Donald Macleod journeys through Beethoven's early career and the composition of his first piano concerto

Composer of the Week explores Beethoven the pianist and composer for the piano. He became renowned in his day both as a virtuoso performer at the keyboard, and for his ground-breaking works for the instrument. When first starting out on his musical career, he greatly admired Mozart for his piano works, particularly the concertos. Beethoven sought out the older composer for lessons, although these never took place. Similarly to Mozart's own career, Beethoven also made a name for himself initially not only as a composer, but as a pianist, and after Mozart's death was destined to take his place in Vienna as the leading composer there. From the outset, his works for the piano showed great skill and an independence of creative thought. In each programme this week, Donald Macleod explores one of Beethoven's five piano concertos, and the period in which it was written.

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Beethoven came from a musical family, and the learning of the keyboard was part of his education. From early on, not only did he prove himself to be an accomplished pianist, but it became apparent that he was also destined to be a composer as well. His father sought out various tutors for his son, and Beethoven soon began to delight the Electoral court in Cologne with performances at the keyboard and his early compositions such as the Nine Variations on a March by Dressler. Around the age of thirteen, Beethoven was making early attempts at writing concertos for the piano, including one in E flat. It wasn't until his early twenties that he'd complete what would be deemed his first piano concerto, Opus 19 in B flat major, although it was labelled as his second concerto in print, because of the order in which his early concertos were published.

Bagatelle, WoO59 (Für Elise)
Steven Osborne, piano

Prelude in C, Op 39 No 2
Hans-Ola Ericsson, organ

Nine Variations on a March by Dressler, WoO63
Ronald Brautigam, fortepiano

Piano Concerto in E flat major, WoO4 (Larghetto)
Ronald Brautigam, piano
Norrköping Symphony Orchestra
Andrew Parrott, conductor

Piano Concerto No 2 in B flat major, Op 19
Robert Levin, fortepiano
Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
John Eliot Gardiner, conductor

Producer Luke Whitlock. Show less