- C minor opus 37
- G major opus 58
- E flat major opus 58 ‘Emperor’
Beethoven composed five piano concertos. In addition there are the Rondo for piano and
orchestra in B flat major Wo06, the Triple Concerto for piano, violin and cello in C major
opus 56, the Fantasy for piano, chorus and orchestra in C minor opus opus 80 (Choral
Fantasy), and two early incomplete piano concertos dating from Beethoven’s Bonn days.
No. 1 in C major opus 15
Beethoven composed this concerto in 1797. Although he performed on many private
occasions during his first few years in Vienna, Beethoven’s official Viennese début did
not occur until April 1800. On that occasion he was the composer and soloist in a
Hofburgtheater concert given on a late Wednesday afternoon when he played this
concerto. Beethoven was also soloist in this concerto in a number of performances in
German cities and in Prague.
In the first movement ‘Allegro con brio’, Beethoven borrows a technique from Mozart in
that the piano starts, not with the theme presented by the orchestra, but with a new theme.
In the second movement ‘Largo’, the piano announces the theme which is then taken up
by the orchestra. The final movement ‘Allegro scherzando’ is a rondo based on a theme
with a dancing character.
No. 2 in B flat major opus 19
Beethoven completed this concerto in 1795 and first performed it in the Burgtheater,
Vienna, on 25 March 1795. He dedicated the concerto to Carl Nicklas Edler von
Nickelsberg. It was not published until 1801, hence we know it as no. 2. Beethoven
referred to it as ‘not one of my best’ when submitting it to a publisher but it was quite
successful in performance and contributed to Beethoven’s ascent as one of Vienna’s new
musical talents.
The first movement, Allegro con brio, shows the influence of Haydn and Mozart. The
second movement, Adagio, is tender in mood, and the third movement, Allegro molto, is
a rondo based on a carefree, syncopated tune.
No. 3 in C minor opus 37
Beethoven completed this concerto in 1800 and played it at an all-Beethoven concert on 5
April 1803, from memory as he had not yet completely written out the piano part. He
completed writing out the piano part a year later when his friend and pupil Ferdinand
Ries performed it.