Description
Beethoven began working on the composition in 1819 and completed it in 1823. The work was published by Diabelli’s new publishing firm in 1824. It is without doubt one of his greatest achievements.
This masterpiece that without difficulty can stand next to any of Beethoven’s later works, or masterpieces like Bach’s Goldberg variations, was so original for its time that even Anton Diabelli must have been quite bewildered by what was possible with his rather simple, even may we say, banal theme. The work, like most of Beethoven’s compositions, such as his string quartets and piano sonatas, is a monumental addition to the solo piano variations repertoire.
Masterpianist Geoffrey Madge returns after lots of contemporary worldpremieres (fe Xenakis, Skalkottas, Krenek and the integral performances of the monumental Opus Clavicembalisticum by K. Sorabji, back to the classics: Beethoven’s Diabelli Variations!
