BEETHOVEN: Early Variations (3CD)

BEETHOVEN
The Complete Early Variations

CD1
1. 32 Variations in C minor
WoO80 on an original theme 11’43
2. 5 Variations in D WoO79
on ‘Rule Britannia’ 5’36
3. 7 Variations in D WoO78
on ‘God save the King’ 8’43
4. 6 Variations in G WoO77
on an original theme 7’27
5. 8 Variations in F WoO76
from Süssmayr’s theme ‘Tändeln und Scherzen’ 9’21
6. 7 Variations in F WoO75
from Winter’s opera ‘Das unterbrochene Opferfest’ 11’54
7. 6 Variations in D Woo74
on ‘Ich denke dein’ for piano four hands 5’05
Total time 59’53
Sonja Angelina Krenn soprano (7)
Alessandro Commellato fortepiano
Elena Costa fortepiano (7)
Fortepianos: J. Böhm 1823 (1, 7)
A.Walter c.1789 after Guido Bizzi (2, 3)
A.Walter c.1792 after Guido Bizzi (4)
Walter & Sohn c.1805 after Guido Bizzi (5, 6)

CD2
1. 10 Variation in B flat Woo73
on Salieri’s air ‘La stessa la stessissima’ 12’28
2. 8 Variations in C WoO72 on Grétry’s air ‘Un fievre brûlante’ 7’12
3. 12 Variations in A WoO71 on a Russian Dance from Wranitsky’s ballet Das Waldmädchen 12’20
4. 6 Variations in G WoO70
on Paisiello's air ‘Nel cor più non mi sento’ 5’45
5. 9 Variations in A WoO69 on Paisiello’s air ‘Quant’è più bello’ 6’07
6. 12 Variations in C WoO68
on the ‘Menuet à la Viganò’ from Haibel’s ballet Le nozze disturbate 14’41
Total time 58’39
Alessandro Commellato fortepiano
Fortepianos: Walter & Sohn c.1805 after Guido Bizzi (1, 4, 6)
A.Walter c.1792 after Guido Bizzi (2)
J. Böhm 1823 (3)
J.A. Stein c.1788 after Guido Bizzi (5)

CD3
1. 8 Variations in C WoO67
on a theme by Count Waldstein for piano four hands 8’58
2. 13 Variations in A WoO66
on Dittersdorf’s air ‘Es war einmal ein alter Mann’ 14’55
3. 24 Variations in D WoO65
on Righini’s air ‘Venni amore’ 23’29
4. 6 Easy Variations in F WoO64
on a Swiss air 2’57
5. 9 Variations in C minor WoO63
on a march by Dressler 12’41
Total time 63’05
Alessandro Commellato fortepiano
Elena Costa fortepiano (1)
Fortepianos: J. Böhm 1823 (1, 3)
J.A. Stein c.1788 after Guido Bizzi (2)
A.Walter c.1792 after Guido Bizzi (4)
A.Walter c.1789 after Guido Bizzi (5)
Recording: 8–10 July 2016 & 20–22 March 2017, Villa Bossi (Varese), Italy; by courtesy of Guido Bizzi