Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2 (Op. 19), though published first, was composed before No. 1 (Op. 15) and underwent four revisions between 1795 and 1800.
Compositional Technique
Beethoven revolutionized the piano concerto form; for example, the Fourth Concerto begins with the piano alone, and the Fifth opens with a cadenza-like passage.
Compositional Technique
Beethoven conceived his piano concertos with a deliberate progression of keys, starting with classical tonalities and moving to more dramatic and heroic ones.
Composer Biography
Beethoven's 'musical policy' involved testing his concertos in public concerts before publication, allowing him to balance composition with his improvisatory skills.
Compositional Technique
The orchestral scoring in Beethoven's piano concertos varies, with the timpani and trumpets playing increasingly prominent roles, especially in the later works.
Composition History
The Fifth Piano Concerto was composed during a period when Beethoven was conscious of his genius and freed from professional obligations by a pension from Viennese aristocrats.
Interpretation
Jean-François Heisser and the Orchestre de Chambre Nouvelle-Aquitaine recorded these concertos on modern instruments but with a historically informed approach, using authentic scores and researching period instruments.
