Piano Trios, Op. 70 (Beethoven)
Op.70 is a set of twoPiano TriosbyLudwig van Beethoven,written forpiano,violin,andcello.Both trios were composed during Beethoven's stay at CountessMarie von Erdödy'sestate, and both are dedicated to her for her hospitality. They were published in 1809.
The first, in D major, known as theGhost,is one of his best known works in the genre (rivaled only by theArchduke Trio). The D major trio features themes found in the second movement ofBeethoven's Symphony No. 2.TheAll-Music Guidestates that "because of its strangely scored and undeniably eerie-sounding slow movement, it was dubbed the 'Ghost' Trio. The name has stuck with the work ever since. The ghostly music may have had its roots in sketches for aMacbethopera that Beethoven was contemplating at the time. "[1]According to Lewis Lockwood, Beethoven's pupilCarl Czernywrote in 1842 that the slow movement reminded him (Czerny) of the ghost scene at the opening of Shakespeare'sHamlet,and this was the origin of the nickname.[2]James Keller also attributes the nickname to Czerny, adding, "You may discard as erroneous the oft-encountered claim that this movement of theGhostTrio is a reworking of music Beethoven originally sketched as the Witches Chorus for hisMacbeth.[3]
These pieces are representative of Beethoven's "Middle" stylistic period, which went from roughly 1803 to 1812, and which included many of his most famous works. Beethoven wrote the two piano trios while spending the summer of 1808 back once again inHeiligenstadt, Vienna,[4]where he had completed hisSymphony No. 5the previous summer. He wrote the two trios immediately after finishing hisSinfonia pastorale,Symphony No. 6.This was a period of uncertainty in Beethoven's life, in particular because he had no dependable source of income at the time.
Although these two trios are sometimes numbered as "No. 5" and "No. 6", the numbering of Beethoven's twelve piano trios is not standardized, and in other sources the two Op. 70 trios may be shown as having different numbers, if any.
Piano Trio in D major, Op. 70 No. 1 "Ghost"
[edit]- Allegrovivace e con brio,D major,3/4
- Largoassai ed espressivo,D minor,2/4 [This movement is what gave the "Ghost Trio" its name][5]
- Presto,D major, 4/4
Piano Trio in E-flat major, Op. 70 No. 2
[edit]- Poco sostenuto –Allegro,ma non troppo,E-flat major,4/4 - 6/8
- Allegretto,Cmajor/minor,2/4
- Allegrettoma non troppo,A-flat major,3/4
- Finale.Allegro,E-flat major, 2/4
The second movement is indouble variationform.
References
[edit]- ^Johnston, Blair."Piano Trio in D major (" Ghost "), Op. 70/1".AllMusic.Retrieved15 October2014.
- ^Lockwood, Lewis.Beethoven: The Music and The Life,W. W. Norton & Company (2005), p306
- ^Keller, James.Chamber Music: A Listener's GuideOxford University Press (2010) p56
- ^Rothwell, Jessie."Trio in D Major, Op. 70, No. 1," Ghost "".LA Phil.Retrieved14 October2014.
- ^"Beethoven: Biography of a Genius, by George R. Marek, 1969, page 264," has so mysterious a slow movement that work has been nicknamed the "Ghost Trio."
External links
[edit]- Piano Trio in D major, Op.70 No.1,Piano Trio in E-flat major, Op.70 No.2:Scores at theInternational Music Score Library Project
- Performances ofPiano Trio Op. 70 No. 1andPiano Trio Op. 70 No. 2by theClaremont Triofrom theIsabella Stewart Gardner MuseuminMP3format
