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Home > Beethoven, Ludwig van > Konzert für Klavier und Orchester Nr.5 Es-Dur

Beethoven, Ludwig van : Konzert für Klavier und Orchester Nr.5 Es-Dur Op.73

Work Overview

Music ID : 418
Composition Year：1809　
Publication Year：1811
Dedicated to：Rudolf Johannes Joseph Rainer, Erzherzog von Österreich
Instrumentation：Concerto　
Genre：concerto
Total Playing Time：37 min 00 sec
Copyright：Public Domain
concerto
Concerto
piano and orchestra(concerto)
Es dur

Commentary (2)

Author : PTNA Piano Encyclopedia Editorial Department

Last Updated: January 1, 2010
[Open]
Note: This article is automatically translated from the original Japanese text. The author of the original work did not supervise this translation.

The period of about a dozen years from around 1800 marks Beethoven's middle period, a peak of his creative output, during which masterpieces and large-scale works were successively composed, including Symphony No. 3 "Eroica," No. 5 "Fate," and No. 6 "Pastoral"; the three "Razumovsky" String Quartets; the "Archduke" Trio; Piano Sonatas "Waldstein", "Appassionata", and "Les Adieux"; Piano Concerto No. 4; and the Violin Concerto.

This Piano Concerto No. 5 also reflects the magnitude of Beethoven's creative drive, resulting in a colossal and powerful work. The alternative title of this work, "Emperor," was not given by Beethoven himself but by his publisher, J.B. Cramer.

The premiere took place on November 28, 1811, at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig, with J.F. Schneider as the soloist. Furthermore, the following year, it was performed in Vienna with Carl Czerny, Beethoven's pupil and renowned for his piano etudes, as the soloist.

I. Allegro, E-flat major, 4/4 time

The movement is written in concerto-sonata form. While Piano Concerto No. 4 introduced the novel approach of beginning with the solo piano, No. 5 immediately follows the orchestra's powerful tonic chord with a brilliant, cadenza-like passage from the piano. Although this is merely an introduction and not a theme, it is followed by the dignified first theme and the second theme, initially played in a minor key, which develop energetically.

II. Adagio un poco mosso, B major, 4/4 time

A gentle, beautiful, and tranquil slow movement, written in a free variation form. Amidst the brilliant movements preceding and following it, a simple yet profound music unfolds softly. It concludes by transitioning to E-flat major, where the theme of the third movement is slowly introduced, leading directly into the final movement without a break.

III. Allegro, E-flat major, 6/8 time

The theme introduced in the preceding movement begins explosively at forte, forming a rondo-sonata form. A magnificent and powerful, brilliant finale.

Writer: PTNA Piano Encyclopedia Editorial Department

Author : Tetsu, Yurina

Last Updated: October 6, 2019
[Open]
Translation in Progress
Writer: Tetsu, Yurina

Movements (3)

1.Satz Allegro

Total Performance Time: 19 min 00 sec 

Videos 11

Explanation 1

Sheet Music 5

Arrangement 0

2.Satz Adagio un poco mosso

Total Performance Time: 8 min 30 sec 

Videos 6

Explanation 1

Sheet Music 2

Arrangement 0

3.Satz Rondo: Allegro

Total Performance Time: 9 min 30 sec 

Videos 5

Explanation 1

Sheet Music 3

Arrangement 0

Arrangements & Related Works(1) <Show>

Sheet Music

Scores List (11)

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