Mr. Peabody Says:
Beethoven wrote two piano trios, Opus 74, while spending the summer of 1808 in Heiligenstadt, Vienna. He was at Countess Marie von Erdödy’s estate, and the trios are dedicated to her. Some people think this lady was Beethoven’s “Immortal Beloved”. She was one of Beethoven’s cloest friends.
Heiligenstadt is important because of the “Heiligenstadt Testament”, which you can read about HERE.
Vladimir Ashkenazy/Itzhak Perlman/Lynn Harrell
- Poco sostenuto – Allegro, ma non troppo, E-flat major
- Allegretto, C major/minor
- Allegretto ma non troppo, A-flat major
- Finale. Allegro, E-flat major
Date of composition:
Beethoven completed his Symphony No. 5 the previous summer. He wrote the two trios immediately after finishing his Symphony No. 6, which rather quickly followed No. 5. This was a period of uncertainty in Beethoven’s life, in particular because he had no dependable source of income at the time, and the Countess Erdödy was extremely helpful in his getting a more predictable income.
This was a period of uncertainty in Beethoven’s life, in particular because he had no dependable source of income at the time.