Volume 12 - Issue 67
/ July 2023
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2023.67.07.30
How to Cite:
Mizitova, A., Sediuk, I., Kopeliuk, O., Cherednychenko, O., & Pidporinova, K. (2023). The four-hand ensembles by Ludwig van
Beethoven: search and gain. Amazonia Investiga, 12(67), 337-351. https://doi.org/10.34069/AI/2023.67.07.30
The four-hand ensembles by Ludwig van Beethoven: search and gain
Los conjuntos a cuatro manos de Ludwig van Beethoven: búsqueda y ganancia
Received: June 19, 2023 Accepted: July 23, 2023
Written by:
Adilya Mizitova1
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7859-0870
Ihor Sediuk2
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4038-5211
Oleh Kopeliuk3
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0428-1538
Olga Cherednychenko4
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8464-1742
Kateryna Pidporinova5
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2217-9286
Abstract
The original four-hand ensembles by L. Beethoven
have not received the proper attention of scientists.
The aim of the study is to evaluate the composer’s
gain from the standpoint of the searches for new
sonority and timbre variety. This approach reveals
the process of the mutual influence of the two-hand
and four-hand compositions in his piano heritage.
The main method was musical analysis, using
which Beethoven's notes and scores were
examined, and their structure was investigated on
the basis of analysis and synthesis. The principles
of abstraction, specification and generalization are
also used. The result is the semantization of the
developed techniques, the modelling of various
figurative-playing situations in the march genre, the
variety of characteristic means as the ways of
varying song melodies, the combination in the
variation cycle of the features of amateur music-
making and concert style. In conclusions it is
shown, that assimilation of the experience
accumulated in the four-hand literature and new
capabilities of the instrument laid the foundation for
a new type of composer thinking. As the example
1
Ph.D. in musicology, Associate Professor, Full Professor at the Department of Ukrainian and Foreign Music History, Performance
and Musicology Faculty, Kharkiv I. P. Kotlyarevsky National University of Arts, Kharkiv, Ukraine. Researcher ID:
AAL-1819-2021.
2
Ph.D. in musicology, Associate Professor, Associate Professor at the Special Piano Department, Performance and Musicology
Faculty, Kharkiv I. P. Kotlyarevsky National University of Arts, Kharkiv, Ukraine. Researcher ID: HTP-1840-2023.
3
Ph.D. in musicology, Associate Professor Vice-Rector for Scientific and Pedagogical Work and International Relations, Associate
Professor at the Special Piano Department, Performance and Musicology Faculty, Kharkiv I. P. Kotlyarevsky National University of
Arts, Kharkiv, Ukraine. Researcher ID: HJA-4914-2022.
4
Ph.D. in musicology, Lecturer at the Special Piano Department, Performance and Musicology Faculty, Kharkiv I. P. Kotlyarevsky
National University of Arts, Kharkiv, Ukraine. Researcher ID: IUQ - 7581-2023.
5
Ph.D. in musicology, Associate Professor, Associate Professor at the Piano Accompaniment Department, Performance and
Musicology Faculty, Kharkiv I. P. Kotlyarevsky National University of Arts, Kharkiv, Ukraine. Researcher ID: HTO-2327-2023.
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Variations on the Theme of Beethoven for two
pianos by C. Saint-Saens are considered.
Keywords: Ludwig van Beethoven, four-hand
piano ensemble, march, variations.
Introduction
Research Problem
Many composers, regardless of the genre in
which they work, find inspiration in his creativity
and stylistic solutions. Elements of the great
master’s music can be heard in various genres,
from classical and romantic music to rock, jazz
and modern electronic music. Beethoven's music
overcomes language and cultural barriers. It has
a certain universal power of communication,
which is able to connect people regardless of
their political views, nationality, religion, social
status, and ethical beliefs. Beethoven's works
have stood the test of time and continue to amaze
listeners around the world even centuries after
they were written. Beethoven’s music is imbued
with expressiveness and saturated with powerful
emotions (Rücker, 2002; Telesko et al., 2020).
His works reflect a wide range of emotions,
including joy, sadness, pity, ecstasy and heroism.
They create a deep emotional impression that can
move the listener and cause reflection. It is
difficult to imagine the history of musical art
without Beethoven's work.
At the same time, not all information about this
famous composer has been fully investigated.
Certain elements of his creative legacy also need
to be rethought, as ideas about music are
permanently transformed, so the knowledge
about their compositions and works in general
also changes. Beethoven’s work is no exception
to this process. If the world-famous works of the
master are under the constant attention of
researchers, then less well-known achievements
require increased attention.
