Waldstein Express

Suggested Script for Explaining This Piece to the Audience

1.   Original (composed 1803, 199 years ago)
             Piano 4 - play Beethoven Waldstein, first movement, bars 1-8

2.   Use of opening as ground bass
             Piano 4 - play Ayers, bars 1-8 (Piano 4's part only)

3.   Use of opening motives
            Piano 4 - Beethoven, bars 1-4
            Piano 2 - Ayers, bar 9
            Piano 1 - Ayers, bar 10
            Everyone - Ayers, begin bar 9, play 4 bars

4.   Broken octave figure (transition to subordinate theme)
             Piano 4 - Beethoven, bars 31-34
             Everyone plays (Piano 3 has figure) - Ayers, begin bars 149, play 8 bars

5.  Subordinate theme
            Piano 4 - Beethoven, bars 35-41
            Everyone (Piano 1 has figure) - Ayers, begin bar 245, play 8 bars

6.  Mixture of composers
            Piano 4 - Beethoven, bars 66-67

            Point out left hand arpeggiated figure (play left hand alone)
                  Piano 1 - Ayers, begin bar 105, play 4 bars

            Mixed with:
                 Piano 3 - Ayers, begin 105, play 4 bars (Bach C maj from WTC)

            Together:
                  Piano 3 and Piano 1, same spot

             Right hand of passage is also mixed with a different composer
                  Piano 4 - repeat previous (Beethoven, bars 66-67)

             Point out right hand eighth figure (play right hand alone)
                  Piano 3 & Piano 4 - Ayers, begin bar 185, play 4 bars (Gershwin)

This page last updated on 07/27/07