In our collective idea of the piano, Beethoven’s name is associated with the monument of the thirty-two sonatas, which have often been elevated to the status of the ‘”New Testament” beside the “Old Testament” of Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier. Yet, over a period of decades, the composer of Für Elise constantly returned to the genre of the bagatelle, which he called “trifles” but which actually meant a great deal to him. In this small form, as in the sonata, Beethoven laid the foundations for a flourishing new genre, the piano miniature. Paul Lewis demonstrates that whether they last a few minutes or a few seconds, these Bagatelles are masterpieces.
Beethoven: Bagatelles – Paul Lewis