Research Focus
Therefore, the main focus of the study is on the
analysis of the key features of the ensemble of
four hands created by L. van Beethoven. Ludwig
van Beethoven worked on the border of two
centuries (1770-1827), this influenced the fact
that the features of two eras - classicism and
romanticism - were embodied in his work
(Burnham, 1995). It is believed that it was in his
work that the classical sonata type fully realized
its potential and influenced the emergence of a
new romantic style. The works created by the
composer, considered only in the aspect of the
development of the technique of four-hand
playing, do not allow an unambiguous answer to
the question: was it a tribute to fashion or playing
4 hands on one instrument revealed to the
composer the timbre-register secrets of the new,
in comparison with the harpsichord, instrument?
Aim and Research Questions
Therefore, taking into account the importance of
studying the creative heritage of Ludwig van
Beethoven, the aim of the article is to analyze
Beethoven’s works intended for performance in
four hands, to determine his creative searches
and the results formed as a result of writing these
compositions.
Accordingly, the main research questions are:
1. Characterization of the theoretical
foundations of research, analysis of
scientific literature.
2. Analysis of compositions in four hands by L.
van Beethoven.
3. Description of his main innovations in
musical art through a historical perspective.
Theoretical Framework or Literature Review
The life and work of Ludwig van Beethoven
(1770–1827) as a special cultural phenomenon
continues to stimulate research thought.
Scientists investigate the composer's life path,
the features of the author's style, which give a
special energy charge to his musical ideas
(Greenfield et al., 1965). In particular, Geck
(2017) characterized the features of the
composer's formation, the change in his stylistic
characteristics, and the evolution of his creative
heritage. about the creative and life path of the
famous composer is presented in the work of
Caeyers (2020). At the same time, Clarke et al.
(2015) described the complex issues of musical
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empathy against the background of cross-cultural
contacts. Bank (2020) identified key aspects of
the formation of European musical art. Garrison
(2019) characterized key motifs in Western
music. In a collective monograph, Raposo et al.,
(2020) explored major trends in music and art.
Against the background of the grandiose designs
of large-scale sonatas and variation cycles for
solo piano, the four-hand ensemble occupies a
modest place. This gave Kesselschläger (1941) a
reason to write about Beethoven's lack of interest
in the genre, discoveries of new ways of
development in the four-hand presentation and
style. Stoelzel (1984) brief mention of Sonata in
D major op. 6 by Beethoven in the context of a
detailed presentation of the features of four-hand
sonatas by Muzio Clementi (1752–1832) is
indicative. The musicologist notes the similarity
of episode C in the Andante of the 2nd movement
of Sonata E flat major op. 3 by the Italian
composer and the episode in d-moll in Rondo of
Beethoven's Sonata. If Clementi appears in it as
a piano virtuoso, ahead of his time, Beethoven,
with such a texture, does not reach a large scale
(Stoelzel, 1984). The temporal distance
separating the two research works did not affect
the perception of Beethoven's piano ensembles
by researchers. At the same time, Stoelzel (1991)
analyzed Mozart’s last four-handed Sonata in C
major KV 521, completed in Vienna.
On the other hand, the modern researcher
Lockwood (2012) created a detailed picture of
the life and work of the great composer,
described Beethoven's musical development and
paid considerable attention to the historical,
political and cultural background. Each new
chapter in his work begins with a concise
analysis of the most important biographical
events that influenced the composer's
development. Some other biographical data is
described in the study of Bernhardt (2021). The
influence of romanticism on musical art was
characterized by Rummenhöller (1995). At the
same time, modern researcher Jan (2022)
analyzed the evolution of individual musical
styles. Suvorov et al. (2022) researched the main
features of training future musicians. Some
casual reminiscences of famous musicians were
described by Goodhart (1936). Jones (2014)
described the evolution of the Viennese school of
composers.
In the study of De Luca et al. (2019), the
relationship between traditional musical art and
modern art is traced. Şahin (2013) researched the
music Entertainment culture Scripp & Gilbert
(2019) characterized the problem of human
becoming through music. Newmark (2009) and
Sedivy (2021) investigated the health problems
of L. van Beethoven, characterized how certain
diseases affected his life and work. A similar
problem is also described in works by
Kauffman-Ortega & Valdovinos-Díaz (2020)
and Camargo & Bronzini (2015).
Kemner (n.d.) studied the work “Drei Equale” of
L. van Beethoven. Rehfeldt et al. (2021) believe
that the development of Beethoven's music was
characterized by a set of products that "arising
from a series of interconnected circumstances
that created a high demand for his music" (p. 69).
The analysis of these researchers revealed two
levels of relational processes in the selection of
Beethoven's music:
1. the relational repertoire “which allowed
Beethoven to compose masterpieces when
he was completely deaf” (Rehfeldt et al.,
2021, p. 69).
