Tre Klaverstykker

Nielsen composed the first two movements in January and February 1928, dating the second 1 March 1928. He turned then to the composition of the Clarinet Concerto, and finished the third piano movement on 6 November 1928.[1][2] The first two pieces were initially performed in April 1928.[3] The three pieces were published after his death in 1937 by Edition Dania in Copenhagen.[1]

The three pieces are marked:

1. Impromptu: Allegro fluento
2. Adagio
3. Allegro non troppo

The beginning is reminiscent of Impressionism, but moves to "more abrupt and dissonant material", according to the musicologist Chris Morrison.[3] Nielsen commented on the last pages: "Think of a tipsy fellow trying to keep his dignity and upright position by holding on to a lamp-post!"[3] Morrison writes that the Adagio shows "sudden outbursts" in mostly "tender and haunting music".[3] In the last movement, which he describes as "tough-minded, forceful", Nielsen at times approaches atonality.[3] The pieces are related to the music of Bartók and Schönberg's early twelve-tone music.[3] The musicologist Daniel Grimley notes that the pieces convey a "dual sense of childlike innocence and devilish improvisation".[2]

The pieces have been recorded in collections of Nielsen's works, such as a 1980 recording by pianist Elisabeth Westenholz, Carl Nielsen: The Complete Piano Music, a 1996 album Carl Nielsen / Keyboard works", and a 2008 collection Carl Nielsen: Complete Piano Music with pianist Martin Roscoe.[3] Mina Miller played them on a 2007 recording of piano music by Nielsen.[2]

• 3 Klaverstykker, Op.59: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project