Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 2 | Seth Schultheis, Oksana Lyniv & the Beethoven Orchester Bonn

Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 19 is an early masterpiece that reflects the elegance of the Classical era while already hinting at the originality and dramatic power of Beethoven’s later works. In this live performance, pianist Seth Schultheis joins the Beethoven Orchester Bonn under the direction of acclaimed conductor Oksana Lyniv. The concert was recorded on December 13, 2025, at the Winners’ Concert of the Telekom Beethoven Competition 2025 at the Telekom Forum in Bonn. Seth Schultheis was awarded First Prize at the competition, one of the leading international piano competitions for young artists. His interpretation of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2 showcases remarkable virtuosity, musical sensitivity, and stylistic clarity. (00:00) I. Allegro con brio (14:57) II. Adagio (24:33) III. Rondo. Molto allegro Although officially designated Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2, this was actually the first piano concerto he composed. Its creation spans several years: sketches and fragments date from 1786 to 1792, when Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827) was still living in Bonn. After multiple revisions, the work was premiered on March 29, 1795, at Vienna’s Burgtheater — with Beethoven himself at the piano. He later revised the concerto again before publishing it at the end of 1801. Interestingly, Beethoven began work on his Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, Op. 15 at a later date, but it was published earlier, in the spring of 1801. That’s why it carries a lower opus number and is considered his "first" concerto in the official catalog. Both early piano concertos were pivotal for the young composer from Bonn — they served, so to speak, as his musical calling cards. Since arriving in Vienna in 1792, Beethoven had quickly gained access to aristocratic circles thanks to his virtuosity, and these influential patrons also supported him financially. The aforementioned 1795 concert marked his first public performance in the musical capital of Vienna, boosting his reputation as a piano virtuoso. That said, Beethoven himself reportedly claimed that his first and second piano concertos were not among his best works. Following in the footsteps of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791), who had popularized the piano concerto as a genre — and dazzled audiences with his own brilliance as a pianist — Beethoven’s Second Piano Concerto still closely echoes the stylistic hallmarks of his predecessor, especially in the first and third movements. Yet dramatic moments throughout already hint at the unmistakable personal style that would later define Beethoven’s music. Seth Schultheis (*2000) is an American pianist based in London, recently awarded a Professional Diploma at the Royal Academy of Music after a year of study with Mei-Ting Sun. Fluent in a wide range of styles, Seth has a particular affinity for Beethoven, Schumann, and Brahms, along with being a dedicated performer of contemporary music. © 2025 Deutsche Telekom / Beethovenfest Bonn / Deutsche Welle Watch more concerts in your personal concert hall:    • CONCERT HALL   in our Beethoven playlist:    • BEST OF BEETHOVEN   and in our playlist with piano concertos:    • PIANO CONCERTOS   Subscribe to DW Classical Music:    / dwclassicalmusic   #Beethoven #pianoconcerto #classicalera