Description
For many years, it was believed that Beethoven reworked seven older pieces for his Bagatelles, Op. 33, published in 1803. However, recent research has revealed that all the surviving sketches date from 1801-1802, and the autograph manuscript is from 1802. At first, it may seem puzzling that the composer wrote these simple, dance-like bagatelles for amateurs around the same time as his demanding Piano Sonatas, Op. 31. Yet the pieces display remarkable refinement in their straightforward forms. The Bagatelles, Op. 33 have remained immensely popular since their initial publication during Beethoven's lifetime, appealing to proficient amateur pianists with their medium difficulty - apart from the more technically challenging No. 5. For this new Henle Urtext edition, Beethoven expert Joanna Cobb-Biermann provides music and textual commentary reflecting the latest scholarly findings.
