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For this bagatelle, based upon the opening theme of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C Minor, I drew inspiration not only from the theme but also from Beethoven’s own output of bagatelles. I am especially attracted to the frequent sudden contrasts in Beethoven’s music – for example, the opening moments of his Bagatelle op. 33 #2 (“Scherzo”) – perhaps because the heightened emotion of these types of gestures can be perceived as playful or terrifying, depending on the context. There are many such moments in the portentous first movement of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, but as I am of a nature rather more playful than brooding I often experience these contrasts as humorous. In recontextualizing some of these moments, this Scherzo-Bagatelle emphasizes their ridiculous quality; and, references to the music of Chopin, Mozart, and Raymond Scott (as well as to other passages of Beethoven’s Fifth) contribute to the comic tone.