2. the symbolic role of his works in promoting
freedom and democratic values in various
societies (Rehfeldt et al., 2021).
Methodology
The research was implemented in several stages.
At the first, an analysis of the literature was
carried out, the main achievements of modern
scientists were characterized. At the second
stage, a thorough analysis of Ludwig van
Beethoven's compositions was carried out. At the
last one, the summary was carried out.
An important role in the research methodology is
played by a systematic review of the theoretical
literature base related to the topic. The research
uses musical analysis, based on which notes and
scores of L. van Beethoven’s musical works are
considered. Their structure, features of the
melody and other important musical elements
were studied with the help of analysis and
synthesis. On the basis of contextual analysis, the
connection of L. van Beethoven's ensembles with
his other works, musical traditions of that period
is traced. Separately, the principles of
abstraction, specification and generalization
were used in the study.
Results and Discussion
Sonata D-dur op. 6 in the context of the
established tradition
In the four-hand Sonata D-dur op. 6 by
Beethoven, many of the traditional methods of
ensemble playing reveal their figurative and
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drama function, causing a train of analogies both
with the compositions of the composer himself
and those of his predecessors. The two-
movement cycle is built on the contrast of the
actively-volitional Allegro molto (1st movement,
miniature sonata form) and the lyrically-graceful
Moderato (2nd movement, Rondo). The quasi-
triplet rhythm formula of the theme of the main
part is perceived by musicologists as a harbinger
of the famous leading intonation of the Fifth
Symphony. And at the same time none of the
researchers notes the composer’s reinterpretation
of the initial unison. This kind of “inception” at
the forte in a four-hand ensemble was
characteristic of similar sonatas by Mozart,
which distinguished them among the opuses of
contemporaries. If unison during the
development of the technique of ensemble
playing turned out to be an important way of
“tuning” the ensemble members for joint music-
making, in Beethoven’s Sonata it became a
means of expressing the general idea of Allegro
molto. The first sentence of the main part
contains an internal contrast, lining up on the
principle of “question – answer”. It is important
to note the dialogical structure of the second half
of the sentence. This kind of “personification” of
thematism, on the one hand, explains the absence
of contrasting lyrical imagery in the sphere of the
side part, on the other hand, it stretches threads to
the composer’s two-hand works (see Figure 1).
Figure 1. L. Beethoven. Sonata D-dur op. 6. 1st movement (bars 1–12).
Source: Beethoven (1952)
The opening octave unisons of the main part,
which are expressing the energetically charged
active imagery of the movement, will be further
developed by Beethoven in the subsequent
sonata opuses for solo piano (the main parts of
the 1st movements of sonatas D-dur ор. 10 No.
3, С-dur op. 53, f-moll ор. 57 “Appassionata”).
The composer uses full-sounding chords and
octave doublings in his solo sonatas not only
embody powerful, authoritative or solemn
images, but also lyrical ones. Consider, for
instance, the type of texture in the main theme of
the 2nd movement of Sonata E-dur op. 14 No. 1.
It resembles four-hand literature projected onto
two staffs (see Figure 2).
Figure 2. L. Beethoven. Piano sonata op. 14 No. 1. 2nd movement (bars 1–8).
Source: Beethoven (1952)
The roots of this phenomenon go back to the
recent past, when, two-hand works could be
performed in four hands, as well as those created
for two claviers – on one instrument (this was
reflected in the subtitles of the works). However,
among the fundamental elements of the work
Stoelze (1984) mentions doubling, leading the
melody, and counterpoint which reflected the
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typical properties of playing on one instrument.
Beethoven avoids this kind of typed texture
formulas in Sonata op. 6. He plays with the
timbre roll-calls of two parts to create a surround
sound. There is a parallel with Sonata f-moll
ор. 2 No. 1 written between 1793 and 1795. In it
the theme of the main part is presented in the
timbre opposition of high and low registers, an
active energetic ascending movement and softer,
“feminine” motives, accompanied by a
characteristic chord rhythm formula, which,
owing to the lack of a strong beat of the measure,
takes the form of an enlarged triplet. Beethoven’s
approbation of the new imagery and means of
expression in the solo sonata influenced the
interpretation of the sonata form of the four-hand
opus, making it possible to reduce what was
found to structural and semantic formulas and
shift the emphasis to the development to enhance
the drama element. In turn, the practice of four-
hand music-making opened the way to timbre
diversity, sound density, brightness of register
contrasts in the designs of sonatas for solo piano,
with all the imperfection of instruments of that
time.
