Between 1796 and 1798, Beethoven composed two short rondos for piano. The first in C major was published without an opus number in 1797. The second in G major was published in 1802, also without an opus number, but together they became known as Opus 51.
The first of Beethoven’s Opus 51 rondos is marked “Moderato e gazioso,” and judging from YouTube videos, it’s popular among young pianists and students.
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Rondo in C for Piano (Opus 51, No. 1), c. 1796–97
The spectacularly attired Tokyo-born pianist Kanon Takao (@Kanon_Takao) is now 17 years old and works as a voice actress.
The second of Beethoven’s Opus 51 rondos is marked “Andante cantabile e grazioso” and while certainly not a great work, it reveals some deep beauty when performed by a particularly sensitive pianist. This is the Opus 51 rondo that is not commonly played by students.
#Beethoven250 Day 95
Rondo in G for Piano (Opus 51, No. 2), c. 1798
This 1964 video is fuzzy, but the sound is good, as the 69-year-old Wilhelm Kempff probes the hidden beauties of this generally not highly regarded Beethoven rondo.