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Beethoven completed his opus 111 sonata in 1822. It is written in two movements, rather than the usual three.The second movement, the "Arietta", is a 'Theme and variations', a form which B. loved. The Theme (which is Beethoven's) is written in the time signature 9/16, which is ,essentially three groups of '3'. The first variation remains in 9/16. The second variation shifts to the time signature 6/16, with the indication "L'istesso tempo", which means "same tempo'. The 3rd variation shifts , in all 'published' editions of the sonata, to 12/32, again with the direction "l'istesso tempo". A foot-note appears (in most editions) which says that these time signatures are "in-correct". No explanation is given about :why: they are "in-correct" or "who" was "in-correct", only directions on how to interpret what we see on the page. What we 'do' see is that , to begin with, the two hands don't even add up 'mathematically' the same. The original Publishers (two of them) both published 'different' versions of the rhythmic notation. Further, I now have two pages (the page where var.2 begins and the page where var. 3 begins) of the original manuscript in Beethoven's own hand, and what we see is another time signature " under-neath" the 12/32 time signature. As there is a time signature on each 'staff', we have two 12/32 time signatures, and beneath both of them, we have another time signature. From what one can tell from my Faxed copy, it looks like that "original" time signature is"9/16. Also, the 'hand' that wrote 12/32 looks decidedly different than Beethoven's hand. I have studied Beethoven my entire adult life, and have no recollection of reading or being told that these two time signatures exist in the 'only surviving' manuscript. There are two different specimens, in Beethoven's original hand, of the first movement only. The second movement "has been lost" in the other copy.. This is merely the physical evidence. This past summer ('04) Before I knew any of this, I was learning the sonata for the first time, nor had I heard a recording of it for more than 20 years. I began working on the second movement in early Oct., and I started from the end of the movement and worked "backwards", until I reached the time signature change at Var. 4. Here, (again, in all "published editions") we find the time signature returning to 9/16. I glanced back to variation three at the 12/32 time signature,and began to "explore" what looks like quite a complex rhythmi. I read the foot-note's explanation of how to "interpret" what I was seeing. Basically, if you follow the directions, you have to 'infer' triplet 'slurs which aren't there, and dots which have been "omitted" for the sake of "clarity". I found there "directions" immediately questionable, not only because the var. sounds silly when played that way ( and this is not just "my" conjecture), but when I counted it as if Beethoven went back to 9/16 (which really makes a lot more sense musically, and with what the physical evidence indicates, seemed a 'natural' route to "explore".) it struck me immediately as brilliant, as Beethoven always does, when true to the score. Why, I wonded, has this particular variation been a questionable act on B's part , ever since he wrote it.? Well the answer is, because it wasn't what 'we' thought it was. Very simple. The music, itself, is transformed into a different piece when played in 9/16 as opposed to 12/32. To my ears, and others who hear it, it is Beethoven The other "interpretation" needs to be propped up with excuses and "querry and quandry". Beethoven needs no such "propping-up". His music stands alone and forever. We can only hope to do it some form of justice when we do a 'performance' of it. That is, to me, a sacred "trust", and not to be taken 'lightly'. When learning any of Beethoven's piano works, I have always referred to the Kalmus Edition, because it is (purportedely) the edition which follows most closely what we find on Beethoven's manuscripts themselves. In the Kalmus Edition, there is no foot-note about the time signatures 6/16 or 12/32, nor an explanation about how to "interpret" it. I simply "followed my instincts" ;and what I know of Beethoven, through his music, is what "rings true" when var. 3 is played in 9/16 without a "swing" feel. author : Paul Verville |