Beethoven liked to follow a strenuous piece with something more relaxed. This trio, companion to last week’s “Ghost,” shows Beethoven relaxed, feet on an ottoman, a fine Havana cigar in one hand, a snifter of excellent cognac in the other – and an attractive lady of the evening in his lap. Ah, life is good!
Lou liked to use E-flat for heroic pieces, but this is the opposite of his heroic style. The slow introduction, marked “poco sostenuto,” is like nothing else in his output: it’s a four-part canon. But then things get rolling in 6/8 with an “allegro ma non troppo” movement in sonata format. The violin and cello stay out of the high registers, which belong to the piano. The transition to the B-flat second subject utilizes the canonic material. The exposition repeats. Development goes into the deep flat keys, and the recap goes directly into the second subject in the correct key of E-flat. The coda brings back the introduction before resolving quietly with a fragment of the first subject.
This trio lacks a slow movement, something that Beethoven would soon try in his symphonies. The second movement is marked “allegretto” in C Major and is based on two contrasting themes. Beethoven throws a curve by ending it in C minor.
The minuet recycles a minuet in A-flat from an earlier piano sonata, but this time with violin and cello parts added. It’s in 3/4 and marked “allegretto” like the previous movement. The format here is A-B-A-B-A, a five-part dance format that was appearing in more and more Beethoven four-movement works. The “B” section sounds almost Baroque in its melody and harmonies. The coda brings back the “B” section briefly before resolving with the “A” theme.
Lou returns to E-flat for the finale, marked “allegro.” This is a rambunctious movement where the piano and violin each try to outdo the other with the second subject. It’s a funny moment. Development is pretty wild, even for Beethoven. The recap brings back the “I can do it better” spirit with violin and piano, until the cello challenges them both! The ending is decisive.
Tomorrow night it’s a string quartet.
Well, that was quick, Mr. P! Are you off now for some live music?