Beethoven, L :: Variationen uber 'Reich mir die Hand, mein Leben' [Variations on 'La ci darem la mano'] WoO 28

Variationen uber 'Reich mir die Hand, mein Leben' [Variations on 'La ci darem la mano'] WoO 28

Beethoven, L

This Trio for flute, violin and viola is an arrangement of the wind trio written in 1796 / 97 by Ludwig van Beethoven for the rather unusual scoring of two oboes and English horn. It was common at the time to paraphrase popular numbers from contemporary operas. Here Beethoven chose to write variations on the duet La ci darem lamano from Mozart s frequently performed Don Giovanni .

The work was first performed in Vienna on 23 December 1797. In 1794, Beethoven had written his first wind trio in this scoring, Op. 87 in C major. Whereas this work was published in various arrangements soon after its first publication in 1806 by Artaria (including a version for strings by Artaria in Vienna, one for three flutes later in London, one for piano four-hands, and others), the wind trio on La ci darem la mano first appeared in print only in 1914. Beethoven s brother Karl had offered it to Breitkopf & Hartel in 1803 and later to C.F. Peters (in 1822; this time also in an arrangement for two violins and viola). But it was only in 1914 that the work was first published by Breitkopf & Hartel, in both its wind and string versions.

Beethoven s own arrangements of the first of these wind trios legitimate Barenreiter s version for flute, violin and viola. Moreover, this instrumental combination is particularly appropriate to the unique sound quality of Mozart s duettino with its string and wind scoring. Since all parts are of almost equal importance, this trio guarantees each performer stimulating and gratifying ensemble playing. Barenreiter presents this edition in the form of a score with which the flutists conducts from and two separate string parts for each player.