Presents
Ludwig van Beethoven
Triple Concerto originally for Violin, Cello, Piano and Orchestra
Arranged for Piano Trio (Violin, Cello and Piano) by Carl Reinecke
Beethoven’s Concerto for Violin, Violoncello, Piano and Orchestra which has become known as the Triple Concerto was composed in 1803-04, Beethoven was experimenting with the melding of three solo instruments being performed at the same time. Its first performance was a private one at Prince Lobkowitz’s palace in Vienna. The prince, Beethoven's friend and patron, was known to have the best orchestra in Vienna and the soloists were among Vienna’s best—Anton Wrantizky on Violin, Anton Kraft on Cello and Beethoven at the piano. The audience was said to have been very favorably impressed. However, at its first public performance in Vienna which took place four years later in 1808, it garnered no applause. It was said that the soloists, despite having a reputation for being fine players, took a rather casual approach to the work and did not exactly do a great job of it. One can only guess at what Beethoven's reaction must have been to the audience remaining silent after its performance.
Like many concertos with solo
instruments, Beethoven's Triple Concerto lends itself to transcription. As many
commentators have noted, it is in effect already a kind of piano trio. But successfully
arranging such a work is no easy job. Many try, few succeed. Fortunately, in
this case, the arranger Carl Reinecke (1824-1910), was considered one of the
19th century’s most important composers, pianists, teachers and conductors. In
addition to all this, Reinecke was widely regarded as one of the very best
arrangers of large scale works. His 1866-67 arrangement
of Beethoven's Triple Concerto, a work which Reinecke not only performed as a
soloist but also as a conductor, is no less impressive than the original.
Compressing a work of this magnitude for three solo instruments and orchestra to
a mere piano trio requires not only a great musical mind capable of the
conception but also the talent to realize it. Reinecke possessed both in abundance.
No other arrangement of this work for chamber ensemble can hold a candle to this one. Just listen and you will immediately hear that its excellence is self apparent. What Reineckes produced is almost as impressive as the concerto itself. Not readily available, we are pleased to offer the original and only edition made by Breitkof & Härtel. It is a work for professionals and amateurs of this caliber. In the concert hall, it is sure to make a strong impression.
Parts: $29.95
