Beethoven did not compose his Piano Concerto No. 4 for himself to perform; by 1806, after accepting his deafness, he focused on composing rather than being a virtuoso.
Composer Biography
Beethoven's five piano concertos were composed between 1795 and 1809, a period when he aimed to establish himself as a virtuoso pianist in Vienna.
Composition History
Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3, begun in 1800 and completed in 1802, marks his entry into maturity as a composer.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 shows a debt to Mozart's 27 piano concertos, and its opening theme connects to Mozart's Concerto No. 24 in C minor.
Compositional Technique
The first movement of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 begins with a funereal C minor motif, emerging from silence and generating the entire movement.
Composition History
At the 1803 premiere of his Concerto in C minor, Beethoven played the solo part mostly from memory because he hadn't had time to write everything down.
Compositional Technique
Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4, like his famous 'Emperor' Concerto, begins with a solo cadenza from the piano instead of the traditional orchestral introduction.
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Beethoven, L. van: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 and 3
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Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2
Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos.2 & 4
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15
Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 (Live)
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15
Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2
Beethoven, L. Van: Piano Concertos, Vol. 2 (Biret) - Nos. 3, 4
