Czerny - Variations on a Theme by Haydn for piano and orchestra

Carl Czerny wrote several pieces based on national anthems, folks songs and other well-known songs. Here, the 1797 hymn by Joseph Haydn, 'Gott erhalte den Kaiser' (God Protect our Emperor) is Czerny's subject. Later, it became known as 'Deutschland über Alles.'
The work is a perfect example of Czerny's art of orchestration, a technique he developed through copying the parts of Bach's fugues, Scarlatti's sonatas and works by Haydn, Mozart and of course, his teacher Beethoven. The animated finale is clearly influenced by Beethoven. This is hardly surprising, as Czerny was said to have committed all Beethoven's piano compositions to memory

[@joselopes2293]

This Czerny music variations of an Haydn theme are remarkable.The sensitivity, the elegance and perfect orchestration are amazing. For me Czerny was one of the greatest composers that existed so far. His talent was incredible, and these variations are a masterpiece of divine and delight music. The influence of Beethoven in some parts is apparent. Thanks for this magnificent recording. The orchestra, the sensibility of the pianist and the direction are superb.

[@karennoble1076]

I fully agree with you Jose Lopez. Czerny, what a genius and so underrated, far from known as the Moxarts,Beethovens, etc.

[@harryandruschak2843]

It will take time and patience but I am confident that the combined efforts of all the people in You Tube who keep uploading these neglected treasures will eventually restore Czerny to the category of frequently performed composers.That and the effort of those who put these treasures on CDs for the first time in history.

[@ericdovigi1083]

Lol if Czerny only knew he'd have a legion of KZbin supporters in 200 years...

[@stuartmclaren2402]

What you have said is now happening with so many new recordings coming out. I like to think with so many other tools to appreciate music like you tube and recordings that it certainly favors the lesser known composers It may also overexpose some of the the well established masters. Like Hummel's revival Czerny is now having quite a revival and it is in the recording studio rather than the concert hall . To me Czerny's music is a progression from that of Hummel so if you enjoy Hummel then most likely you will enjoy Czerny

[@unknownchannel3141]

@@ericdovigi1083 that man was a genius. & a hardworking, charitable genius. He deserves even more

[@karennoble1076]

Yes, Czerny is completed neglected, underrated except for the students of piano and playing his great etudes. I have just discovered these his wonderful concertoes. How could he been so forgetten, neglected? Yes, he must get to be known with the other great ones! Thank you for bringing him out!!

[@karennoble1076]

@@unknownchannel3141 yes, a genius, i fully agree! I am enchanted by having discovered him!

[@kishorebajaj4353]

He is superb. He is composer xtraordinaire. He is a muzikal thrill to the senses. He is one of a kind. The Carl Czerny.

[@bobshifimods7302]

There are lots of unrecognised 'one of a kind' composers Dittersdorf is one Sphor's another.

[@vincentnithin1079]

Viva Carl Czerny! Hope u r Alive somewhere... and Hope u will Live untill Love exist in the Earth.

[@bobpetras]

I first heard this 25 years ago, the ever delightful Canadian program "Off the Record" hosted by Bob Kerr featured this piece in the first hour of the program. I was mesmerized. All I remembered was the Haydn melody , nothing else. Nine months later I was visiting Vancouver and that fine classical music store, Sikora's. I told the owner about this piece I heard. He knew exactly what Bob Kerr had played that day. It was the best version of this, Maureen Jones, Piano and Die Kammermusiker on the Jecklin Label. It wasn't available but he ordered it in. Almost a year later it arrived into Vancouver and they promptly shipped it out to me. Well it is the definite performance and this particular one is a poor substitute to the real thing. The tempo and various things are missing here. But listen to Maureen Jones and you will know why I was transfixed that day years ago.

[@ubergeekian]

I think we all have a tendency to think of the first version we hear of anything as definitive and the differences we hear in anything else as imperfections - they call it "Baby Duck Syndrome". For example, for me the Vivaldi mandolin concertos were definitively recorded by the Romeros and I Musici and the Abbado / Vienna Phil version of Beethoven's Choral Fantasy sounds better than anything else. Both the first I heard and owned. That said, I'd love to hear the Maureen Jones version of this but it doesn't seem to be available anywhere.

[@ubergeekian]

PS I found it on KZbin. Nice, though the ancient recording does the strings no favours.

[@antoniofabi9721]

Grande pagina, una magnifica "rivisitazione". Grazie.

[@annatassell]

♥ Thank you Seattle Radio classical 98.1 for playing it today at 8:31 am. Superb! Thank you, JH for posting it! I was in the car When I first listened to it and died to listen to it again. Superb!

