Piano Trios, Op. 1 (Beethoven)


's Opus 1 is a set of three piano trios, first performed in 1795 in the house of Prince Lichnowsky, to whom they are dedicated. The trios were published in 1795.
Despite the Op. 1 designation, these trios were not Beethoven's first published compositions; this
distinction belongs rather to his Dressler Variations for keyboard. Clearly he recognized the Op. 1 compositions as the earliest ones he had produced that were substantial enough to fill out a first major publication to introduce his style of writing to the musical public.

Op. 1 No. 1 - Piano Trio No. 1 in E-flat major

The first movement opens with a similar figure to that of the third movement of Mozart's 20th Piano Concerto.

Op. 1 No. 2 - Piano Trio No. 2 in G major

Unlike the other piano trios in this opus, the third trio does not have a scherzo as its third movement but a minuet instead.
This third piano trio was later reworked by Beethoven into the C minor string quintet, Op. 104.