Search - Beethoven, Rubinstein, Robert Wagner :: Beethoven; Rubinstein

Beethoven began composing his fifth and final piano concerto in 1809. His deafness was increasing and he began to shy away from performing in public. That is why this was the only concerto that Beethoven did not premiere. Instead, he chose his pupil, Carl Czerny to perform his masterpiece in Vienna on 28th November 1811. It is often said that Beethoven wrote this work at a time when he had reached his height of genius. Composed in what is known to be Beethoven?s "middle period," the expansive form and symphonic character of this work embrace inspiring and heroic melodies, poetic and beautifully ornamented passages, all of which place considerable technical demands on the pianist. It is reported that a girl by the name of Maria Anna von Westholt was the inspiration for the Romance Cantabile. Beethoven was a friend of the Westholt family. Maria?s father was a competent bassoonist and her brother was a talented flautist. Beethoven carefully composed for these two instruments but lost interest in his composition after writing the slow movement, Romance Cantabile. The outer movements were never composed. Willy Hess, who Willy Hess compiled a catalogue of Beethoven?s works that were not published by Breitkopf and Haertel, put the finishing touches to the one and only movement to prepare it for a performance. Anton Rubinstein composed his Konzerstück towards the end of his life and is dated around 1889. It is a continuous 3-movement work and is rather peculiar in its instrumentation. It is not unlike a fantasy, in that it is one piece with pianistic intimacy with almost chamber music-like instrumentation contrasted by dense romantic expression. Rubinstein?s writing for the piano is spectacular And he explores the darkest depths of the instrument.