4. Kammerkonzert

Don't feel like practicing the piano? What if the great Ludwig van Beethoven could give you a little motivation? Beethoven wrote his Allegretto for Piano Trio in 1812 for 10-year-old Maximiliane von Brentano, with the encouraging words “to cheer her up while playing the piano.” Whether it helped is not known—but what is certain is that this short, cheerful, and lyrical piece reveals the composer’s mature style. One of Beethoven’s famous (and certainly always motivated) piano students was Ferdinand Ries. He developed not only into a virtuoso pianist but also into a serious composer on the cusp of the Romantic era, as his Piano Trio in C minor demonstrates. György Kurtág, born 100 years ago, composed the piano trio “Varga Bálint Ligaturája” not for a student, but for a fellow master. The work is a tribute to the Hungarian writer and journalist Bálint András Varga, who became known for his books and conversations with contemporary composers. Hermann Goetz, who died 150 years ago, did not find his musical role models among his contemporaries Liszt, Wagner, or Brahms, but rather drew inspiration from the elegant style of Mozart and Mendelssohn-Bartholdy.

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
Allegretto for Piano Trio in B-flat major
FERDINAND RIES
Piano Trio No. 4
GYÖRGY KURTÁG
“Varga Bálint Ligaturája”
HERMANN GOETZ
Piano Trio in G minor

Violin ILONA CUDEK
Cello ELKE FUNK-HOEVER
Piano AGLAYA ZINCHENKO