Masked Ball in the Großen Redouten-saal, Hofburg (by Markus Weinmann, 1748)

12 German Dances, WoO 8 for piano (1795, Beethoven aged 24)

no.1 in C major
no.2 in A major
no.3 in F major
no.4 in B flat major
no.5 in E flat major
no.6 in G major
no.7 in G major
no.8 in C major
no.9 in A major
no.10 in F major
no.11 in G major
no.12 and Coda in C major

Dedication Vienna Artists’ Pension Society
Duration 20′

Listen

Background and Critical Reception

This is the piano version of the German Dances Beethoven wrote for the Redoutensaal ball of November 1795 in Vienna.

Thoughts

The dances work really well for piano, ad while they may not be as colourful as the orchestral version the keyboard brings out the crisp nature of the composer’s dance rhythms.

Recordings used and Spotify links

Jenő Jandó (Naxos)

Jandó plays with a nice lilt to the rhythms, showing how the dances are clearly for communal use. Having one follow the other so immediately works well in an energetic account. The final dance tails off rather movingly at the end.

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Also written in 1795 Gyrowetz – Three Flute Quartets Op.11

Next up 12 Variations on ‘Menuet a la Vigano’ WoO 68