Rondo of the 2nd movement reveals an influence
of Mozart’s style. This is indicated by the
dominance of melodic principle, which in the
theme of the refrain resembles the stylistics of
lyrical heroines of the operas of the Austrian
Maestro, transparency of texture, predominance
of soft quiet dynamics, only occasionally
enhanced by the movement of more extended
rhythmic groups, the presence of a quasi-
improvisational ligament before the last
performance of the refrain (Cooper, 2000). Some
of the motive formations of the 1st episode (d-
moll) are marked by ambivalent properties. The
off-beat octave moves to the top-source,
accentuated by sf and a longer duration, evokes
memories of dramatic exclamations from the
middle section of the 2nd movement of the four-
hand Sonata C-dur (KV 521), the quivering
lyrics of the main part of the soloist of the 1st
movement of Piano Concerto d-moll No. 20
(KV 466); the gracefulness of the subsequent
dotted motives give this music a danceable
character. If Beethoven’s beginning in the 1st
movement of Sonata op. 6 is easily recognizable
owing to the “rhythm of fate”, then in Rondo the
bearers of the author’s individuality are
numerous sforzando, including weak beats of the
bar in the bass line of the Secondo part (the 1st
episode), solemn dotted figure of the “precursor”
to the octave bass, which creates a figurative
contrast to the roundedness of the similar figure
in Primo part. Beethoven’s orchestral thinking
proves itself in this, as the iambic motive in the
bass is perceived in the phonics of the trumpet,
the doubled melody in Primo is associated with
the sound of flutes or violins, while the triplet
figurations in the Secondo right-hand part can be
colored with a string group or a harp. Beethoven
makes extensive use of double octaves in the
bass, thereby generating an additional contrast
between the refrain and episodes. The four-hand
presentation of Rondo eliminates such
weaknesses of the still imperfect piano as
insufficient keyboard volume. This kind of
problem, as evidenced by the second episode of
Rondo, is easily resolved in the context of
ensemble music-making, as the expanded
passage in the Primo’s right hand part grows out
of an imitative dialogue of similar motives
transmitted from part to part (see Figure 3).
Figure 3. L. Beethoven. Sonata D-dur op.6. 3rd movement (bars 60–67).
Source: Beethoven (1952)
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At the compositional level, this cadence
construction performs the function of a ligament-
transition to the last refrain. Thus, the ability to
fill the entire volume of the keyboard when
playing four hands using the achievements of the
pianistic technique of that time gave Beethoven
an understanding of the piano universalism and
the role of timbre-register and textured means in
the drama process.
Dialogue with the experience of musical
culture in variation cycles
The creation of the Sonata in Four Hands was
preceded by Variations on the Theme of Count
von Waldstein C-dur (WoO 67; 1791/92), often
called as 8 Variations on the Theme of Count von
Waldstein. Beethoven inherits the developed
patterns, although he is not limited to the tight
framework of the rules, supplementing the cycle
with an expanded ending. Several tempo changes
affect the musical imagery, which gives this
section an independent meaning (here for the first
time the composer changes the metro-rhythm
from 4/4 to 6/8).
The cycle is based on the theme (Andante con
moto), striking in its ingenuousness and
intonations naivety. The simplicity of its tunes
evokes associations with the thematism of some
of Mozart’s variation cycles. Suffice it to
mention 9 Variations on the Theme of “Lison
Dormait” by N. Desede C-dur (KV 264), 12
Variations on the Theme of “Ah vous dirai-je,
Maman” C-dur (KV 265), 10 Variations on the
Theme of the Arietta “Unser dummer Рöbel
meint” G-dur (KV 455), 6 Variations on the
Theme of “Stadler Quintett” A-dur (KV 581).
Considering the fact that the 2nd half of the 18th
century retains a connection with musical
rhetoric, the intonation fund of which was the
vocabulary of the era, this kind of coincidence
can hardly be attributed to stylization or
imitation. The non-squareness of the original
material (14 bars) forms a simple three-
movement form with the middle contrasting in
the mode scale, which anticipates the minor
Adagio (var. VIII). The play of chiaroscuro
(major-minor) gives the music a special
plasticity, as if conveying the change of the
participants of the dance performance. The said
is confirmed by the brevity of motives in
accordance with the repetition and change of
choreographic “pas”. This principle is
maintained in the subsequent variations. In
contrast to the theme where Primo part takes the
leading position, they open up broad possibilities
for four-hand presentation. In the playful 1st
variation, the contrast is intensified owing to the
timbre recolouring of the varied initial motive of
the minor middle. Placed in the great octave,
against the background of sustained chords, it
introduces elements of alertness into this light
music. Beethoven enhances the ludic element of
this music by shifting the phrasing accents in
both parts. In combination with the lace of triplet
figurations in the upper register of Primo, they
create an additional counterpoint line that
destroys the mechanistic nature of the given
movement (see Figure 4).
Figure 4. L. Beethoven. Variations on a Theme by Count von Waldstein. Var. 1 (bars 7–11).
