STRING Trios BY BEETHOVEN
Played by KENNETH SKEAPING (Violin)
BERNARD SHORE (Viola)
EDWARD J. ROBINSON (Violoncello)
Op. 9, No. 3, Second, Third and Fourth Movements
THE second, third, and fourth movements of Beethoven's C Minor Trio (Op. 9, No. 3) are all full of interest. The fine slow movement (Adagio con expressione) differs from the general run of such movements in following the more elaborate form of an opening Allegro. Thus it has its first and second subjects, ' 'free fantasia,' recapitulation and coda all complete, instead of being based mainly, as is more usual, on one simple song-like theme.
In pre-Beethoven music a Minuet would probably have followed, but Beethoven, even at this stage of his career, had already come to prefer the more vigorous Scherzo, of which the next movement is a characteristic early example.
A Finale, a Presto, opens with a vigorous first theme, to which succeeds an ' episode ' distinguishable by its scale passages in what is called ' contrary motion,' that is, going in opposite directions. The melodious second main theme which follows will be no less readily identified.