[@ubergeekian]

I love the way he turns a theme so often associated with strident nationalism - and far worse - into a gentle, wistful thing of beauty. As an (adult) instrumental learner I sometimes curse Czerny - his exercises can be fiendish - but by golly he could write.

[@petercrosland5502]

Was standard piano tutor when I was a child, 118 years ago....

[@petercrosland5502]

But- thinking about it, it taught you to play Beethoven, Haydn it ain't.

[@gnanathasanebenezer2915]

I associate this with the hymn "Glorious things of thee are spoken, Zion city of our God.

[@mary-annekeady124]

Shocking that this is the only You Tube version of this stunning masterpiece,,,,,,,

[@antoniosilva7083]

Mary-Anne Keady, don't say!

[@protte225]

I heard this piece a number of years ago on Harvard's FM station and have been hoping to run across it again. Thank you for uploading it!

[@user-ru8vy1uz7c]

Bravo bravo bravo brilliance music super wow

[@ralphallemano4099]

This is absolutely wonderful!

[@gnanathasanebenezer2915]

Actually, Super Glorious!!!!

[@paulryan7552]

I love the variation at 22:55 ! Absolutely stunning.

[@gnanathasanebenezer2915]

Glorious!

[@kirionj.a.w1147]

Thanks for the upload!

[@agusprabowo5477]

Danke

[@valeriykhasyanov9011]

Карл Черни бесподобен ❤

[@ESawell356]

Heard this on 2MBS last Sunday and had to hear it again.Thanks a lot I enjoyed it very much

[@bobshifimods7302]

OMG! I thought I'd explored every corner of the repertoire (I had over 8000 cds at one time), but I'ver heard of Czemy before. Yet another more than competent composer who should be better known. I am hearing a lot of Beethoven here.

[@plto4ka71]

Beautiful music.

[@marcosleiva3572]

Espectacular

[@Fili2009able]

I can not stop listening this music

[@fredericlegendre645]

bravo

[@SuperStuey2]

Bravo!

[@DerTodKommtImmer]

what a hidden gem

[@sousafan100]

the more Czerny I listen to the better he gets - not one of the greats but a wonderful composer in his own right...

[@luigipati3815]

who says he wasn't one of the greats? The fact is, a third of Czerny runs circles around even the best concert pianists today. A master is always great. Czerny wasn't interested in being an itinerant virtuoso....he himself said that he always lacked the 'charlatanism' needed. And he composed more music than anybody else in the history of music. He would write it and not even bother to check anything: he would take it straight to the publisher. Listen to the Prestissimo of Piano Sonata No. 1 op 7 and prepare to be blown away.....Not a 'great' ? He was a freakish genius. At the age of 10 impressed Beethoven so much that he offered to give him lessons for free, and Beethoven's admiration for him never dwindled.

[@msanano100]

Great!

[@hectorreynoso6308]

Amazing

[@conscience666]

A very proper and decent composer, not to be mocked!!

[@musiclover148]

+Leslie Howard Are you the solo artist here, by any chance? Millions of notes to learn, gosh!

[@luigipati3815]

'proper and decent'? 'Not to be mocked'? Ha ha. You have no clue about who Czerny was. I suggest you take him a lot more seriously and read his bio, the guy was a freak of nature. Even as a concert pianist, he would run circles around anybody today, and he was a LOT more than that, for he mastered every known and imagined branch of music. Even John Field and many other composers refused to believe he composed so much music, that is, more music than anybody else in the history of music.The only reason why he did not go around Europe and smash it was because he was just too serious for that, as he said, he never had a certain dose of needed 'charlatanism' to be an itinerant virtuoso. (Virtuosism is pretty much self-evident, nothing more is needed, however a dose of 'charlatanism', i.e. entertaining showmanship, can only help). Plus, he was earning really well as a teacher. But he wasn't a teacher/sort of composer, he was a composer who taught because, hey, it earned him really good money. He deeply impressed Beethoven when he was only 10, and Beethoven's respect for him never dwindled. Read what Stravinsky said about Czerny. The guy was a giant, and he still is, listen to the Prestissimo of his Piano Sonata no 1 op 7, and prepare to be blown away....I honestly don't understand why a work like that is any lesser than one by Liszt or Chopin. Or whoever, really. .

[@arlettehellemans2117]

Leslie Howard, Are you the one who wrote a dedication for me from the Liszt Competition in Budapest??? For me, you and Katsaris are the VERY BEST! Go on defending that kind of nearly forgotten gems.

[@j.vonhogen9650]

@@luigipati3815 - Maybe you should read Leslie Howard's bio first.

[@guto1953]

Gosto muito deste compositor. Pena que é muito esquecido.

