The Diabelli Codex

Described by the iconic German pianist Alfred Brendel as ‘the greatest of all piano works’, Beethoven’s colossal “Diabelli Variations” grew out of a publisher’s request for one single variation on a rather trivial tune.  This exceptional set of variations, written between 1819 and 1823 on a waltz composed by Anton Diabelli, is at the very heart of a truly fascinating project, “The Diabelli Codex”. 

Pianist Ian Fountain and composer Kevin O’Connell lead piano and composition students in an immersive creative exploration of Beethoven’s extraordinary work with a series of performances, masterclasses, workshops, talks and first performances of new works all on the musical menu.

The week-long immersive project begins with a rare performance of this monumental work by the distinguished pianist Ian Fountain whose own recording of the “Diabelli Variations” has been critically acclaimed.

Kevin O’Connell’s brilliant “Measures and Inventions”, a multi-movement response to the “Diabelli”, incorporating elements of variation, fugue, canon and other devices used by Beethoven, will be performed by the gifted young pianist Daniel Uman midweek. The week concludes with a lunchtime concert featuring the world première of a series of fresh musical responses to Beethoven’s work by some of our finest young composers.