Carl Czerny - Variations on a Theme by Rode, Op.33

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Piano : Alexis Weissenberg
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Carl Czerny was an Austrian composer, teacher, and pianist of Czech origin. He was born in Vienna to a musical family and was considered a child prodigy: he began playing piano at age three and composing at age seven. Among his teachers were Wenzel Czerny (his father), Clementi, Hummel, Salieri and Beethoven. Though he made appeareances from his early childhood, he was never confident in his abilities as a "showman" piano performer (as required at that time) and resolved to withdraw permanently from the stage, devoting himself only to private recitals and piano teaching. He developed close relationships with Beethoven, Liszt, and other prominent musicians of the time. Czerny's body of work is still being rediscovered, including more than a thousand pieces. He composed not only piano music (of which the most known are his didactic pieces), but also masses and choral pieces, symphonies, concertos, songs, string quartets and other chamber works. He was one of the first composers to use étude ("study") for a title.

[@AlkanLove]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@e.de_Haan]

The theme by Rode is innately beautiful, but then is transformed with both elegance and consideration by C. Czerny. He recieves too much criticism for his pedagogical compositions. If one is to peer behind the curtain which are his exercises, one will find greatness.

[@makytondr8607]

Czerny was an associate and a close friend of Beethoven’s after all. He even premiered several of B’s works!! Clearly, the man knew what he was doing..

[@erika6651]

The guy destroyed his own reputation by composing so many studies. Honestly, who would want to pour through 861 opus numbers hoping to find jewels in between his various School Of Velocities. His prized pupil Liszt wasn't even aware he wrote any piano sonatas other than his Op 11 even though there were 8 or 9 more composed after it. Granted, it is much easier now in this era because you can go to Wikipedia and search. It's still tedious.

[@e.de_Haan]

@erika6651 I did not know that liszt was unaware haha. Yeah, there are a lot of exercises!

[@erika6651]

@@e.de_Haan He'd play Op 11 for others and it would be well received. Supposedly he made a remark in a letter to a fellow musician that he wished that Czerny had written more substantial compositions like that sonata. He was not known to play any of the other 8 or 9 sonatas, so that would suggest he was unaware of these other pieces.

[@erika6651]

@@e.de_Haan Apparently I'm also lacking in awareness lol I just realized the opus number was actually opus 7, not 11. Oops.

[@MorganHayes_Composer.Pianist]

what a gem of a piece, and played to crystalline perfection by the young Alexis Weissenberg.

[@Pablo-gl9dj]

Lots of technique but no caressing of melody, no sweetness of tone and no beauty. Impressive to listen to once.

[@avecesar4244]

Se debe dar a Czerny la categoría que se merece como pianista por todo el desprecio que se le ha hecho como un "simple" creador de ejercicios pianísticos puramente virtuosísticos y amusicales. Esta pieza tiene momentos muy interesantes, guiños chopinianos mezclados con su formación más clasicista. El ser discípulo de Beethoven algo tiene. No creo que Beethoven aceptase a mediocres como alumnos y vería "algo" de valor en su alumno. Y ser pedagogo del piano no debería despreciarse tanto; gente como Clementi, Bertini o Henselt se merecen más respeto y consideración de la que se les ha dado hasta ahora.

[@czeynerlamentemusical8048]

Los estudios del Op.692 de Czerny son obras magistrales de concierto, muy por encima de los de Chopin y Liszt

[@avecesar4244]

@@czeynerlamentemusical8048 No sé si se puede afirmar tanto, pero sí es cierto q Czerny tiene estudios y piezas equiparables a las de Chopin a nivel técnico y tiene muchas ideas nuevas. Quizá el "toque chopiniano" en el piano es lo q le falta, ese "algo" q tiene el polaco y q no tienen otros. De ahí su gran influencia en pianistas posteriores. Y el hecho de q a cualquier pianista le atrae Chopin y q muchas de sus piezas son magistrales. Pero sí es cierto q el desprecio a Czerny hay q revisarlo. Fue un compositor de gran nivel, no un mediocre artista como algunos quieren mostrar...

[@mjmassi11]

I love it. Soft and beautiful with euphoric, virtuosic flights of whimsy.

[@danielperkins6023]

This is so hard lol

[@Nodalema]

Incredible.

[@AquaFX]

What a gem