Source: Beethoven (1952)
The technique of variation under the conditions
of four-hand presentation allows the author to
differentiate the timbre space, the role function of
the playing voices, to reveal the tendency to
expand the register palette. If we recall that the
sounds h–c formed a kind of “border” between
the two parts, then Beethoven is guided by the
desire to fill the entire volume of the keyboard as
much as possible: the Secondo left-hand part is
mostly in the big octave. The change in sound
resources, the activation of the passage
movement is supported by the dynamics of
fortissimo, sforzando, the polarization of
dynamic comparisons. The promotion of
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Secondo as the soloist is presented in a new way.
The organic integration of his passages into the
overall sound volume does not create register
switches so characteristic of alternating playing
of the ensemble members. The swift music of this
variation is perceived as a single stream,
stylistically recalling the motor skills of the etude
genre (See Figure 5).
Figure 5. L. Beethoven. Variations on a Theme by Count von Waldstein. Var. 2 (bars 1–4).
Source: Beethoven (1952)
L. van Beethoven thinks like an experienced
strategist, enhancing the contrast between
variations at the expense of the ensemble’s
capabilities. In particular, in the 3rd variation, he
brings Secondo part to the fore. It occupies the
register space, traditional for two-hand literature,
and sets out all the main thematism. Against this
background, Primo part is entrusted with short
motives in the high register, with the left hand
being engaged only in the minor middle at the
moment of pauses in Secondo part. This kind of
ornamentation of a variable theme testifies to
Beethoven’s orchestral performances, to his
mastery of all the piano timbre colours. In each
subsequent variation the composer enhances the
contrast, using dynamics, registration, rhythm,
reception of dialogical roll calls, alternating
playing, etc. Owing to this, some variations
acquire the features of a song without words
(var. III), a grotesque march (var. IV), a
sparkling etude (var. VI), and a love-flirtatious
duet of the heroes of the buffa opera (var. VII).
This music seems to appeal to the practice of
dance and choreographic action, allowing going
beyond the prevailing standards of the genre and
enrich it with the elements of theatrical character.
The inclusion into the 7th variation of Adagio
(6/8), written out in brevier, which is perceived
as a kind of vocal “cadence” in the opera scene,
is indicative (See Figure 6).
Figure 6. Beethoven. Variations on a Theme by Count von Waldstein. Var. 7 (bars 11–15)
Source: Beethoven (1952)
The variety of genre analogies in Variations on
the Theme of Count von Waldstein is
complemented by an improvisational statement
in Primo part at the end of the minor, 8th,
variation. Anticipating the appearance of the
final Allegro, it refers to the practice of fantasies
where such transitions-ligaments reinforced the
contrast between the sections of the composition.
At the same time, the free attitude to the integrity
of the variation, the interruption of the musical
process, based on dramaturgic goals, can be
regarded as the first step towards the liberation of
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the thinking of the composer, the creator of future
Sonatas d-moll ор. 31 No. 2, As-dur ор. 110. The
large-scale completion of the variation cycle
summarizes the key thematic ideas and
techniques of ensemble playing. This is
evidenced by the further transformation of the
theme in the dance rhythm of 6/8, the end of the
sections at expressive fermatas, the invasion of
two Adagio with the alternate promotion of each
of the players to the fore, and, finally, the bright
Presto, in which the juicy phonics of Secondo
part confirms the theme, while Primo part
enriches the sound with ringing, trill-like
figurations in the high register.
L. van Beethoven thinks 6 Variations D-dur
(WoO 74; 1779, 1803–1804) in a different way.
They are distinguished by the presentation of the
theme as a vocal model to the words of Johann
Wolfgang von Goethe Ich denke dein (See Figure
7).
Figure 7. L. Beethoven. 6 Variations on “Ich denke dein”. Theme.
Source: Beethoven (1952)
The concept of the variations and their design are
clearly focused on the performance in a close
home circle. The vocal melody does not exceed
the range of one and a half octaves, its 2
sentences include a series of short motives. Their
descending intonations express the sincerity of
the lyrical statement; brevity of the structure
takes into account the possibilities of an
unprofessional vocalist. The 6 variations with
coda at small scales allow demonstrating the
pianistic skills of the ensemble members. The
cycle is built on the principle of contrast, contains
2 slow variations (the 3rd – D-dur, the 5th – d-
moll), which fully correspond to the character of
Andantino cantabile song. The other variations
are distinguished by mobile tempo, active
movement, and cheerful mood. Beethoven’s
orientation toward didactic literature is
evidenced by the inclusion of the most typified
techniques by which one can show the results
achieved in learning to play the piano. It gives
rise to equal rights for the ensemble members
who take turns to demonstrate their skills
(Rumph, 2004). At the same time the series of
variations created by Beethoven goes far beyond
the educational pieces. The composer skilfully
uses features of different genres to personalize
each of the variations. For example, Primo and
Secondo compete in passages of “etudes”
(variations I and II, respectively); in the last of
them, in Primo part a new stylistic element
appears, associated with scherzo imagery; the
appearance of the 4th variation is distinguished
by imitation technique, and the dialogical change
of the thematic initiative in a miniature form
gives this variation a special dynamism (See
Figure 8).
