Trio für Klavier, Klarinette oder Violine und Violoncello (B-Dur) op. 11

Listening samples

	1. Allegro con brio (365 kB)
	2. Adagio (365 kB)
	3. Thema. "Pria ch'io l'impegno". Allegretto - Allegro (365 kB)

Composition
Ende 1797 bis Sommer 1798
dedicated to Maria Wilhelmine Gräfin von Thun-Hohenstein

Trio B major, opus 11, the so called "Gassenhauertrio", was composed between the end of 1797 and the summer of 1789. The subject that gave rise to its byname is from the opera "L'amor marinaro ossia Il corsaro" (The corsair or Love among the sailors) written by Joseph Weigl (1766-1846), one of the most successful Vienna opera composers of his time. The opera was first performed at the Burgtheater on October 15th 1797, and remained on the repertoire until January 1805. As its success was not limited to Vienna alone, it was also presented at the Kärntnertortheater in 1833. The melody Beethoven used for the trio's third movement was particularly popular and numerous composers (among them Paganini) used it as a subject for variations.

(Maria) Wilhelmine Countess of Thun-Hohenstein, born Countess Uhlfeld (1744-1800), whom the piece was dedicated to, was the Grande Dame of the Vienna high nobility at that time. The Thun-Hohenstein palace was Vienna's societal and musical centre. Wilhelmine von Thun had already been a patron of Mozart. The most reputable artists frequented her salon, among them for example Joseph Haydn. For the young Beethoven, she was one of the key figures of the Vienna society, providing his introduction and establishment in noble circles. Many members of the Thun family subscribed to Beethoven's opus 1. It is not known how Beethoven met Wilhelmine von Thun. It is possible that his Bonn patron Count Waldstein gave him an appropriate recommendation letter before his departure to Vienna. Wilhelmine was a relative of Waldstein, her sister was his aunt. Countess Thun also initiated other connections between Beethoven and his patrons: two of her daughters were married to patrons of Beethoven: Maria Elisabeth (1764-1806) to Count (later Prince) Andreas Kyrillowitsch Rasumowsky and Maria Christiane (1765-1841) to Prince Karl von Lichnowsky. It is also possible that Beethoven obtained his second Vienna apartment, the "Ogylfische Haus" in which he lived from spring of 1795 onwards with the help of the Thun-Lichnowsky family.

First editions
	Originalausgabe, op. 11, Stimmen, Mollo, 106
	Erstausgabe, op. 11, Klavierpartitur, Dunst, 156; Teilscan
	Erstausgabe, op. 11, Klavierpartitur, Stimmen, Dunst, 156
	Titelauflage, op. 11, Stimmen, Mollo, 1064; Teilscan
	Titelauflage, op. 11, Stimmen, Mollo, 1064; Teilscan
	Frühdruck, op. 11, Stimmen, Mollo, 1064; Teilscan

Pictures
	Marie Wilhelmine Gräfin von Thun-Hohenstein (1744-1800) - Fotografie eines wohl von einem Künstler namens Meischner stammenden Schattenrisses, Um 1910?

Scores

Literatur

	Großbritannien, London: The British Library
	Österreich, Wien: Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde, Archiv, Bibliothek und Sammlungen

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