Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 19 (with Score)

Ludwig van Beethoven:
Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 19 (with Score)
Composed: 1787 - 89 (revised 1798, 1801)
Piano: Krystian Zimerman
Orchestra: Wiener Philharmoniker

00:00 1. Allegro con brio (B-flat major)
13:47 2. Adagio (E-flat major)
24:11 3. Rondo. Molto allegro (B-flat major)

The Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 19, by Ludwig van Beethoven was composed primarily between 1787 and 1789, although it did not attain the form in which it was published until 1795. Beethoven did write a second finale for it in 1798 for performance in Prague, but that is not the finale that was published. It was used by the composer as a vehicle for his own performances as a young virtuoso, initially intended with the Bonn Hofkapelle. It was published in 1801 following Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, which actually had been composed well after this piece in 1796 and 1797.

The B-flat major Piano Concerto became an important display piece for the young Beethoven as he sought to establish himself after moving from Bonn to Vienna. He was the soloist at its premiere on 29 March 1795, at Vienna's Burgtheater in a concert marking his public debut. Prior to that, he had performed only in the private salons of the Viennese nobility. While the work as a whole is very much in the concerto style of Mozart, there is a sense of drama and contrast that would be present in many of Beethoven's later works. Beethoven himself apparently did not rate this work particularly highly, remarking to the publisher Franz Anton Hoffmeister that, along with the Piano Concerto No. 1, it was "not one of my best." The version that he premiered in 1795 is the version that is performed and recorded today.

[dzinypinydoroviny]

20:19 I understand the quote that the late Beethoven had been there all along – even in the early works.

[YZ-TS]

Thanks so much for posting this musical score! I first saw a memorable live CBS-televised recital of this beautiful concerto when Andre Watts celebrated his 40th birthday (Zubin Mehta conducting, I believe). Then I heard Mitsuko Uchida's incomparable rendition of this and the other 4 Beethoven concerti (Kurt Sanderling conducting). What had always puzzled me was the syncopation in the opening and middle themes of the exposition. Now, I don't have to guess anymore at what the artists are doing when I listen to these passages.

[donaldaxel]

I love the Italian comment: ... e un'esecuzione ineguagliabile! Krystian Zimmermann makes me think of Ingrid Haebler who got this music to sound so alive, elegant and with emotional weight.

[lucatessadrelli]

Sublime incontro tra un capolavoro immortale e un'esecuzione ineguagliabile. Complimenti.

[rosemarywaldie]

I first heard this back in the 80’s
Timeless beautiful music and memories ❤️

[simonkawasaki]

Beethoven channels Mozart in this lovely early work. I’d say the way that he blends the woodwinds is actually more successful than the way Mozart would. Mozart’s signature solo flute in his late piano concertos adds a gorgeous timbre to the orchestration, but it tends to stick out in comparison to the way it is used here.

[IAmDylanPowers]

This piano concerto has got to have the smallest instrumentation of any of Beethoven's other piano concertos. It makes sense, considering Beethoven mainly wrote it throughout 1787 to 1789.

[charlesenglander]

@3:51 you can hear humming if you listen closely

[supawels]

Das ist, bei aller Anerkennung Beethoven's, noch a bisserl "Hänschen-Klein".
Am Ende des 2. Satzes wird's dann schon etwas anspruchsvoller und sein
3. Satz ist dann schon hörbaren.