La Consolation (Dussek)

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The Andante con moto in B flat major op. 62 La Consolation (The Consolation) is an early romantic character piece for piano by the Bohemian composer Jan Ladislav Dussek . The calm, cantable character and the program of the work make it particularly interesting in relation to the piano sonata No. 24 op. 61 Elégie harmonique in F sharp minor, which was written immediately before .

history

The work was written in 1807, when Dussek, in mourning for his patron, student and friend Prince Louis Ferdinand of Prussia (1772–1806), who was killed in the battle near Saalfeld , completed his piano sonata No. 24 op. 61 Elégie harmonique in F sharp minor would have. To this end, La Consolation certainly be seen as a "supplement"; In fact, Dussek seems to have personally coped with the difficult blow of fate in him and processed it musically, because he does not achieve the highly romantic, profound expression of the previous piano sonata in any of his other works. The Andante, on the other hand, already shows liveliness and joy again, albeit somewhat depressed.

Dussek's composition, like almost all of his short character pieces, became very widespread and well-known soon after it was first printed and was a popular encore piece until the late 19th century, although mostly in a shortened (without repetition) form. But like the rest of his compositional work, La Consolation also fell out of concert programs and publishing catalogs over time.

music

shape

Thematic sequence:

  • Main theme a in B flat major , 8 bars; occurs a total of 16 times on the basic form and two variations ; a1 as the first, a2 as the second variation, a 'or a2' slightly modified;
  • 2nd topic b in harmonies G verm. , E flat major , F major , B flat minor , 8 bars; occurs a total of three times on the basic form and two variations; b1 as the first, b2 as the second variation
  • Theme c in B flat minor, 8 bars; occurs twice in total; c 'slightly modified, + 4 bars
  • Theme e in E flat major, 16 bars; occurs once
  • Topic f in E flat major, (with two bars introduction) 11 bars + transition ü F major, 9 bars, so a total of 20 bars f + ü
  • Coda g in B flat major, 16 measures

This classification and naming of the thematic material results in the following sequence for the work

aabaacdc´-aa-a1-a1-b1-a1-a1-ef-ü-a´-a´-a2-a2-b2-a2-a2´-g

with exact attention to the changed topics. The following classification would also be simpler, still very precise, in which a pair of the main topic is summarized or slight changes are ignored:

abacdca-a1-b1-a1-ef-ü-a-a2-b2-a2-g

If you treat the variation themes as basic themes and summarize them each in the sequence aba as a separate section A , as well as the themes in B flat minor C and D flat major d as B and the E flat major themes + transition as C (coda adapted at G ), the following scheme results (with a as the double appearance of the 8-bar unchanged main theme):

A - B - a - A - C - a - A - G

This analysis does not involve any repetitions.

music

The work, which comprises 178 bars and is therefore comparatively extensive, is in slow 2/4 time (Andante con moto, with movement ). It starts with an 8-bar, soft-loose in B flat major - issue (with eighth-opener) that occurs in pairs and in the course of the work its importance as a main theme and -thought of the work by a large number of variations , the last 4 bars also freer melodic - thematic nature (1st form: end of 8 bars in G minor ), makes clear. This is followed by a theme that also recurs several times, which in its 8-bar course also proves the composer 's willingness to modulate through the sequence G verm. , E flat major , F major , B minor back to the main theme in B flat major, with the thematically changed for the first time in the last 4 bars (2nd form: end of 8 bars in F major). After the tone of voice was clouded by two expressive themes (B flat minor and D flat major ), the main theme returns again, this time in its first form, before it is varied for the first time. A rhythmic change of the original eighth or sixteenth note in sixteenth note triplets creates a cantabel flowing gesture that permeates both the main theme (1st form) and the 2nd theme. Overall, in this 1st variation, the main theme occurs three times and the 2nd theme appears once. The first variation is followed by two completely new themes in E flat major ( con spirito ), a true intermezzo, which in its thirty-second passages, which are quite virtuoso despite the moderate basic tempo, is not really melodic, but very cheerful and free, almost improvised . The first of the two themes is followed by a two-bar transition with a thirty-second note in the left hand, which leads to the second E-flat major theme. A simple melody in eighth notes spreads out over the continuous movement of the left hand, which achieves a rhythmic shift through a tied sixteenth note opening. Via E flat major, C minor , C 7 the virtuosity of the first E flat theme is taken up again, but this time in F major, before the intermittent intermezzo with a pianissimo run to the double B leads back to the main key of B flat major . The 8-bar main theme, which has not changed again this time, appears again, but it seems to have been exhausted and "paralyzed" due to the many repetitions. But through another variation of the main themes, Dusík "saves" himself over further bars: This time a very virtuoso variation in frenzied thirty-second notes follows, which once again presents the main theme as the major main idea of ​​the work. Here the pianist is confronted with the greatest technical problems: The initially simple rhythmic and melodic character now has to be maintained despite the rapid tempo and the closely spaced figures, in order to, as in the first variation, three times the main theme and once the 2nd . Present the topic in the correct expression. The second variation is followed by a 16-bar coda , which with diminished harmonies , triad decompositions and a descending fourth chain finally comes to a conciliatory, consoling end after a decomposition ranging from the double B to the B3 in the pianissimo morendo on the double B.

Various editions

The above analysis describes the thematic sequence without repetitions, as there are differences in some editions; The most widespread is the version in which each appearance of the main theme with the 2nd theme, the themes in B flat minor or D flat major and the two themes of the E flat major part are repeated once. This sequence should be the one originally planned by Dusík, but it requires a high musical instinct because the constant repetitions run the risk of "paralyzing" and loss of expression.

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