Beethoven's WoOs

[JFLL]

Apart from his largely well-known works with opus numbers, Beethoven composed over two hundred pieces which for various reasons did not get an opus number (and hence tend to be neglected). They were faithfully catalogued in 1955 with ‘WoO numbers’ (Werke ohne Opuszahl), and some of them are quintessential Beethoven worth ten opus-numbers by many another composer. See http://www.lvbeethoven.com/Oeuvres/ListWoO.html

Ones I particularly like are:

WoO 80 - Thirty-two variations on an original theme (piano) (Lupu)
WoO 71 - Twelve variations on a Russian dance by Wranitzky (piano) (Ashkenazy)
WoO 39 - Allegretto in B flat for piano trio (Vienna Piano Trio or Gould Piano Trio -- I should like to recommend the Beaux Arts, but I find the tempo of their recording just too slow, while Zukerman/Du Pre/Barenboim I find too fast)

Do any other members have particular favourites/performances?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The three early piano sonatas have been included in the Associated Board's latest edition of the complete sonatas.

[Barbirollians]

Apart from his largely well-known works with opus numbers, Beethoven composed over two hundred pieces which for various reasons did not get an opus number (and hence tend to be neglected). They were faithfully catalogued in 1955 with ‘WoO numbers’ (Werke ohne Opuszahl), and some of them are quintessential Beethoven worth ten opus-numbers by many another composer. See http://www.lvbeethoven.com/Oeuvres/ListWoO.html

Ones I particularly like are:

WoO 80 - Thirty-two variations on an original theme (piano) (Lupu)
WoO 71 - Twelve variations on a Russian dance by Wranitzky (piano) (Ashkenazy)
WoO 39 - Allegretto in B flat for piano trio (Vienna Piano Trio or Gould Piano Trio -- I should like to recommend the Beaux Arts, but I find the tempo of their recording just too slow, while Zukerman/Du Pre/Barenboim I find too fast)

Do any other members have particular favourites/performances?

Gilels and Uchida are both superb in the 32 variations.

[Thropplenoggin]

I always thought LvB's Ghost trio should have had a WoOoooOoo! number.



In other news...Mikhail Pletnev in this excellent disc of bagatelles also covers various of the WoOs for piano. Variations (24) for Piano on Righini's "Venni amore" WoO 65 and Andante for Piano in F major "Andante Favori" WoO 57 are especially memorable.

A very commendable disc with lovely playing and great sound.

[rauschwerk]

Never mind performances. A most impressive and forward-looking piece is Cantata on the Death of Joseph II (1790) which was not perfomed at that time, possibly because the intended performers found it too difficult. Beethoven later used two important passages in Fidelio and therefore never had it published.

There are also his very inventive settings of 143 folksongs (25 more were published as Op.108) WoO 152-8. It seems that Beethoven was not always given the words, which led him to set The Miller of Dee not as a jig, but quite slowly in his best gruff C minor vein!

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I always thought LvB's Ghost trio should have had a WoOoooOoo! number.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

The famous Fur Elise is a Wo0.

[Barbirollians]

Never mind performances. A most impressive and forward-looking piece is Cantata on the Death of Joseph II (1790) which was not perfomed at that time, possibly because the intended performers found it too difficult. Beethoven later used two important passages in Fidelio and therefore never had it published.

There are also his very inventive settings of 143 folksongs (25 more were published as Op.108) WoO 152-8. It seems that Beethoven was not always given the words, which led him to set The Miller of Dee not as a jig, but quite slowly in his best gruff C minor vein!

I picked up a version of this cantata in a charity shop recently in Sony’s Retospective Records series of the early 2000s conducted by Schippers - the amazing utility of Gramophone’s app meant despite its dreadfully random search function I found this recording being given a very positive review in the late 1960s . I knew of it but had never heard it - it is a very impressive piece . There is no way it could be by anyone else and not only does the soprano aria have its Fidelio melody the bass aria is very striking and I keep feeling as if I am hearing snatches of the Eroica highly recommended if you can find a copy .

It is coupled not only with its original coupling Ah Perfido sung by Regine Crespin but also with Ormandy’s traditional but enjoyable Beethoven 5 from 1966.

[Bryn]

I picked up a version of this cantata in a charity shop recently in Sony’s Retospective Records series of the early 2000s conducted by Schippers - the amazing utility of Gramophone’s app meant despite its dreadfully random search function I found this recording being given a very positive review in the late 1960s . I knew of it but had never heard it - it is a very impressive piece . There is no way it could be by anyone else and not only does the soprano aria have its Fidelio melody the bass aria is very striking and I keep feeling as if I am hearing snatches of the Eroica highly recommended if you can find a copy .

It is coupled not only with its original coupling Ah Perfido sung by Regine Crespin but also with Ormandy’s traditional but enjoyable Beethoven 5 from 1966.

That Schippers recording is also to be found in the Sony Beethoven Masterpieces box. Brilliant Classics have a live Estonian performance, coupled with WoO 88, the Cantata on the Accession of Emperor Leopold II.

[Rolmill]

Brilliant Classics have a live Estonian performance, coupled with WoO 88, the Cantata on the Accession of Emperor Leopold II.

A similar coupling (together with a couple of shorter choral works) appeared on an excellent Hyperion disc in the late 1990s, with Matthew Best conducting the Corydon Singers.