From: music@moravian.edu (Steve Heller)
Subject: Re: Beethoven Sonata 32
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 92 11:00:33 EDT

In <5505@maserati.qsp.UUCP> danb@zx.qsp.UUCP (Daniel Benbenisty) writes:

>Beethoven's last piano sonata (32nd) has two movements, and the first 
>half of the second movement is a set of 6 variations on a theme.  The 
>last of these variations is what especially fascinates me, since it 
>resembles to me a heavily syncopated, fast-swingin' jazz number more 
>than anything else (except with B's compositional flair)!

Actually this is a set of theme and 5 variations, the 4th being
syncopated, the 5th extending to the end of the work. Op.111 has always
been one of my favorite piano works of all time, although it seems to
present difficulties that few can master, not as much technically as
interpretively. I've heard many recordings of it, of which only a
small number can I recommend (Brendel, Rosen are 2 that I DO admire)
and I've seen it trashed in concert. As for the syncopation of the 4th
variation, B. had been, and continued to be fascinated with the idea
as can be seen in some of the works from around and after the time he
wrote this sonata, most notably in the 9th symphony, the Grosse Fugue,
op.133, other late quartets and some bagatelles (and probably more).
But none seem to "capture the rapture" that op.111 does. As many
writers have commented, in this sonata Beethoven seems to have found
the peace of God. Others have compared the 2 highly contrasting movements
as "sansara - nirvana". The final variation is exquisite.

>I don't think that this style was reflected in the folk tunes of the era...
>I mean, I've never heard anything like this from this period (1820's)
>or any other period until late ragtime or early American Jazz...
>Beethoven of course was way ahead of his time, and almost singly drove 
>the music of his era to a new territory - but this is almost too cute!  
>Can anyone clue me in?  From what sources B might have derived inspiration, 
>or was this just a result of one of his original music forays?
>Also, does anyone have any records as to how this piece (or this style,
>if it existed as such) may have influenced later composers...

I've never seen any writings on B.'s inspiration behind this
particular piece. I may be wrong, but I feel that since he was so
deaf by this time, that he was probably working on "pure inspiration"
rather than being affected by the sounds around him, including folk
music. And it would be hard to say just who might have been directly
influenced by this particular excursion into syncopation. While it
appears to varying degrees in many composers works in the 19th
century, I know of none that seem to draw directly from these
examples. The syncopation that eventually reached ragtime and jazz
surely came more from African roots than Vienna or Bonn.

Since I've always been fascinated with this piece, and am not a
musicologist, I'm also interested in what other's have to say about
it.

Steve Heller
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