Bagatelles, Op. 33 (Beethoven) Explained
The Bagatelles, Op. 33, for solo piano were composed by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) in 1801–02 and published in 1803 through the Viennese publisher . The seven bagatelles are quite typical of Beethoven's early style, retaining many compositional features of the early Classical period.
- The first bagatelle, which is in the key of E-flat major, is perhaps the most well-known of the set. It is in the form A–B–A. The A section starts with the right hand playing a soothing melody, and the left hand accompanying it with broken chords. The B section, which starts with the key of E-flat minor, plays a simple melody, then modulates to the original key with the B-flat major scale and then the E-flat major scale, then back to the A section.
- The second bagatelle, in C major, is the perhaps the second hardest of the set. It contains third scales, arpeggios, and a continuous left hand scale.
- The third bagatelle, in F major, starts off with the right hand playing the introduction and the left hand playing arpeggios.
- The fourth bagatelle is a gentle andante in A major. The middle section is in the key of A minor.
- The fifth bagatelle, which perhaps is the hardest of the set, is in the key of C major. It starts off with arpeggios, a little similar to Chopin's Étude Op. 10, No. 1. After the introduction, the right hand and the left hand play the melody with their 4th and 5th fingers. After the C minor section it goes back to the main theme.
- The sixth bagatelle, is in the key of D major.
- The seventh and final bagatelle, is in the key of A-flat major. It starts off with the left hand playing staccatos, and the right hand playing the melody.
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