Ludwig van Beethoven, whose anniversary is being celebrated through the year 2020, has definitely given new impulses to the genre of a string trio. Beethoven's three string trios op. 9 have become a crucial reference for successive composers. However, each of the string trios places significant demand of the virtuoso playing on all involved solo performers.

No worries: Beethoven´s artistic heritage is definitely in good hands at CLASSIC@HOME. The musicians performing one of the three great string trios are true professionals, high-demanded both as teachers and as soloists, playing with the best world orchestras. There are Mihaela Martin on violin, Yulia Deyneka on viola as well as Frans Helmerson on cello.

The three strings trios were published in 1798 – the composer believed they belonged to his best pieces ever. Prior known as a virtuoso pianist and a piano composer, Beethoven demonstrated for the first time he was also able to make music for strings in a both mature and innovative way. Please pay attention to the dramatic sound and the expressive motion! Beethoven uses new, less striking themes and divides them equally between three instruments taking into consideration the special character of each of them. All these features as well as the consequent four-part structure unusual for chamber music of the pre-Beethoven time indicate a new direction Beethoven perfectly developed later on in his symphonies.

Ludwig van Beethoven
String trio No.3 c-Moll op.9/3 (1796/98)

1. Allegro con spirito
2. Adagio con espressione
3. Scherzo
4. Finale. Presto

String trio D major „Serenade", op.8 (1797)

1. Marcia. Allegro - Adagio
2. Menuetto. Allegretto
3. Adagio - Scherzo - Adagio - Allegro molto
4. Allegretto alla Polacca
5. Andante quasi allegretto con 4 variazioni – Allegro – Tempo I
6. Marcia. Allegro