Album insights
The composition of the three trios, Opus 9, took several years and overlapped with the creation of other works completed both earlier and later. They were apparently finished in March 1798 when Beethoven transferred the publishing rights to Johann Traeg of Vienna. Although the original manuscripts are no longer available, it is known that Traeg initially released only parts. However, in 1846/7, after selling his rights to Steiner & Company in Vienna, he published the complete works. This prevented the music from being explored for nearly forty years, affecting its impact on both performers and listeners, which was not particularly strong.
One conclusion drawn from this historical background is that these trios were considered challenging to play. Trios as a genre may not have been very popular or modern at the time in Vienna. Beethoven, primarily known as a pianist, was in a weak position to promote them due to his advancing deafness. The first violin sections of Op. 9 were likely composed with Ignaz Schuppanzigh in mind, making amateur or semi-amateur performances practically impossible. Cellists who hesitated to tackle Beethoven's two sonatas for cello and piano, Op. 5, would also have been unlikely to approach the new trios, written for the famous cellist Jean-Louis Duport. Even nearly fifty years later, professional solo techniques lagged behind the challenges presented by Beethoven's chamber music. Vienna's conservative culture of that era, valuing conventions over innovation, struggled to comprehend, accept, or enjoy Beethoven's intentions to surprise, interrupt, or overwhelm his audience.
The trios were roughly composed around the time Beethoven was working on his three piano sonatas dedicated to the Countess Browne, Op. 10, with the string trios dedicated to her husband. Each group consists of three works, with interesting parallels between the first movement of the second trio and the third sonata, both in D major, a key shared by all three movements of these pieces. Further similarities exist between Op. 9, No. 3, and Op. 10, No. 1—both in C minor, the only minor pieces in each group. The third trio also shares additional similarities with the C major Piano Sonata, Op. 2, No. 3, in terms of tonalities, thematic contours, and rhythmic vigor, common features within Beethoven's works created in his first decade, a period as captivating as any other in his life. Analysis of Beethoven's fragmentary sketches from those years shows his early creativity to be unpredictable, unorthodox, and at times bizarre, challenging those who claim to understand his creative process.
The opening of Trio No. 1 in G major features broken chords followed by winding sixteenth-note scales, later serving as the principal theme for the Allegro con brio. This motif extends throughout much of the work, reflecting Hegel's theory that significant events often stem from seemingly ominous beginnings. The slow second movement in the unorthodox E-flat section contradicts this theory, making the piece rich in surprises that may have shocked Viennese audiences. Regarding the second trio section (Hess 28), doubts exist as it was not included in early editions but was included in this recording due to its distinctive musical qualities.
Trio No. 2 in D major employs a tonality considered 'natural' for the violin. The solo part is notably challenging, demanding precise bowing, tuning, and a level of instinctive play reminiscent of the technical demands found in the Sonata Op. 10, No. 3. It remains debatable whether Beethoven was fully aware of the difficulties posed for violinists considering he had some knowledge of violin playing. Interestingly, D major was traditionally used for festive or joyful music, yet this trio appears more serious and demanding, akin to his later Second Symphony.
Often described as the most dramatic of the three, Trio No. 3 in C minor contains many rare minor passages for that time, offering surprises and a sense of drama not unlike music from Haydn or Mozart. Its character seems to stem from its sharp, terse phrases—a distinctive feature unique to Beethoven's composition.