Jenö Jandó - Beethoven: Bagatelles and Dances, Vol. 2 (1999)

Following a very successful first collection, here is Volume 2 of Beethoven’s Bagatelles and Dances for piano. In other words: all the things you never would have expected from the composer of the monumental Ninth Symphony or the gigantic Hammerklavier Sonata. All but three of these sketchy miniatures–Contredanses, Ecossaises, Menuet, Bagatelle, Preludes, Fugue, etc.–are pre-1800 compositions, showing the path followed by Beethoven from apprenticeship to mastery. The most famous piece is the Fantasia Op. 77, which gives a hint of Beethoven’s enormous skills as an improviser. It is nonetheless a rather patchy work that Jenö Jandó’s precise, joyful, and naturally paced performance manages to unify. Composed in 1795, the charming 12 German Dances WoO 13 give us the rare opportunity to hear Beethoven as foot-warmer for the Ladies and Gentlemen of Viennese high society. Schubert probably knew this music and was inspired by it while writing his own sets of dances. The transcription for piano solo of the 3rd Concerto’s last movement coda is another worthwhile curiosity. The gem of this collection is perhaps the Bagatelle “Lustig-Traurig” (Joyous-Sad). Jandó’s simple, tasteful, and witty playing does it full justice, as equally the case with the rest of the CD. Although it’s not the most essential program, it’s a highly enjoyable one. The sound is as clear and lively as the performances.