# Beethoven's Bagatelles Op. 126



## Caryatid (Mar 28, 2020)

The Bagatelles Op. 126 are some of my favourite Beethoven - dare I say one of his finest works? They are slight, but perfectly made.

There are countless recordings, most of which go barely noticed within albums of bigger music. They get used to fill the space that the piano sonatas or the Diabelli Variations leave left over. Let's for once give these subtle pieces the attention they deserve. Do you like them? How important are they? Which ones are your favourites? And what are your favourite recordings? The best known recordings seem to be by Schnabel, Richter and Brendel - are there alternatives that are as good or better? I'm particularly curious about recordings from the last 20 years...

Here's a lovely amateur performance from YouTube:


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

Thanks to this thread, I decided to listen to Beethoven's op.126 Bagatelles for the first time. I have a CD of Jenö Jandó playing the op.33, op.119 & op.126 bagatelles but I'd yet to listen to much of it. 

Anyway, I really enjoyed it. I'm almost reminded of Brahms' late Klavierstücke, or Schubert impromptus. They are not like typical Beethoven at all, I think, but they do feature his trademark economy of development and purity of voice. Wonderful little pieces. I will be returning to them regularly. 

No comment on recordings, but I did enjoy the Jandó.


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## Caryatid (Mar 28, 2020)

flamencosketches said:


> Thanks to this thread, I decided to listen to Beethoven's op.126 Bagatelles for the first time. I have a CD of Jenö Jandó playing the op.33, op.119 & op.126 bagatelles but I'd yet to listen to much of it.
> 
> Anyway, I really enjoyed it. I'm almost reminded of Brahms' late Klavierstücke, or Schubert impromptus. They are not like typical Beethoven at all, I think, but they do feature his trademark economy of development and purity of voice. Wonderful little pieces. I will be returning to them regularly.
> 
> No comment on recordings, but I did enjoy the Jandó.


I'm delighted you liked them.

To me parts of them sound like a fond return to the mode of the early sonatas, transfigured by experience. But I suppose their nearest relatives are some of the Diabelli Variations and the brief first movement of Op. 109. The Op. 119 bagatelles are very different.

I may have a listen to the Jando.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

These are pieces which inspired good things from Glenn Gould


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## Schwammerl (Apr 4, 2020)

Yes, a wonderful set of pieces and for the average amteur pianist who cannot really manage the technically difficult, huge and discursive late sonatas, these are possible and extremely satisfying to play.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

Schwammerl said:


> Yes, a wonderful set of pieces and for the average amteur pianist who cannot really manage the technically difficult, huge and discursive late sonatas, these are possible and extremely satisfying to play.


Good point. I ought to try and learn one of them.


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