This piece sits on the borderline between Beethoven’s middle and late periods, reflecting elements of both eras in its depth and complexity. The work consists of two movements, and the first is often described as a "dialogue between the mind and the heart." While this description is likely fabricated, there’s undeniably a strong contrast between two characters in the music.
The opening eight bars briefly introduce the dynamic interplay between these two characters. Many pianists choose to exaggerate this contrast with heavy rubato, but I’m not a fan of this approach. To me, the first movement is fundamentally a dance, and its rhythm shouldn't be too loose. The elegance of the dance must be established right in those first eight bars. Another crucial aspect of this movement is the transition from the third beat to the first beat of the next bar, which becomes particularly significant at the transition from development section to the recapitulation. From this perspective, for example, the first three notes and the fourth and fifth notes in a phrase are musically separate. This holds true for all four phrases in the opening eight bars.
Starting from bar 29 (around 0:50), the rapid passage begins. Some pianists opt to play this in a free tempo —Perahia even suggested "as fast as possible" in a masterclass. I strongly disagree. Beethoven deliberately structured the note values here to create a pronounced sense of dance rhythm when played at the indicated tempo. While I do accelerate slightly here for effect, "as fast as possible" feels disrespectful to the original score. Bar 45 (1:09) also requires rhythmic stability. The left hand’s mechanical repetition drives the momentum forward powerfully. Bar 55 (1:20) presents a technical challenge for the left hand. At bar 68 (1:36), the sfp marking is difficult to execute precisely on the piano. I use subtle pedaling to achieve the effect, but it is also advicable to simply ignore the marking altogether. From bar 79 (1:50, near the end of the exposition), the pp marking demands a sound that is extremely soft yet filled with energy. Achieving this balance is something I still look forward to mastering. Bar 140 (3:02) offers another highlight with the transition from p to pp—an exquisite moment I’d love to express better but often find too challenging during performance. In bar 144 (3:07), the melody suddenly shifts from a single-line texture to a two-note motive (with the Sol-fi and mi lines abruptly breaking), creating an intensely emotional moment.
In the recapitulation, bar 196 (4:16) doesn’t retain the ff marking from the exposition but instead features many staccato notes. I try to create an intense feeling within the pp framework by emphasizing these staccatos, though some pianists simply copy the ff dynamics from earlier. The ending of the first movement (5:18) has no ritardando marking. I choose to pause very slightly in the middle to give a sense of conclusion.
The second movement is often called a "conversation with a loved one," and it is filled with long lyrical phrases. A striking feature of these phrases is their crescendos followed by sudden softness, such as in bar 7 (5:44). Pianists should "chase the melody" rather than "create the melody." Generally, the second movement consists of four distinct voices: the main melody in the upper register, a counter-melody in the bass (which may counter either melodically or through articulation), a harmonic supporting line often a third or sixth below the upper melody, and an accompaniment layer. Managing the relationships between these voices is the key challenge of this movement (e.g., the section from 10:02 onward, where I feel I did a reasonably good job).
Another highlight is the subtle shifts between p and pp in the gentler sections, such as in bar 185 (10:09), where there’s a transition from p to pp. I only managed to hint at this effect, but I find it deeply moving. Additionally, there are small details, like bars 218–219 (10:59), where there’s no crescendo—Beethoven begins it only in bar 220. This is achieved by marking bar 219 as non-legato. Playing bar 219 as written, detached, makes the subsequent crescendo feel much more natural.
The ending deserves special mention. I elongated the final accelerando to emphasize the subtle reference in bar 286 (12:50), where the left hand alludes to the theme of the Les Adieux Sonata. This piece bridges Beethoven’s middle and late periods, looking back to Op. 81a Les Adieux (middle period) and forward to Op. 101 (late period). In his masterclass, Schiff pointed out that the final E major chord of Op. 90’s second movement seamlessly connects to the opening chord of Op. 101 (also E major), and I wholeheartedly agree with this interpretation.
This piece was composed in 1985, commissioned by the seventh Van Cliburn International Piano competition.
Ostinato means a pattern that repeats itself again and again. The ostinato in question is from Beethoven 7th Symphony, 2nd movement, op.92, it was also composed in the transition between Beethoven’s middle and late period. This 2nd movement of the 7th symphony is a funeral march, very famous one. If you haven't listen to it, you must try it! It was one of the most famous melodies composed by Beethoven.
This Fantasia on an Ostinato, in my point of view, is a signature piece of postmodernism and minimalism:
Hope you enjoy my version!
*The Composer wrote a program note on this piece too:
https://www.johncorigliano.com/works/fantasia-on-an-ostinato-1985
Before attending the conservatory, I had the privilege of performing the first movement of Felix Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49 with my friends during college. This was my first experience with chamber music, and I was profoundly captivated by Mendelssohn’s shimmering, cantabile, and virtuosic style. That performance played a significant role in inspiring my decision to pursue further studies at the conservatory and deepen my journey into the world of music.
Although Mendelssohn composed only two piano trios, he also wrote a delightful pair of concert pieces—Op. 113 and Op. 114—that can be considered as mini trios. These pieces showcase Mendelssohn’s characteristic brillante style. Originally written for clarinet, basset horn, and piano, they are now often performed with a clarinet or bass clarinet substituting for the basset horn. In our rendition, we used two clarinets and piano.
Op. 113 carries an amusing title: The Battle of Prague, Grand Duet for Dumpling with Pastry and Cream, or Clarinet and Basset Horn, composed and most humbly dedicated to Bärmann senior and Bärmann junior by their very loyal servant Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. You should definitely check the story out! The work was so well-received that he was later commissioned to write its companion piece, Op. 114.
Personally, I have a particular fondness for Op. 114 (maybe I just like D-minor haha). Toward the end of the piece, I chose to sustain the piano pedal during the clarinets’ long notes before their cadenza. This created a delightful and shimmering resonance on the piano, adding a special charm to the moment.
Gratefully honored to be able to perform this set with two fantastic musicians:
Meli Everson, Clarinet
Zoe King, Clarinet
