Beethoven: Piano Trios, Op.1

Introduction

Ludwig van Beethoven's Opus 1 is a set of three piano trios (written for piano, violin, and cello), first performed in 1795 in the house of Prince Lichnowsky, to whom they are dedicated. The trios were published in 1795.

Despite the Op. 1 designation, these trios were not Beethoven's first published compositions^{[citation needed]}; this distinction belongs rather to his Dressler Variations for keyboard (WoO 63). Clearly he recognized these compositions as the earliest ones he had produced that were substantial enough (and marketable enough) to fill out a first major publication to introduce his style of writing to the musical public.

Op. 1 No. 1 - Piano Trio No. 1 in E-flat major

• Allegro (E flat major), ⁴₄
• Adagio cantabile (A flat major), ³₄
• Scherzo. Allegro assai (E flat major, with trio in A flat major), ³₄
• Finale. Presto (E flat major), ²₄

The first movement opens with a similar figure to that of the third movement of Mozart's 20^th Piano Concerto..

Op. 1 No. 2 - Piano Trio No. 2 in G major

• Adagio, ³₄ - Allegro vivace, ²₄ (G major)
• Largo con espressione (E major), ⁶₈
• Scherzo. Allegro (G major, with a trio in B minor), ³₄
• Finale. Presto (G major), ²₄

Op. 1 No. 3 - Piano Trio No. 3 in C minor

• Allegro con brio (C minor), ³₄
• Andante cantabile con Variazioni (E flat major), ²₄
• Minuetto. Quasi allegro (C minor, with a trio in C major), ³₄
• Finale. Prestissimo (C minor, concluding in C major), ²₂

Unlike the other piano trios in this opus, the third trio does not have a scherzo as its third movement but a minuet instead.

This third piano trio was later reworked by Beethoven into the C minor string quintet, Op. 104.