Description

Beethoven originally conceived the Andante as the slow movement of his Piano Sonata in C major, Op. 53 (the "Waldstein" Sonata), in 1803/04. However, he found the movement too lengthy and replaced it. Beethoven later published the Andante as a standalone piece, likely in 1805. Marked "Grazioso con moto," the movement showcases Beethoven's mastery of compositional techniques, ranging from simple chord progressions to orchestral-like octave runs. Due to its enduring popularity, the work was published as the "Andante favori" in its second printing - a title that may have originated from Beethoven himself. For the critical Complete Edition, Beethoven scholar Joanna Cobb Biermann has carefully revised the Henle Urtext edition's musical text and updated the preface to reflect the latest research.