by WilliamKinderman (Author)
Beethoven's Thirty-Three Variations on a Waltz by Diabelli, his longest and most complex piece for piano, stands beside the Ninth Symphony, the Missa Solemnis, and the late quartets as one of the monumental achievements of his last period. In this first extended study of these variations, William Kinderman investigates their compositional origins and explores them in the context of Beethovn's other works of this time. Kinderman shows how the composer tramsforms, parodies, and ultimately transcends Diabelli's commonplace waltz in a fascinating series of historical allusions to other composers in the final variations. Kinderman's discussion provides considerable insight into Beethoven's working methods and illuminates the structure of the finished work, and ultimately the nature of the creative process itself. This new reissue of Kinderman's classic text includes a free CD of his celebrated recording of the Diabelli Variations, described by Andras Schiff as 'a very vivid sounding experience'.
Format: Paperback
Pages: 246
Edition: New edition
Publisher: Clarendon Press
Published: 05 Oct 1989
ISBN 10: 0198161980
ISBN 13: 9780198161981
As a scholar-performer Kinderman can be said to command the field at the moment. --Gramophone
A solid and detailed study....There is much of interest here for scholars and inquisitive performers alike, and the book is recommended for graduate libraries and strong undergraduate collections. --Choice
William Kinderman is a very rare bird. His book on Beethoven's Diabelli Variations must be one of the best monographs a musical masterpiece has ever received. --Alfred Brendel
Yields valuable information and provocative commentary that should fascinate a wide audience....Greatly enhances an understanding of the Diabelli Variations. --The Beethoven Newsletter