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Figure 8. L. Beethoven. 6 Variations on “Ich denke dein”. Var. 4 (bars 1–8)
Source: Beethoven (1976)
This technique intensifies the switch to a
different emotional state: the minor, 5th,
variation, sounding against the background of a
pulsating chord accompaniment, brings a
dramatic element into this cycle. A peculiar
counterpair to it is the high lyrics of the 3rd
variation, sustained in the spirit of the
instrumental Adagio of the high baroque and
early classicism era (Ott, 2019). The
predominance of individualized thematism in
each of the parts, the variability in the conduct of
short but expressive phrases, and register
matching strengthen the timbre associations. The
composer’s maturity can be judged at the end of
the variation cycle, in which all the most
characteristic figurative-emotional complexes
and playing techniques are summed up.
Play modus of the march genre in Beethoven’s
four-hand ensembles
Beethoven’s legacy contains samples testifying
to their orientation towards the amateur
environment. Three Marches op. 45 – C-dur, Es-
dur, D-dur, written in 1802–1803 are prime
examples. The significance of the compositions
of other genres written by this time confirms
Beethoven’s mastery. Against this background,
the four-hand marches show his connection with
pedagogical practice; also, they show the creator
of serious concepts “playing” with a widespread
genre. Beethoven most accurately adheres to the
genre characteristics in the March C-dur: the
dominance of fanfare dotted turns, chanted
repetition, and the power of chord sonority.
Although in the middle of the 1st movement of a
complex three-movement form, a melodic phrase
of a lyrical nature, softened by minor colouring,
homophonic-harmonic texture, and the piano
dynamics, appears (See Figure 9).
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Figure 9. L. Beethoven. March C-dur (bars 9–12).
Source: Beethoven (1976)
The lyrical message is picked up in Trio,
characterized by sparse texture, three-layer
presentation (bass voice – triplet accompaniment
– expressive melody), and the transfer of the
thematic initiative from Primo to Secondo (See
Figure 10-11).
Figure 10. L. Beethoven. March C-dur. Trio (bars 1 4).
Source: Beethoven (1976)
Figure 11. L. Beethoven. March C-dur. Trio (bars 9-12 ).
Source: Beethoven (1976)
The four-hand ensemble allows Beethoven to fill
the entire register space at the perfect alignment
of the sonic balance. Despite the islets of lyrics,
March C-dur leaves an impression of bright,
fanfare, victorious music.
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The genre metamorphosis is palpable in the
March Es-dur, maintaining the two-beat time,
dotted figures, and dense chords. A large number
of figurations, repetition, lengthy rehearsals,
brevity of motives with the avoidance of a strong
beat, syncope, and a stroke of staccato bring the
features of a scherzo to this music (See Figure
12).
Figure 12. L. Beethoven. March Es-dur (bars 1–12).
Source: Beethoven (1976)
These kinds of genre mixes were characteristic of
the minuets in Mozart’s late symphonies, which
deviated from the dance prototype. It is also
facilitated by the tempo shift – Vivace. The
variety of timbre-stroke palette evokes parallels
with the playing of a symphony orchestra. The
intended trend towards the genre transformation
is continued in the March D-dur. The composer
sharpens the dotted rhythm formula,
emphasizing the pivot beats of the sforzando
measures and the unison tutti characteristic of the
beginning. The similar thematism will be
presented alternately in the parts of ensemble
members, which enhances the atmosphere of
competition. The presence of a triplet movement,
passages, turns with a trill, a lively tempo of
Vivace smooth the march nature, while
endowing this music with buffoon features (See
Figure 13). Thus, the march is conceived by the
composer both within the boundaries of typical
formulas and as the expression of the
characteristic sphere. This is especially evident in
comparison with the funeral march in the Piano
Sonata As-dur op. 26 (3rd movement).
Figure 13. L. Beethoven. March D-dur (bars 1–6).
Source: Beethoven (1976)
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Beethoven’s discoveries in a historical
perspective
The composer’s four-hand ensembles, seemingly
not claiming to be discoveries in the field of
ensemble playing, contain a scattering of finds
that are recognized in the compositions of a later
time. We should name the technique of genre
variation, a variety of stylistic elements, all-
encompassing of registers, semantization of
timbres, brightness of contrasts within small
scales, absolute equality of instrumental parts,
their virtuosity, intricate skill in transforming
tunes that are simple in melody and structure.
