Allegro con brio -- Adagio -- Tema con variazioni. Allegretto
Beethoven’s Piano Trio No. 4 is one of his early chamber works, completed only two years after the three trios of his op. 1. During the 1790s, woodwind instruments enjoyed a particular popularity mostly due to their novelty, and many composers wrote chamber works for the instruments. Consequently, the Piano Trio No. 4 is the only work in Beethoven’s trio cycle to be scored for clarinet, cello and piano. It is also possible to substitute the clarinet with the violin.
The key of the piece is B flat major and was probably chosen to facilitate the technical passages in the clarinet, since the Boehm System would not be developed for the clarinet for another four decades. It is in three movements like the later “Ghost” trio. The first movement begins with a graceful theme and on the whole is much under the shadow of Mozart and Haydn. A brief chorale-like subject is heard in the exposition that is later expanded in the development and combined with the opening chromatic gesture of the movement.
The following Adagio begins with a lyrical melody in the cello and repeated by the clarinet. The finale presents a simple folk-like tune and is a prime candidate for variations. Nine variations and a coda follow the theme. Only the piano is used Variation 1 followed a duet between the clarinet and cello in Variation 2. Variation 4 and 7 are in the tonic minor. Like many of his variations forms, including those of his later period, Beethoven presents the theme in its original form as the last variation. A series of trills in the piano (also a technique used extensively in his later period) leads into the brilliant coda that closes the piece. Joseph DuBose
Classical Music | Violin Music
Ludwig van Beethoven
Trio for Piano, Violin and Cello in B-flat Major, Op. 11
PlayRecorded on 07/10/2011, uploaded on 09/01/2011
Musician's or Publisher's Notes
Allegro con brio -- Adagio -- Tema con variazioni. Allegretto
Beethoven’s Piano Trio No. 4 is one of his early chamber works, completed only two years after the three trios of his op. 1. During the 1790s, woodwind instruments enjoyed a particular popularity mostly due to their novelty, and many composers wrote chamber works for the instruments. Consequently, the Piano Trio No. 4 is the only work in Beethoven’s trio cycle to be scored for clarinet, cello and piano. It is also possible to substitute the clarinet with the violin.
The key of the piece is B flat major and was probably chosen to facilitate the technical passages in the clarinet, since the Boehm System would not be developed for the clarinet for another four decades. It is in three movements like the later “Ghost” trio. The first movement begins with a graceful theme and on the whole is much under the shadow of Mozart and Haydn. A brief chorale-like subject is heard in the exposition that is later expanded in the development and combined with the opening chromatic gesture of the movement.
The following Adagio begins with a lyrical melody in the cello and repeated by the clarinet. The finale presents a simple folk-like tune and is a prime candidate for variations. Nine variations and a coda follow the theme. Only the piano is used Variation 1 followed a duet between the clarinet and cello in Variation 2. Variation 4 and 7 are in the tonic minor. Like many of his variations forms, including those of his later period, Beethoven presents the theme in its original form as the last variation. A series of trills in the piano (also a technique used extensively in his later period) leads into the brilliant coda that closes the piece. Joseph DuBose
Courtesy of the Steans Institute
More music by Ludwig van Beethoven
Piano Concerto No 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 19, Third Movement (Rondo: Allegro molto)
Sonata No. 32 in c minor, Op. 111
Piano Sonata No. 28 in A Major, Op. 101
Sonata No. 32 in c minor, Op. 111
Fantasie in g minor, Op. 77
33 Variations on a Waltz by Anton Diabelli, Op. 120
String Quartet Op. 131
String Quartet No. 11 in f minor, Op. 95, Serioso
Sonata for cello and piano in g minor, Op 5, No. 2
Theme and Seven Variations on "Bei Mannern" from Mozart's The Magic Flute, WoO 46
Performances by same musician(s)
Piano Quartet in C minor, Op. 15
Serenade for 2 Violins and Viola, Op. 12
Trio No. 5 in D Major “Ghost” for Violin, Cello and Piano Op. 70, No. 1
Toccata for Piano, Op. 11 (arr. for a sextet)
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