Season 2 combines the dramatic sonority of Beethoven with a lush piano quartet by his scarcely heard-of contemporary, Anton Eberl.

Ludwig van Beethoven’s engaging String Trio No. 1 in G major was composed when he was just twenty-eight and is one of his early explorations in string chamber combinations, before he discovered the medium of the string quartet. The work has the stature of a string quartet and requires considerable dexterity and stamina to perform. Ironwood continues its exploration of the piano music of Anton Eberl with his Piano Quartet in G minor. Eberl studied with Mozart and was known as a foremost piano virtuoso and teacher in Europe. Some of his music has been described as being as good as or better than Beethoven, and his compositions were so frequently published under Mozart’s name that Eberl on one occasion sent a public amendment to a German newspaper. The two works presented in this program embody the sonorous decadence of proto-Romantic music.

Program

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)

Trio in G major for violin, viola and cello, Op. 9, No. 1

I. Adagio—Allegro con brio

II. Adagio, ma non tanto, e cantabile

III. Scherzo—Allegro

IV. Presto

Anton Eberl (1765–1807)

Piano quartet in G minor, Op. 25

I. Allegro con spirito

II. Adagio

III. Scherzo—Allegro assai

IV. Rondo—Vivace assai

Artists

Anna McMichael (violin), Gabrielle Kancachian (viola), Danny Yeadon (cello), Neal Peres da Costa (piano)