PROGRAM NOTES BY JAY GREGG

​​Born in Bonn, Germany, Ludwig van Beethoven is one of the most prolific and influential names in classical music. Being born into a musical family, Beethoven’s intense musical education began at an early age. By his early twenties, Beethoven realized the limited opportunities that Bonn held for him and made the difficult decision to move to Vienna, Austria, the music capital of Europe. Beethoven first noted to have some problems with his hearing in 1798, the year this piece was written. Beethoven wrote a series of letters to his brothers, now known as the Heiligenstadt Testament.

“To you, brother Carl, I give special thanks for the attachment you have shown me of late. It is my wish that you may have a better and freer life than I have had. Recommend virtue to your children; it alone, not money, can make them happy. I speak from experience; this was what upheld me in time of misery. Thanks to it and to my art I did not end my life by suicide. — Farewell and love each other.”

This excerpt from the Heiligenstadt Testament summarizes the first trio of his opus 9, as it depicts a joyous and thankful posture, but still contains moments of fear and anxiety revolving around the start of Beethoven’s hearing loss. The four-movement work journeys through a series of emotions but in the end, is concluded with a celebratory explosion of energy, passion, and resolution.

Hungarian composer and pianist Ernst von Dohnanyi was born in modern day Bratislava, Slovakia. He began studying music from his father, an amateur cellist, and the organist at a local cathedral. When the young musician was 17 years old, he moved to Budapest and began studying at the Royal National Hungarian Academy of Music where he published his first work. Dohnanyi excelled through his education and at the age of 20, he took the final exams and graduated early with a diploma in piano and composition. After being labeled as a high-merit artist during his debut in Berlin, Dohnanyi made a European tour, then traveled to the United States where he performed with the St. Louis Symphony. He married and had a son, Hans von Dohnanyi, who later identified himself as the leader of the anti-Nazi resistance in Germany.

Dohnanyi’s Serenade is considered a staple of the string trio repertoire and is packed with Hungarian flair. From guitar-like writing and passionate outbursts of fiery fugues, Donanyi’s compositional style will transport you to the heart of Slovakia. Alternating tempos make this Serenade a satisfaction of symmetrical serendipity. While the second and fourth movements have a contemplative and slower quality to them, they are sandwiched between the first, middle, and last movements, which have a quick, lively quality.

The last movement ends with a callback to the opening of the piece, making not only the tempos satisfying to the lover of symmetry, but also the return to the melody which started it all.