Sonata in C Op. 29: IV Rondo
Anton Diabelli
This is the Rondo from Sonata in C Op. 29 by Anton Diabelli (1781 - 1858).
Diabelli is best known because of his Austrian music publishing company Cappi & Diabelli that published many of the works of Franz Schubert. Additionally Diabelli was a piano and guitar teacher who composed a moderate repertoire for piano solo, piano and guitar and guitar solo and duo. Much of Diabelli’s oeuvre was directed towards his pupils, many beginning pianist will remember Diabelli’s Sonatinas.
Diabelli’s music got known in a broader context when he organized a contest that required well-known composers of his day to write variations on a waltz composed by himself. Ludwig van Beethoven accepted this challenge with great aplomb and completely moulded the simple Diabelli theme in a grandioso concert work with his 33 variations in the Diabelli Variations Op. 120.
Sonate in C Op. 29 has four movements, Allegro, Andante Cantabile, Menuet and Rondo.
A Rondo... mostly a theme that keeps coming back with a variation in bridges between them. Often it presents the show piece of the Sonata.
Play the Rondo in an animated fashion, but not too quick! Choose a clear approach of the theme and make variations in the atmosphere in the “couplets”. The Rondo starts in C major, changes to C minor (three sharps) for a while and returns to C major via an excursion to F.