The complete works of Beethoven were published by Deutsche Grammophon: 87 cds in 20 box sets.

First published in 1989, for the 100th birthday of Deutsche Grammophon, it is now out of sale, except for 6 ot 7 box sets (a great gift to offer!)...

Beethoven have composed very few waltzes. But on this cd, one can listen to 15 waltzes 'by Beethoven'. However, the identity of these works are written nowhere on the cd nor on its booklet.

But all the waltzes have been identified yet. Not all of them have been composed by Beethoven...

Many thanks to
Michel, Armando, Annie, Mark and Willem
for their great help.

01 - WoO 8 n°7: Dance for Orchestra in C major (Piano version is Hess 100)
02 - WoO 8 n°6: Dance for Orchestra in G major (Piano version is Hess 100)
03 - WoO 8 n°10: Dance for Orchestra in D major (Piano version is Hess 100)
04 - WoO 8 n°8: Dance for Orchestra in A major (Piano version is Hess 100)
05 - WoO 8 n°3: Dance for Orchestra in F major (Piano version is Hess 100)
06 - Hess 90: Ballet Music for Piano: "Die Geschöpfe des Prometheus" (The Creatures of Prometheus) - N°15: Solo di Vigano
07 - WoO Anhang 14 n°3: Waltz for Piano in E flat major: "Hoffnungswalzer"
08 - WoO Anhang 14 n°2: Waltz for Piano in F minor: "Schmerzenwalzer"
09 - This waltz has been composed by Schubert (autorship uncertain)
10 - Free arrangements of WoO 7 n°7: Minuet for Orchestra in D major and WoO 7 n°9: Minuet for Orchestra in G major (Piano version is Hess 101)
11 - WoO 7 n°6: Minuet for Orchestra in A major (Piano version is Hess 101)
12 - WoO Anhang 14 n°5: Waltz for Piano in F major
13 - This waltz has been composed by Schubert
14 - WoO Anhang 16 n°1: Waltz for Piano in C sharp major: "Jubelwalzer"
15 - WoO Anhang 14 n°1: Waltz for Piano in A flat major: "Sehnsuchtwalzer"

In 1845, Franz Liszt wrote a first cantata for the unveiling of the Beethoven Monument at Bonn.

The work was lost after being played, and so we owe its reconstitution to Günther Massenkeil.

As far as I know, this work has never before been recorded. It's therefore a new dedication to Beethoven to which you can now listen.

Sigismond Thalberg (1812-1871) composed "Memories of Beethoven: Great Fantasy for Piano on Beethoven's Seventh Symphony" in 1830, which was only published in 1840. This work is numbered opus 39.

This composer, unknown today, was at the time a great rival of Liszt. He was an incredible piano virtuoso. At a concert in Paris where the two pianists partcipated, it was said that Thalberg was the world's greatest pianiast whilst Liszt was unique.

If this was indeed the case, we should note that Liszt's compositions have stayed with us, whilst those of Thalberg have been forgotten.

The first mechanical glass harmonica was invented by Benjamin Franklin. The resonance of the crystal of this instrument, astonishing and perhaps somewhat aggravating, has no equals.

The CD gathers together many works of composers who have written for this instrument. There can be found Mozart and Beethoven, amongst others.

I t was in 1815 that Beethoven composed a very short work for the glass harmonica, "Melodram" which makes up part of the music composed for Leonore Prohaska, WoO 96.

Marie Bigot of Morogues, born in Alsace, was the wife of Paul Bigot. The latter was secretary to Count Andreas Razumovsky in Vienna. Beethoven frequented this noble dwelling and greatly admired the pianistic talents of Marie Bigot.

Marie Bigot composed a few works, including one suite of studies, for her student who worked in Paris after leaving Vienna.

It is two of those etudes, full of colour and life, which are performed here.