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Track(s) taken from CDA67879

Allegretto in B minor, WoO61

composer
1821; composed for Ferdinand Piringer

Steven Osborne (piano)
Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads available
CD-Quality:
Studio Master:
CD-Quality:
Studio Master:
Recording details: July 2011
Henry Wood Hall, London, United Kingdom
Produced by Andrew Keener
Engineered by Simon Eadon
Release date: May 2012
Total duration: 2 minutes 35 seconds

Cover artwork: House on the Water (1930). Paul Klee (1879-1940)
Private Collection / Photo © Christie's Images / Bridgeman Images
 

Reviews

‘It's part of Osborne's personal excursion to seek the individual potency of each Bagatelle … the more you listen (aided by a plausibly lifelike recording), the clearer it'll become that Osborne has delved deep to extract so much from cameos that pack emotional enormity within small spaces’ (Gramophone)

‘The joy of having a player of Steven Osborne's spare, rhythmically incisive brilliance … these pieces display Beethoven's genius for creating artistic grandeur from the most miniature of pianistic forms’ (The Observer)

‘Steven Osborne plays with pearly, silky insouciance … this disc follows on from his one of Beethoven sonatas, and it ignites a similar joy in the way that he conveys ideas so lucidly and with such subtle shades of tone, distilling the essence of each miniature with potency and freshness’ (The Daily Telegraph)

‘Beautifully poised and unfailingly intelligent … the crystal clarity of Osborne's exquisitely polished pianism is an unalloyed joy to the ear’ (International Record Review)

‘Pure joy … Steven Osborne … plays with razor-sharp attack and articulation’ (Pianist)

‘Steven Osborne includes all the published bagatelles and some of the miscellaneous pieces and plays them superbly … a classy pianist’ (Dominion Post, New Zealand)

‘Steven Osborne's new CD of the Bagatelles, recorded with all the artistry and attention you expect from Hyperion, catches all the whimsy that Beethoven's title suggests’ (The New Zealand Herald)
The Allegretto in B minor WoO61 was intended as a memento. Beethoven wrote it on 18 February 1821, in the album of his friend Ferdinand Piringer, who was an official in the government Records Office, and also a competent amateur musician.

from notes by Misha Donat © 2012

L’Allegretto en si mineur, WoO61, est un souvenir. Beethoven l’a écrit le 18 février 1821, dans l’album de son ami Ferdinand Piringer, haut fonctionnaire au Bureau des archives du gouvernement et aussi musicien amateur compétent.

extrait des notes rédigées par Misha Donat © 2012
Français: Marie-Stella Pâris

Das Allegretto in h-Moll WoO61 war als Andenken gedacht. Beethoven trug es am 18. Februar 1821 in das Stammbuch seines Freundes Ferdinand Piringer ein, einem kaiserlichen Staatsbeamten, der ebenfalls ein talentierter Laienmusiker war.

aus dem Begleittext von Misha Donat © 2012
Deutsch: Viola Scheffel

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