The Station Trio: Frank Thomas (Violin); Ronald Harding (Violoncello); Hubert Pengelly (Pianoforte)
Trio in E Flat Major, Op. 1, No. 1 Scherzo and Finale

In the third movement of this early work of Beethoven's (as was pointed out when the first two movements were played, it is not regarded as actually his first work) he makes one of the advances on the music of his predecessors which was destined to have an important bearing on the course of all future concerted music. The usual movement in this place, in a Trio by Haydn or Mozart, was a Minuet, either dainty or vigorous, but almost invariably in the usual set form. Beethoven gives us, instead, a Scherzo, bigger not only in dimension, but in character, than the old Minuets, although so much of the old form is still retained that there is a contrasted section, still known as a 'Trio,' after which the opening returns.
The fourth movement is in the most joyous good spirits, and hurries along at great speed. It is somewhat more in Mozart's manner than the other movements...

4.5 John Arthur (Tenor)