works for solo piano ä the sonatas variations and bagatelles ä and the five concertos for piano and orchestra stand at the heart of the repertory. ÊBeethoven's Piano Music: A Listener's GuideÊ by Victor Lederer will help the motivated reader understand this popular but often knotty music. The bulk of the text consists of a movement-by-movement analysis of the 32 sonatas fascinating for their individuality and for the way they trace the master's development.ÞÞIn addition to the sonatas Lederer also takes the reader through the most significant of the variations. The greatest is the ÊDiabelliÊ Beethoven's monumental takeoff on a trivial theme but three more sets the Ê32 Variations in C minorÊ the ÊVariations on an Original ThemeÊ Op. 34 and the Ê Eroica VariationsÊ Op. 35 are also of the highest quality. And the Bagatelles Opp. 33 119 and 126 are short but strong studies that display different aspects of Beethoven's musical personality. Finally Lederer discusses the five piano concertos in detail showing the influence of the sublime models of Mozart in the first three concertos with Beethoven boldly finding his own voice with the beloved Fourth and Fifth Concertos. The book comes with a Naxos CD containing performances by pianist Jenê Jandì that illustrate the text.
