Trio Poco - Beethoven, Trio op. 87 for 2 Oboes & English Horn

Live performance at Midwest Musical Imports.
Trio op. 87 for 2 Oboes & English Horn (1794) - Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) (transposed by Michael Berkowski)
0:00 - Allegro
7:56 - Adagio
12:04 - Minuet. Allegro molto. Scherzo - Trio
14:30 - Finale. Presto
Beethoven composed this trio for the somewhat uncommon combination of two oboes and English horn in 1974, shortly after arriving in Vienna. Unlike many of his other works of that time period, which were written as preparation for orchestral writing, this trio was intended for the growing number of amateur performers in Vienna. Because amateurs often found themselves in unusual combinations, this well-suited trio quickly found itself arranged for many other instrumentations, like two violins and bass, two flutes and viola, two clarinets and bassoon, and even a sonata for violin and piano. As such, it’s very fitting to present this novel arrangement for Oboe/English Horn, Flute/Alto Flute, and Clarinet, with each voice getting to alternately take the role of Oboe or English Horn in turn.
The Trio wasn’t published until 1806, when Beethoven approved someone else’s arrangement for two violins and viola, which is why the opus number is so high, placing it around his 7th symphony, despite it being composed in his younger years. Despite its target of non-professional players, this piece is well-structured, highly melodic, and demands accurate and idiomatic playing from all three parts. It uses the four-movement classical form that Beethoven was studying in his early years at Vienna, but presents a pleasant character similar to what one might find in the serenade music of Mozart or Haydn.

[@scottdavis198]

Good stuff! Fun combination of instruments that "dialogue" so well together.