Beethoven Transformed, Volume 2

Featuring

Boxwood & Brass
Ludwig van Beethoven

Did you know?

1/7

Historical Context

The Harmonie, an ensemble of pairs of oboes, clarinets, horns, bassoons, and usually a double bass or contrabassoon, was a defining feature of Vienna's soundscape around 1800.

Interpretation

The arranger of the Sonata Pathétique made significant changes, including completely re-composing entire sections, adding new bars, and expanding middle textures with new counter-subjects and bass notes.

Compositional Technique

The Harmonie arrangements on this album often change the key relationships between movements to suit woodwind instruments, for example, transposing the first, second, and fourth movements of the Seventh Symphony down from A to G.

Interpretation

The arrangements of Beethoven's works on this album, published by Steiner's Chemische Druckerei, represent a highly ambitious undertaking and show nine-part Viennese Harmoniemusik in its most advanced stage.

Composition History

Beethoven's friend and publisher Sigmund Anton Steiner championed Harmoniemusik through his publishing house, the Chemische Druckerei, which used the new technique of lithography.

Composer's Artistic Vision

In the early 19th century, musicians believed their responsibility was to the spirit of a musical work, not its exact text, which explains the free interpretations in these arrangements.