Beethoven’s Piano Trios

Beethoven’s Piano Trios Op. 11 and Op. 70, No. 1 reveal two very different moments in the composer’s creative journey. Written around a decade apart, these works trace the transformation of a young composer absorbing the conventions of his time into an

artist who would redefine the boundaries of musical language. The Piano Trio Op. 11, known as the Gassenhauer, is built around a popular melody, resulting in a work distinguished by its elegance, wit, and virtuosity. By contrast, the Piano Trio Op. 70, No. 1, nicknamed the Ghost, ventures into more intense and unsettling expressive territory, foreshadowing characteristics that would later become hallmarks of nineteenth-century Romanticism. Presented together, these two trios offer a compelling portrait of Beethoven’s extraordinary capacity for reinvention and invite audiences to follow the evolution of one of the most influential voices in the history of music.

A concert with commentary by Alexandre Delgado.

El Corte Inglés supports the CCB’s Classical Music Mediation Programme.