Beethoven's "jazz-like" piano sound

[Euterpe]

Quite a few years back I attended an music educational program that featured a Beethoven piece. The piece included a piano "riff" (sorry I am not musically trained and, therefore, have no better word to use) that sounded a LOT like jazz. The music instructor identified the "riff" as jazz-like as well. It wasn't one of Beethoven's piano sonatas - I know that much since I have all the piano sonatas. Does anyone know the piece I speak of - and can anyone tell me the piece? I think it was a later Beethoven piece.

[ruudp]

Originally posted by Euterpe:
Quite a few years back I attended an music educational program that featured a Beethoven piece. The piece included a piano "riff" (sorry I am not musically trained and, therefore, have no better word to use) that sounded a LOT like jazz. The music instructor identified the "riff" as jazz-like as well. It wasn't one of Beethoven's piano sonatas - I know that much since I have all the piano sonatas. Does anyone know the piece I speak of - and can anyone tell me the piece? I think it was a later Beethoven piece.

well...I'd say it's one of the variations in C major of his last sonata op.111..the 3th or 4th of these sounds very jazzy too me

regards,
Ruud

[Gurn Blanston]

Euterpe,
Yes, I agree with Ruud. The Arietta/Variations of Op 111 Sonata #32 have a lovely syncopated section which many performers play almost like a swinging jazz work. I have played just that little bit for some modern musicians and they were stunned to learn it was Beethoven, circa 1820!

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Regards,
Gurn
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That's my opinion, I may be wrong.
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[Joy]

If you're sure it's not one of his sonatas it could also be Beethoven's Piano Concerto #1. I attended a live concert of this piece a couple of weeks ago and even the pianist said that part of the 3rd movement sounded like a jazz piece to him.

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'Truth and beauty joined'

[Euterpe]

Originally posted by ruudp:
well...I'd say it's one of the variations in C major of his last sonata op.111..the 3th or 4th of these sounds very jazzy too me

regards,
Ruud

No it's not the sonata. I have all the sonatas and none of the pieces sound like swinging jazz. I agree with the other poster, it was some sort of swing jazz sound I heard.

[Peter]

Originally posted by Euterpe:
No it's not the sonata. I have all the sonatas and none of the pieces sound like swinging jazz. I agree with the other poster, it was some sort of swing jazz sound I heard.

This of course proves that music does not exist in a vacuum - classical music influenced Jazz and in the 20th century Jazz influenced classical music. Many Jazz musicians were influenced by Bach. If the piece you are referring to is late Beethoven and not from one of the sonatas (though as has been pointed out one of the variations in Op.111 is often referred to as 'jazzy') , then perhaps it is from one of the bagatelles Op.126 or the Diabelli variations?

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'Man know thyself'