[@ismaelcarlos7241]

pois é

[@musiclover148]

Since you didn't mention it, I'll butt in and say that Haydn used this theme for his own set of variations in his so-called "Emperor Quartet," where they constitute the slow movement. This theme is best known in the English-speaking world as the hymn tune for the text by John Newton, "Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken," based on Psalm 87:3 and Isaiah 33:21, 22. The standard name of the hymn tune is "Austrian Hymn." Did Czerny perform this work himself with orchestra? Codonauta is right that many passages are reminiscent of Chopin's piano/orchestra writing. John Field is most often cited as an influence, but I sense that Chopin's style was more affected by Hummel and Czerny.

[@wilfriedrades992]

Music Lover, I don't know why, but I think this theme is in Germany well known....

[@Galantski]

It should be well known, it's THE NATIONAL ANTHEM! kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHXPoGOPqJaJhNk

[@poslednieje]

John Field was as Czerny pupils from Clementi, Field traveled with Clementi thru Europe.

[@alfredttarski4521]

@@wilfriedrades992 Well, the Germans pinched the tune in 1922. That's why ...

[@johannbrandstatter7419]

Excellent information, minus a few small details - namely - who is on piano ? What is the name of the orchestra playing and why not ? - who might the conductor be? Apart from that - a delightful piece of music, by who the hell ever is playing....

[@KentishLad]

This is just a guess, but I'm assuming the pianist is Felicja Blumental, with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra conducted by Helmut Froschauer... as far as I can discover, theirs is the only recording available on CD www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2004/dec04/variationa_brana.htm

[@ZZ-fr8jl]

felicia blumenthal recrded this in the late 60's on rca victrola with a Ries concerto. also a cbc brodcaster also featured this peice every year for decADES UNTIL he cbc gave up on all day classical music

[@codonauta]

Interesting, the piano parts sound like Chopin in some way.

[@Jawis32]

I was thinking exactly the same!

[@jeanghika7653]

Eigentlich die Hymne fängt so an: "Gott, erhalte Franz, den Kaiser". Dann wurde es zu "Gott erhalte unser Kaiser, unser Land". Würde ein Komponist auf die skurrile Idee, etwas zu komponieren, wenn der Text wäre:"Gott erhalte unser Kanzler"? Abgesehen davon, daß Besagte/r Atheist sein könnte, was im XVIII Jahrhundert undenkbar gewesen wäre.

[@iks.7048]

Very similar to Ries' Grand Variations on Rule Britannia.

[@Warmsunset26]

Classical,music to me is like walking into a library. No, a humongous library. Ok, W H E R E do i start. Do i have an ear for music ? i think not. Basically, if i like what i hear i listen to it. Either it to be via you tube OR upon hearing something i really like, i £'s acquire it. Much to learn and discover. A meal that neck vertebrae looses its taste.

[@catherinelan5512]

it's unbelievable that the uploader didn't mention a word of who the piano and orchestra are

[@christophevans1494]

Felicja Blumental, piano with Helmuth Froschauer conducting the Vienna Chamber Orchestra (1968)

[@bobshifimods7302]

Sounds like an authemtic piano of the time to me, but for a 1968 recording that is doubtful. The sounds very good for the period.

[@Maestoso28]

Theme on St Anthony's Chorale

[@dpbmss]

Of course the pianist had the benefit of a beautiful modern piano probably not like any Czerny might have been used to.

[@goji5887]

Does anyone know what painting/painter this is? Or what location is depicted?

[@leonardogeorgiev6140]

It's "Vienna, the Lobkowitzplatz" by Bernardo Bellotto

[@paulaltman9751]

Who is the pianist?? What orchestra??

[@hectorreynoso6308]

Who is the pianist?

[@ferbritos]

what is the opus?

[@uztre6789]

It's op. 73.

[@pmmdrt]

Who are the performers ?

[@paoloperrelli3226]

Czerny andrebbe considerato almeno al pari di Schubert

[@joepwalter1739]

But who is playing??

[@belianis]

Want to hear something funny? There's a strong likelihood that the theme that Brahms used for his variations might not actually be by Haydn.

[@emanuel_soundtrack]

Beethoven kann NICHTS dafür. Herrlich.

[@jananthonisz8291]

This is what I call real music at its best compared to these pop artiste if you can call them that like that Dr Kylie Minouge the "brain surgeon" that cannot sing but show her arse. The list goes on.

[@johannbrandstatter7419]

Extremely annoying when you get a sloppy uploader like JHBernardo, who fails to supply the simplest information. Who the hell is the pianist, the orchestra and the conductor ! These sort of thoughtless amateurs should not be allowed to upload !