Opus 9- 3 Trios in G major, D major, C minor, for violin, viola and cello
Opus 9 – 3 Trios in G major, D major, C minor, for violin, viola and cello op. 9, dedicated to the Earl of Browne, 1796 – early 1798, published in detached parts in Vienna, Traeg July 1798: in score in Mannheim Heckel (with the consent of the publisher Haslinger) October 1848. GA. nos. 55-57 (series 7/2-4) – B. 9 – KH. 9 – L. I, p. 88 – N. 9 – P. 93 – T. 53.
The original manuscripts are lost. Sketches of the Finale of the first Trio and of the Scherzo of the third are mentioned by Nottebohm during some of the Rondo of the pathetic Sonata.
Official title: Opus 9 Drei Trios (G-dur, D-dur, c-moll) für Violine, Viola und Violoncello Widmung: Johann Georg Reichsgraf von Browne-Camus NGA VI/6 AGA 55-57 = Serie 7/2-4 SBG VI/7 (Quelle 1.2, Hess 28)
As we said, the surviving sketches for Trios No. 1 and 3 date from the second half of 1797 or the beginning of 1798, a publication contract with Johann Traeg for these works is dated March 16, 1798. The original edition in parts appeared in July of the same year at Traeg in Vienna.
The elaboration of Nos. 1 and 3 took place partly in parallel, as shown by the sketches for the joke of No. 3 and the ending of No. 1 on a double page. Beethoven seems to have conceived the introduction to the first movement of No. 1 only after the whole trio had already been worked out (Johnson/Fischhof, vol. 1, p. 326).
The sketches for No. 2 could not be determined. In two letters to Beethoven dated December 1796 and June 1797 (BGA 24 and 31), Johann Georg Albrechsberger mentions a Beethoven trio that was to be performed by a “Count” in a version orchestrated by Albrechsberger. It is not possible to determine with certainty whether this was perhaps No. 2 and whether this trio was written before the other two (Op. 3, Op. 8 or Hess 29 would also be eligible; BGA also refers in principle to the Albrechsberger letters “for reasons of content”.
The existence of a sheet with a second trio for No. 1 is interpreted differently in literature. While Douglas Johnson is of the opinion that the sheet was removed from the autograph before it went to press, Arnold Schmitz speculates that Beethoven composed a new trio after the publication of the work, perhaps for a special performance. This would explain the inscription “das 2te trio muss zum Einlegen geschrieben werden” on the sheet (Johnson/Fischhof vol. 1 p. 327f and Schmitz/sketches p. 14; (on our website) cf. also Platen/NGA VI/6 p. VTIf, reproduced there of the musical text in the appendix) and again Hess 28 on our website.
For No. 3 Beethoven also worked on a trio for the scherzo that was not used later. The sketches for this were made in the context of the annotations for No. 1. Johnson thus suspects a reciprocal influence of musical material between the trio discarded from No. 3 and the trio of the scherzo from No. 1 (Johnson/Fischhof, Vol. 1, p. 330 and Vol. 2, p. 30).
On 16 March 1798 Beethoven signed a contract with the publisher Johann Traeg regarding the ownership of op. 9. According to the text of the contract, Beethoven had left Johann Traeg “3 Trios für eine Violin, Alto und Violonzello, wovon das erste aus G dur, das zweite aus D dur und das dritte aus C moll ist, […] gänzlich als sein Eigenthum überlassen” (TDR II, p. 84f). The wording suggests that the trios were or had already been delivered to the publisher at this time. (Especially in later years Beethoven delivered works that were often sold much later, some of them not yet finished at the time of signing the contract.) On 21 and 25 July 1798, the publisher announced the publication of op. 9 onwards. A receipt dated 23 December 1798 documents the receipt of the fee (see illustration in Schneider/Ausstellung, 1892, p. 98, fig. 4).
The number 42 of the publisher of the work was initially reported only on the title and only later as PN in the scores. Such later corrections are not uncommon in Traeg’s editions between 1794 and 1800, see Anhang Verlagswesen/Traeg.
During Traeg’s complicated dissolution of the publishing house, the publishing house was bought by Artaria & Comp. In 1818 a third person (Theresia Klary) bought the engraving plates and thus organized a new edition with the publisher’s title 2545 (the same happened with WoO 65 = VN 2526 and Op. 66 = VN 2547). However, the autograph score, including the publishing rights, remained Traeg. As recorded in a postscript to the 1798 certificate of publication, co-signed by Beethoven, Traeg left both to Steiner & Comp. on June 5, 1823. As a result, as Steiner’s legal successor, Haslinger printed the work with his notice of ownership in its complete edition; this led to a legal dispute between Haslinger and Artaria, who in turn claimed publishing rights (see Jäger-Sunstenau/Akten p. 31-36, Hilmar/Artaria p. 93f and Slezak/Originalverleger p. 93f).
Dedication: For the text of the dedication, see the original edition. — Johann Georg, Imperial Count von Browne-Camus, born on 20 September 1767 in Riga, died in January 1827 in an unknown place, son of Imperial Count George von Browne (1698-1792) and his second wife Eleanor von Vietinghoff, born Baroness Mengden (d. 1787). His father, born in Ireland, was an officer in the Imperial Russian Army from 1730, became a general and finally governor general of Livonia and Estonia. Johann Georg von Browne-Camus also initially served as an officer (colonel) in the Russian army but moved to Vienna with his wife in 1794 or early 1795 and lived there until his death.
