Beethoven - Trio for piano, clarinet (or violin) & cello (arr. of septet, Op. 20), Op. 38

Ludwig van Beethoven
Trio for piano, clarinet (or violin) & cello in E flat major (arr. of septet, Op. 20), Op. 38 (1803)
1. Adagio - Allegro con brio
2. Adagio cantabile
3. Tempo di minuetto - Trio
4. Tema con variazioni
5. Scherzo. Allegro molto e vivace - Trio
6. Andante con moto, Alla marcia - Presto
Description by Robert Cummings [-]
As the headnote indicates, this work is an arrangement of the Op. 20 Septet (1799-1800), which was scored for clarinet, horn, bassoon, violin, viola, cello, and bass. This trio arrangement was published in 1805, but the date of its composition is not certain. However, since the Septet was published in 1802 and became instantly popular, it is likely that Beethoven fashioned the trio from it in about 1803. This was not the only transcription of the Septet, either: Franz Anton Hoffmeister, a composer and publisher, made an arrangement for string quintet with Beethoven's permission.
The Septet is generally regarded as the greatest of Beethoven's early chamber works. It is unusual in its six movement design, which included a Scherzo placed fifth. Beethoven made this trio arrangement for Dr. Johann Schmidt, his new physician and also a good violinist. His daughter was a talented pianist, and the two, with a cellist friend, often played this music in early nineteenth-century Vienna, probably at private gatherings and at concerts in their home. Beethoven gave exclusive rights to the score to Dr. Schmidt for one year.

[@johanneschrysostomuswolfga8275]

0:00 I. Adagio - Allegro con brio 10:42 II. Adagio cantabile 21:17 III. Tempo di Menuetto 24:39 IV. Andante con Variazioni 35:43 V. Scherzo. Allegro molto e vivace 41:55 VI. Andante con molto alla marcia - Presto

[@fredhoupt4078]

Ah, that wonderful theme in part three. Played it many times in a simplified form on the piano. One of his most delightful themes.

[@NickFeigenbaumBassHQ]

Thank you!

[@matheusmiranda8436]

Actually the Mov. V Scherzo starts at 32.16 and the 6th. Mov. Andante con molto alla marcia starts at 35.43

[@Seekthetruth3000]

Lovely music. One million years from now, will anyone remember who Beethoven was?

[@felixhoezen3935]

A million is a bit of a stretch. High chance there won't even be humans to enjoy our ludwig

[@Arteshir]

10:42 The powerful esoteric sublime eternal Adagio Cantabile

[@SuperMelvyn]

I love these videos where we can follow the score. I think many people would prefer this arrangement to the original septet - the 7 instruments can get overwhelming after a while and the contrasted three have make something mellifluous and homogenous. That said, there is room for both - and for the version with violin replacing clarinet. Superb music whichever way it is done.

[@daltonmarcellus8702]

You prolly dont give a damn but does anybody know a way to get back into an instagram account?? I stupidly lost my password. I would love any tips you can give me!

[@daltonmarcellus8702]

@Grady Milan Thanks for your reply. I found the site thru google and Im in the hacking process now. Seems to take quite some time so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@daltonmarcellus8702]

@Grady Milan it did the trick and I now got access to my account again. Im so happy! Thank you so much, you really help me out!

[@gradymilan5680]

@Dalton Marcellus You are welcome =)

[@user-ru8vy1uz7c]

Bravo bravo bravo

[@keithstevenson418]

23april23 I've never heard this before. Charming, sweet and mature. Thanks Keith

[@fredericchopin7538]

Wonderful!

[@thanksspecial5084]

Amazing. .Thanks for posting.

[@Twentythousandlps]

It is interesting to hear and see now the master goes about this task, but the original is unquestionably superior. Later Liszt arranged it for piano, and Toscanini made it into an orchestral work. The only work Beethoven composed that features solo clarinet is his Trio Op. 11, far less awkward than this arrangement.

[@mrjimmienoone2130]

I find no. 11 dull and uninspired, compared to 38.

[@TomTom53421]

MrJimmienoone I don’t know about that, I find it rather humorous. I both played it and analyzed it and I found it to be one of Beethoven’s most interesting works

[@gradwhan]

Thanks for uploading. Do you think it would be possible to play this with a piano quartet? Btw I'd love to see more of those. Thanks for uploading :).

[@dwnag5290]

21:17 isn’t that Beethoven Piano Sonata no. 2 op.49 2nd movement?

[@peterlee6621]

Yeah. The 3rd mvt of the piece was inspired by the second of Beethoven's op.49/2 (Despite having a higher opus number it was written before the septet)

[@HowardTse]

That's what's called "reusing a theme"

[@marcocampus7943]

Mov II... It Is very close to "in mia man" from Bellini's Norma

[@volkerf.sesselmann6783]

Das Thema des Variationssatzes kommt mir ebenfalls bekannt vor🤔

[@Tachometrically]

after discovering this, I wanted to find a video in which someone else made the same observation so here I am 5 years later lmao

[@marcocampus7943]

Mov II.. for the opera lovers, It isnt very close to "In mia man alfin tu sei" from Bellini's Norma?

[@nazazaku]

21:17 érase, una vez, un planeta triste y oscuro....

[@ironmaz1]

Why does the title say 'Trio No. 13'? Since when had lvb so many trios by then?

[@benjaminsim5233]

After hearing this, I still prefer the original septet scoring with the full strings. The piano and violin and cello just seem like a slightly odd combination of instruments. It works well in some places like the slower 2nd movement and possibly the 4th but somehow doesn't seem to have the carrying power of a full string quartet in the first and last movement. Maybe the horn and bassoon add some colour to it as well. I did feel that the pianist seemed a bit reserved in his playing in some areas (albeit a early Beethoven work). I personally would like to hear this played with a fortepiano, I just have hunch it will sound a bit better... By any chance do you know who are the performers?

[@Muzikay]

Who's playing?

[@volkerf.sesselmann6783]

Bitte wer sind hier die Interpreten?