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Classical from the Beethovenfest - Beethoven: Gassenhauer Trio

Marita Berg / gswSeptember 18, 2012

Those who think they know all there is to know about Beethoven's "Gassenhauer Trio" may be in for a surprise. This arrangement is for oboe, bassoon and piano.

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Beethoven monument, Vienna
Image: picture-alliance/dpa

Inspired Oboe 5

Ludwig van Beethoven:
Trio in B-flat Major for clarinet, cello and piano, op. 11 ("Gassenhauer Trio"), arranged for oboe, bassoon and piano
Philippe Tondre (oboe)
Pierre Gomes (bassoon)
Masako Eguchi (piano)

MP3 recorded by Deutsche Welle (DW) in the Schumann House in Bonn on September 9, 2012

Beethoven wrote the "Gassenhauer Trio" around year's end 1797. The nickname ("Gassenhauer" translates to "popular tune") has to do with the finale, whose melody came from Joseph Weigl's highly popular comic opera "Der Korsar oder die Liebe unter Seeleuten" (The Pirate, or Love Among Seafarers).

"I really love the slow movement but also the opera variations," said Philippe Tondre. "And even though the trio is actually conceived for clarinet, I wanted to play it here at the Beethovenfest in a version for oboe. Then I had the idea of replacing the cello part with a bassoon because the sounds of the oboe and the bassoon mix incredibly well."

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Beethoven: Trio in B-flat Major for clarinet, cello and piano, op. 11 ("Gassenhauer Trio"), arranged for oboe, bassoon and piano, Performed by Philippe Tondre, Pierre Gomes, Masako Eguchi; Recorded by Deutsche Welle (DW) in the Schumann House in Bonn on September 9, 2012

September 14, 201200:00 min