Opus 9 number 1 – First Trio in G major for violin, viola and cello
I) Adagio – Allegro con brio – II) Adagio, ma non tanto e cantabile – III) Scherzo – Allegro – IV) Presto
The first Trio opens with a slow introduction, from the last bars of which the first theme of the Allegro begins, then fulfilling itself as meaning in a jovial melody. Secondary themes, development, re-exposition, coda, have the same communicativeness as open language, we would like to say popular in the broadest and most essential sense of the word, as for example in the first movement of the Second Symphony. The Adagio stretches out in the alternatives of a phrasing in large swirls between the three instruments with the physiognomy of a nocturne, which the modulating episode in G major, E minor, B major, colors more expressively. The Scherzo is one of the usual pages of the genre written by Beethoven in this period: elementary, almost poor melodic-rhythmic cues, which are gradually enriched with interest in the liveliness of the movement and the instrumental interweaving. The physiognomy of the final Presto is determined by the first theme, which then dominates the tempo throughout its course: a kind of continuous chatter that, in a breezier form, corresponds to the spirit of the initial Allegro.
Carli Ballola: «(…) although inexplicably neglected by critics and concert performers, and condemned to sustain the obscure role of springboard for the Quartets Op. 18, the Trios Op. 9 are to be considered among the most intense and perfect works of the first B., absolutely worthy of standing next to the next six Quartets, which in some parts exceed in depth, mastery and stylistic maturity ». Abraham”. « By now B. had nothing more to learn from the great musicians of the past from a technical point of view: he mastered the form and structure in a superb way and treated the individual voices in a masterly way (…). The lack of the fourth instrument is not felt: perhaps only B. felt it, since he never wrote a string trio again. In this work, the balance between homophony (complete and fragmented) and polyphony is still perfect.”
On Op. 9 n. 1 –
Tranchefort: «It marks a clear enrichment of the musical material compared to the previous Trios; and it is significant that the composer himself considered this group to be ‘the best of his works’ up to that time.”
On the Adagio –
Biamonti: «More harmonious than passionate, he stretches out in the alternatives of his phrasing in large volutes, from one instrument to the other, with a physiognomy that reminds us of the “nocturne”».
Opus 9 number 2 – Second Trio in D major for violin, viola and cello
I) Allegretto – II) Andante quasi allegretto – III) Menuetto – Allegretto – IV) Rondo – Allegro
The second Trio is like the first for the “expressive cordiality” and the poetic sweetness of some moments; it may have overall, less consistency, but it is elaborated with the same finesse. The initial theme of the Allegretto also consists of two parts: the first (here more extensive) resolved in the second, and the latter equally marked in rhythm; typical in it is the recurrence of the propulsive group, similar to the one that will later characterize the corresponding tempo of the Second Symphony, and the “surge” in the middle of its course, which makes us think of a moment in the Scherzo of the work itself. Andante quasi allegretto, of a fine elegance, has the physiognomy of romance or serenade; the main interpreter is the violin, and subordinately the cello. A staccato figure frames the melody as a prelude, an interlude or a more properly instrumental commentary. The third movement has in the first two parts the character of a melodic minuet; the Trio is like a small interlude of color, with the rhythmic beat of its pianissimo motif. The Rondo sums up in a certain way the spirit of the entire composition; particularly responds in more lively forms to that of the initial tempo.
Mersmann: «Both the fullness of sound of the first Trio and the subjective individualization of the third constitute real steps towards the quartet; but the world of the quartet is unaware of the quiet sweetness of the themes, the fluid flow of the voices, the absence of abandonment of this second Trio, characters that can only be found in the Sonatas for violin and piano».
Biamonti: “It seems to be a work by a different artist: less aimed at sunny conquests or impetuous outbursts, more collected in contemplation (…) where, however, imagination and poetry work with equal commitment.”
Opus 9 number 3 – Third Trio in C minor for violin, viola and cello
I) Allegro con spirito – II) Adagio con espressione – III) Scherzo : Allegro molto e vivace – IV) Finale – Presto
Like the correspondent of op. 1 for piano, violin and cello, this Trio differs from the two previous ones for its impetuous and passionate character, typical of many other compositions in C minor by Beethoven. It seems to us that we can identify the particular physiognomy of the first movement in the descending minor scale fragment C, B natural, B-flat, G, with which the initial theme is announced: a distinctive musical element of the exposition, and even more eloquently of the development and coda, in which it is expanded into a kind of slow, desolate cadential figuration. The Adagio, although in majority, is nevertheless, especially in the formulation and insistence of its short and truncated theme, of a certain obscure color, a little mysterious. In the third movement the animation takes on an organic movement and an enthusiasm that know no stop except at the last bar, without the temperament of accessory thoughts (except for the Trio in major with hunting rhythms and sounds). Of the theme of the Presto, we can note a certain literal affinity with that of the Finale of the Quartet op. 18 n. 1, but the physiognomies are all different. On the other hand, for the impetuous concision, our imagination turns back to the last movement of the third Trio for piano, violin and cello of op. 1 and runs forward to that of the Sonata for piano and violin op. 30 n. 2. We must also refer to the Trio itself for the identity of the initial theme of its first movement with the second of our Finale — which will then be further taken up in Prometheus — and for the conclusion in the major mode, in which it slowly dies out, definitively appeased.