One of the examples of the inheritance of this
tradition can be Variations on the Theme of
Beethoven for two pianos Es-dur op. 35 (1874)
by C. Saint-Saens (Saint-Saens, 2013). Two
instruments fill the textured-register density
characteristic of Beethoven’s ensembles with a
full sounding. For his composition the French
composer chooses the flirtatious and graceful
theme of the Trio minuet from Piano Sonata Es-
dur op. 31 No. 3. It is marked by the brevity of
question-and-answer motives, built on the
principle of opposing declamatory exclamations
with long durations and light lyric-dance melodic
turns. Neither Beethoven’s scale nor the tone
seriousness of the statement is guessed in the
theme, on the contrary, the thematism is
surprisingly simple and somewhat naive. The
two-piano presentation does not violate
Beethoven’s original, since Saint-Saens follows
the path of distributing individual lines by parts.
But the composer exposes a personalized
“monogram” in the introductory section, where
the energetic octave motives in Piano I part are
answered twice by the ascending arpeggios with
a stop at the upper sound in Piano II part,
perceived as an allusion to the beginning of
Sonata d-moll op. 31 No. 2 (See Figure 14).
Figure 14. C. Saint-Saëns. Variations on a Theme of Beethoven op. 35 (bars 1–8).
Source: Beethoven (1976)
This kind of reminder will appear before the
grandiose fugue of the 9th variation (Allegro).
The inclusion of the introductory material into
the process of transforming the original material
becomes a watershed between a series of
characteristic variations and a large-scale
completion, in which the fugue is complemented
by toccata Presto with a reminiscence of one of
the motives of Beethoven’s Trio and the
modified arpeggio of the introduction.
Saint-Saens (2013) is far from reconstructing
Beethoven’s achievements. He is the son of his
time, so he uses the wealth accumulated by the
European piano school. From this view, the
Variations generate a wide field of associations.
For example, the 4th variation (Molto allegro)
with its chord presentation, repetitions, quasi-
martellato is perceived as a tribute to the pianism
of F. Liszt; the 6th variation (Presto
leggierissimo), “cut” into short fragments,
reminds one of Etude c-moll op. 25 No. 12 by
F. Chopin; the 7th variation (Alla mаrcia
funebre) appears as an ominously sarcastic
modus of tragic music from Chopin’s Sonata b-
moll (in 1907 Saint-Saens transcribed this sonata
for two pianos); the 1st variation (Allegro) brings
to mind the sparkling pianism of C. M. Weber,
and the unfolded powerful fugue of the 9th
variation serves as a sign of admiration for the
genius of Beethoven, the philosophical concepts
of his later sonatas (Eberler, 1923). As if in
continuation of Beethoven’s inventio in this
genre, Saint-Saens (2013) uses the polyphonic
technique of inversion at a distance, thus creating
a pairing within the cycle. For example, if we
compare the presentation of the theme (Tempo di
Menuetto) and the 3rd variation (Tempo del
Tema), they are close in terms of texture, but also
perceived as a mirror image of each other. This
impression arises due to the change of the
ascending movement of chord lines and
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melodious turns in both parts for the descending
one. The simplicity of the resources of variation
used by Saint-Saens underlines the composer’s
wish to reveal the ludic nature of the piano
ensemble, which creates additional connection
with Beethoven’s four-hand duets.
The score of Variations on the Theme of
Beethoven by Saint-Saens (2013) from the
standpoint of today is a kind of anthology of the
19th century piano styles. After the pearly 16th
in the spirit of Weber (var. I) there is an excited,
soulful lyrics of “Mendelssohn” song without
words (var. II; Poco meno mosso). In it the
material in both parts is almost completely
identical, only being played with the help of the
tessitura. To fill in all the registers, the French
composer uses both the technique of an
imaginary intersection of voices, by dividing the
parts into a melody and accompaniment
thickened by duplication, and the motivic roll-
calls distant in the registers. The transparency of
the ornamental style of the 5th variation
(Moderato assai) unexpectedly plunges into the
atmosphere of French harpsichordists’ music,
while recalling the exquisite, sophisticated
design of instruments of the Rococo period,
Antoine Watteau’s “gallant festivities”, and the
dance divertissements at the court of French
kings. The emerging echo of a distant era among
allusions to pianism of generally recognized
values in European art becomes a sign of worship
for the achievements of national culture. The 8th
variation stands apart in the cycle; it does not
evoke any specific stylistic analogies. No
coincidence that it is deprived of the author’s
tempo designations, clear intonation connections
with the theme. Its textured relief is distinguished
by an ostinato-sustained, monotonous figuration
in hollow basses, creating a feeling of a hidden
rumble, and interval-chord “spots” scattered
throughout the keyboard. The contours of the
borrowed original are guessed only in the picture
of alternating sound points. The glamor variation
is the smallest in the cycle; in comparison with
the theme, it turns out to be its flip side: the
gallantry of the dancing leaps and the softness of
reciprocal bows seem to hypertrophy, while
embodying the picture of the universal
movement. It is seen as an indirect reflection of
Schumann’s ambivalence, carnival nature idea.
