Beethoven, Op. 1

Take a musical journey and imagine yourself in 1795 Vienna, eager to experience the first published works, hot off the press, by the city’s sensational young pianist-composer.

Beethoven advertised his first published work—3 trios for piano, violin and cello—in May of 1795. For the price of one ducat, subscribers would receive their scores directly from the publisher two months before the music became available to the general public, at a higher price. 

At the first run-through of the pieces at Prince Lichnowski’s, Beethoven’s teacher Joseph Haydn praised the first two, but advised Beethoven against publishing the third. Beethoven was incensed because he thought it was the best one, and history has come down on his side: the dramatic work in C minor is now the most frequently performed of the set. 

We invite you to marvel at Beethoven’s mastery of instrumental interplay, where lines mesh and balance perfectly and each trio reveals a distinct personality—all made exquisitely transparent on instruments resembling those for which the music was composed.

Beethoven’s Op. 1 includes his first three string trios.

David Breitman, Alan Choo, and Jaap ter Linden join forces for a musical glimpse into the early career of this pivotal composer.