Bagatelles, Op. 126 (Beethoven)

Form#

This set comprises six short works. The odd-numbered pieces are slower, the even-numbered pieces are faster. A performance of the collection takes approximately 18 to 19 minutes. 1. Andante con moto, Cantabile e compiacevole, G major, \relative c \new PianoStaff 8) 4( ) \new Dynamics \override TextScript #‘whiteout = ##t s4-\markup \dynamic p \italic dolce s2. s s s4 s\cresc s s2. s s4 s4.> s8! s\p \new Staff \key g \major \time 3/4 \clef bass 4 g8( fis e d 2 4 2 4 8. 16 4) > » 2. Allegro, G minor, \relative c’ \new PianoStaff > 3. Andante, Cantabile e grazioso, E major, \relative c’ \new PianoStaff ( ) ( ) ( ) bes bes^\ d! ) \clef treble c^\ aes! ) aes4( g16 aes) \ s4 g,16( aes) bes4( aes16 bes) c4( d16 es) es8( f bes,16 c) » 8( 16 ) \new Staff \key es \major \time 3/8 \clef bass 4.~ q~ q4 q8 q es,16( f) g4( f16 g) aes4( bes16 c) c8( d es16 aes,) > » 4. Presto, B minor, (cut time) \relative c \new PianoStaff > \clef treble fis4 g b d b e cis d g b d g \bar “: .” \new Dynamics s8 s4\f s1 s s s s2 s\sf s\sf s\sf s\sf s4\sf s\p \new Staff \key b \minor \time 2/2 \clef bass s8 fis,,,4 fis b, d b ais( b8 cis b4) fis’ fis b, d b ais( b8 cis b4) b d b e cis d g b d g q q » \relative c \new PianoStaff 4*1/2^( ^( \hideNotes 8) ) \ s4 b,1 b b b b b b b » » 5. Quasi allegretto, G major, \relative c \new PianoStaff 4.( ~ q8 ) 4.( ~ q8 ) 4.( ~ q8 ) 4.( ~ q8 ) 4._( 4 8) > » 6. Presto, E major, , then Andante amabile e con moto, \relative c \new PianoStaff -. -. -. -. r r2\fermata \new Staff \key es \major \time 2/2 \clef bass es,,,,8 es, es, es, es, es, es, es, es, es, es, es, es, es, es, es, es,4-. -. -. -. -. r r2\fermata \bar " " » \relative c \new PianoStaff ^\markup ten. r r ^\markup ten. 16.( 32 ) 8( ) r r ^\markup ten. r r ^\markup ten. 16.( 32 ) 8( ) \new Staff \key es \major \time 3/8 \clef bass \mergeDifferentlyDottedOn > »

Analysis#

In prefatory remarks to his edition of the works, Otto von Irmer notes that Beethoven intended the six bagatelles be played, in order, as a single work, at least insofar as this can be inferred from a marginal annotation Beethoven made in the manuscript: (cycle of little pieces). Maurice J. E. Brown, writing in the Grove Dictionary, says of the Bagatelles that they “are thoroughly typical of their composer and show affinities with the greater instrumental works written at the same time.” Some possible such affinities are as follows: No. 1 shares the terse, elliptical expression of the first movement of the Piano Sonata, Op. 101; No. 3 shares the style of elaborate, high-register elaboration of a slow melody in triple time, seen in the slow movement of the Hammerklavier Sonata; and the final Bagatelle opens with a chaotic passage reminiscent of the opening of the finale of the Ninth Symphony.

See also#

• Bagatelles, Op. 33
• Bagatelles, Op. 119

External links#

• • Analysis (2010) of the Bagatelles, Op. 126, played by Ashley Wass: ,