6 Немецких Танцев для скрипки и фортепиано, WoO 42

Время создания: 1795 или 1796; 1814 fur die Herausgabe nochmal uberarbeitet?

David Garrett, скрипка
Bruno Canino, фортепиано

The Six German Dances (Deutsche Tanze) are very early works by Beethoven and are not of great consequence in his oeuvre. He dedicated them to a Countess Thun, and since there were two with that title and name (the wives of Prince Lichnowsky and Count Razumovsky, respectively), it is not known which of the pair he had in mind.

The Six German Dances are in the following keys: F, D, F, A, D, and G, and their writing is not particularly sophisticated. There is almost no modulation, and one finds little variety in their rigid structure of a pair of eight-measure phrases that are each repeated. The Third and Sixth do feature trios, but there is not much else here to offer diversity. The piano writing is much superior to that of the violin, which is rather rudimentary, typically mirroring the piano's right hand or supplying unimaginative accompaniment.

This set was published in Vienna in 1814. These dances should not be confused with the more substantive Twelve German Dances for orchestra (1795).

(All Music Guide)

Beethoven could play the violin, but he never considered it his instrument like he did the piano. Although violinists may regret that he only wrote one concerto and ten sonatas for their instrument and five concertos and 32 sonatas for the piano, they can also be grateful that he only composed one set of dances for their instrument, this set of Deutsche Tanz (6) (WoO 42) from 1796, while he wrote four sets of dances for piano. Thankfully, the dances are Deutschers, funky and low-down dances that only a German and a violinist could love. And young David Garrett clearly loves these Deutschers: in his recording of them for DG's Complete Beethoven Edition, Garrett plays them with beauty of tone, flash of technique, and funkiness of rhythm, forcing the Deutschers onto to the dance floor to strut their stuff. Pianist Bruno Canino admirably serves as Garrett's backup band and rhythm section.