Beethoven, Ludwig van : 11 Bagatellen Nr.5 c-moll Op.119-5
Work Overview
Genre:bagatelle
Total Playing Time:1 min 00 sec
Copyright:Public Domain
Commentary (2)
Author : Tetsu, Yurina
Last Updated: October 6, 2019
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Author : Tetsu, Yurina
Author : Ooi, Kazurou
Last Updated: May 15, 2023
[Open]
Author : Ooi, Kazurou
Before completing this piece, students are encouraged to research Beethoven's C minor (c-moll). You will find that C minor was a very special key for Beethoven. Please listen to his Sonata Op. 10 No. 1, Op. 111, Piano Trio Op. 1 No. 3, and Symphony Op. 67, among others. You will notice that they are highly energetic and powerful.
This Bagatelle is no exception. Throughout the piece, maintain a constant, rhythmic, fast tempo, feeling the two-beat pulse, and proceed with vigor.
The following section reflects the author's subjective opinion. Let's take measure 9 as an example. The C in the right-hand melody on the second half of beat 1 and the C in the right-hand melody on the downbeat of beat 2 are written in a low position on the treble clef. The same applies to measure 11. These melody notes, written in a low position on the treble clef, are in the same register as the left-hand accompaniment, which might make them difficult to distinguish clearly as melodic tones. The author would, however, ensure they are clearly audible, even if they are an octave lower than the main melodic line.
Perhaps Beethoven wrote these notes—the C in measure 9 and the G in measure 11—in this manner to emphasize their role as chord members. Specifically, if this C were absent in measure 9, the chord would be a borrowed vii°/iv; however, with the inclusion of C, it becomes V7/iv. Indeed, the final note of the left-hand chord includes a C, so even if the right-hand C were omitted, Beethoven might have intended it to be V7/iv by sustaining the C in the left hand. The question then remains: why did he not write the C from the downbeat of beat 1? In any case, since they are treated as right-hand melody notes, the author would emphasize them.
In any case, since they are treated as right-hand melody notes, the author would emphasize them.
One more point: in measures 16-18, the consistently maintained rhythm disappears on the second beat. It is appropriate to perceive this as a cessation of motion. These measures (16-18) can be treated as a cadential phrase, so it might be effective to gradually slow down the tempo here. Then, from the second half of beat 2 in measure 19, the rhythm reappears. At this point, return to in tempo and restore the entire atmosphere to a powerfully progressing musical flow.