Beethoven wrote this, his first set of Bagatelles, at a time when his style was rapidly evolving. He would turn out his watershed Symphony No. 3 "Eroica" the following year and thereafter regularly strike out new paths in the symphonic, keyboard, choral, and chamber genres. These seven Bagatelles, however, while well-crafted and quite attractive, are light and relatively unadventurous works. The E flat major First, marked Andante grazioso—quasi allegretto, is a charming piece, jaunty and playful in its catchy main theme and slightly weightier in its brief middle section. The Bagatelle No. 2 in C major is a Scherzo marked Allegro. Its main part features a light, jumpy theme followed by a serious second subject. The trio section features a vibrant theme of mostly ascending sonorities based on the second subject. The ensuing Bagatelle in F major "Allegretto" is short at about two minutes and quite mellow in its mostly middle-register playfulness. The Andante Fourth, in A major, begins gently and gracefully enough, but coarsens its manner a bit in later contrasting episodes. The ensuing Bagatelle in C major "Allegro ma non troppo" is colorful in its ascending arpeggiations and lively, stop-and-start theme. No. 6, in D major (Allegretto—quasi andante), is gentle and upbeat in its leisurely pacing and graceful manner. The concluding Bagatelle in A flat major "Presto," at just under two minutes, is the shortest and most driven Bagatelle. It is also filled with that characteristic Beethovenian mischief and restlessness, shifting from one idea to the next, then back to an earlier one, but now showing imaginative development.

© All Music Guide

No.1 in Eb (Andante grazioso quasi allegretto)

Although the date of composition in the headnote accurately reflects the period Beethoven worked on the seven bagatelles comprising the Op. 33 set, sketches for some of the pieces date back to much earlier times, as early as 1783. The works in the collection are generally light, energetic, and brief. That said, this E flat minor effort only partially meets that description—it is light and somewhat lively, but its four-minute duration stretches it beyond brevity to a more moderate length. This Op. 33 set's leadoff item is, in fact, its largest member. The work is marked Andante grazioso, quasi allegretto, and opens with a joyful theme whose carefree, colorful manner allows few clouds in its bright sky. This melody and its subordinate materials are presented twice and then Beethoven briefly develops them, injecting only a hint of tension and darkness. After a reprise of the main materials, the piece ends in high spirits, emphatic chords resonating energy and joy. This is among the finest early bagatelles, even if it falls a rank or so below those in the masterful and much later Op. 126 set.

© Robert Cummings, All Music Guide