The figurative and stylistic metamorphoses of
Beethoven’s Trio in the Variations of Saint-
Saens (2013) determined the technical
complexity of the composition. They are
connected not only with the requirement of the
perfect equipment of the playing apparatus of
both pianists. It is about the highest degree of
ensemble interaction, which provides the illusion
of two-hand playing when transferring short
pulsating chord groups, passages, arpeggios at a
fast tempo from part to part at the shortest time
distances. The search for the sound balance is no
less difficult in conditions of melodic-textured
unity, when the duplicate parts of Piano I and
Piano II are located in a dense register space. The
opposite pole is made by the imitation technique
of the fugue, which requires a clear vocalization
of all conductions of the theme as well as the
achievement of a bright climax with the relief of
each of the voices. In turn, the final 10th
variation, serving as the finale, opposes the
dominance of linearity to the toccata nature of
interval-chord structures. Their assertiveness at
Presto tempo, dialogical lines, and the placement
of the parts to the extreme points of the keyboard
are designed for the instrumentalists’ fluency in
chord technique.
Conclusions
The depth of thought and strength of mind,
strong-willed message and heartfelt lyrics,
tragedy and light – these are the unity and
struggle of opposites that determine the essence
and nerve of Beethoven’s music. It is his portrait
in the light of his innovative transformations in
almost all areas of musical art. The enthusiastic
perception of the things created by Beethoven-
innovator for a long time left the music written
on orders for home as a sign of a friendly
affection without due attention. Not
distinguished by obvious prophecies, the works
of this kind bear the imprint of a great talent
hidden behind the modesty of their volumes and
design.
The figurative content of Sonata op. 6, the
brightness of contrasts, the presence of intonation
details, a variety of ensemble playing techniques
at small scales of form require the performers to
have a subtle understanding of the nature of this
music. Variations on the Theme of Count von
Waldstein C-dur seem to inherit the aesthetics of
“deception” of the Baroque era. The figurative
and stylistic metamorphoses of Beethoven’s Trio
theme determined the technical complexity of the
work. In addition to the development of the
playing apparatus of both pianists, a high degree
of ensemble interaction is required when
switching to other genre conditions or
distributing thematism along the parts at a fast
tempo. Rapid change in stylistics stimulates the
emergence of contrasting figurative and semantic
complexes dynamizing the musical process. The
accumulated energy finds a way out in the
grandiose final Allegro, marked by bright concert
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features. On closer inspection, the apparent
simplicity of 6 Variations D-dur hides significant
technical difficulties. The virtuosity of this cycle
presupposes the developed fine technique of both
partners, the consistency in the joint performance
of trills, the search for the sound balance not only
in the “relief – background” ratio, but also in the
timbre-register colouring of individual motives.
The composer sees the march as a field for the
genre experiment and the realization of all the
possibilities of a four-hand presentation with its
motive comparisons, poly-stylistic complexes,
timbre-register effects, and textured-dynamic
contrasts within small limits. Despite
musicologists’ lack of interest in Beethoven’s
four-hand piano works, they have long gone
beyond the classroom and entered the repertoire
of the concert piano duets.
More than half a century separates the four-hand
ensembles of Beethoven and the Variations for
two pianos by Saint-Saens. Much of what
Beethoven found was refracted in the brilliant
concert style of the French composer. The
ingenuity in the methods of variation, the variety
of techniques of ensemble playing, the
“interchange” of experience among the works for
the solo piano and ensemble helped Beethoven to
reveal the full potential of the instrument and lay
the foundations for a new type of composing
thinking.
The considered ensembles of the German master
allow concluding that it was not so much the
four-hand playing that was of little interest to the
composer, as he turned out to be “cramped” in it.
Having learned the timbre, register, and dynamic
resources of the instrument in the conditions of
the rapidly developing pianistic art, Beethoven
transplanted many ideas into the field of solo
piano music. The composers of subsequent
generations took advantage of the improved
mechanics capabilities, tuning in relation to each
other, and overcame the constraint of movements
of the ensemble members by playing two
instruments, thus having “liberated” the multi-
coloured timbre palette and register all-
encompassing nature that Beethoven conquered
from the sound space of his time.
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