Blog
Dec 14

Minuet in G Beethoven

 
Here is a very sublime dose of Beethoven to start the day.

Minuet in G (3:04)
Ludwig van Beethoven

First of all, I didn’t realize until today that it’s Ludwig van Beethoven rather than Ludwig von Beethoven. Or that the piece was originally written for orchestra but was lost to posterity. Only an arrangement for piano exists. It is a very popular piece, especially among beginning pianists, which is how I learned it.I may play the middle part (Trio) a little fast, but that’s how it feels to me today. I’ve known this tune so long that I play it (and everything else, actually) a bit rubato, imagining that I am conducting myself and taking liberties that the composer might have done when playing for a friend in his salon.By the way, rubato (Italian for “stolen time”) is a musical technique where a performer subtly speeds up and slows down the tempo for expressive effect, creating a “give-and-take” in rhythm without losing the overall pulse, allowing for emotional shaping of phrases. I guess I tend to play ‘rubato plus’ because many times I also vary the overall pulse.However it is played, it is beautiful and firmly established in Western musical culture.

Enjoy,

Dr. Weiss
Some information from Wikipedia

Related Weiss Beethoven Posts: 
Adieu to the Piano (1:02)
Moonlight Sonata (4:37)