What can you do with a rather ordinary waltz? In Beethoven’s hands, it becomes the starting point for one of the most extraordinary journeys in the piano repertoire.

When the composer and music publisher Anton Diabelli invited a number of composers to write a variation on a little waltz, Beethoven responded with no fewer than 33! The result is a universe of humour, parody, virtuosity, beauty and profound musical imagination. French pianist Cédric Tiberghien takes us on this remarkable journey, from the playful and burlesque to the sublime.

The concert opens with an opportunity to hear Beethoven’s Drei Equali for four trombones. These short, solemn pieces inhabit a sound world of their own, offering a fascinating contrast to the piano’s seemingly limitless expressive possibilities.

Programme

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)

Drei Equali for four trombones, WoO 30
Norwegian Trombone Ensemble (Norsk Tromboneensemble)

33 Variations on a Waltz by Diabelli in C major, Op. 120 — “Diabelli Variations”
Cédric Tiberghien, piano