The "theme" is Anton Diabelli's little waltz that somehow took Beethoven's fancy — for three years! Beethoven composed the longest piece he'd written for piano and the most complex set ever of 33 variations. But why? It's kind of a heavy-handed, beer-hall kind of piece, so why allow this to take precedence over the 9th Symphony or the Mass?
And while we're on the subject, what's the meaning of life? These are questions asked — and pondered — in Moises Kaufman's tender, witty and illuminating play 33 Variations.
Joining me in the Maud Moon Weyerhaeuser studio are Beethoven (Edwin Strout), the modern-day musicologist dying of ALS as she uses her last moments to find out the mystery of this piece (Karen Landry) and the music itself as a character (Irina Elkina on piano)
We discuss the "whodunit" aspect of discovery, how to become a famous — and almost clichéd — person as well as a person slowly losing all motor control and dying on stage.
And of course, we hear the music.
Audio produced by Mike Pengra, engineered by Corey Schreppel.
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