Beethoven 250

The year 2020 marked the 250th anniversary of the birth of Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827).

Below are notes written by Karl Gwiasda, a past president of AT&G and the author of our program notes for more than 20 years.

He shares thoughts on performances of each of these Beethoven compositions, along with links to YouTube performances of each one.

• String Quartet No. 15, in A minor, Op. 132

• Trio No. for Piano, Violin, and Cello, in G, Op. 1, No. 2

• Sonata No. 26 for Piano, in E-flat, Op. 81a, Les Adieux

• Sonata No. 31 for Piano, in A-flat, Op. 110

• String quartet No. 8, in E minor, Op. 59, No. 2, Razumovsky

• Septet in E-flat for violin, viola, clarinet, bassoon, horn, cello, and double bass, Op. 20

• Trio No. 6 for Piano, Violin, and Cello, in B-flat, Op. 97, Archduke

• String Quartet No. 12, in E-flat, Op. 127

• Sonata No. 2 for Piano, in A, Op. 2

• String Quartet No. 4, in C minor, Op. 18

• String Quartet No. 11, in F minor, Op. 95, Serioso

• String Quartet No. 10, in E-flat, Op. 74, Harp

• Piano Sonata No. 17 The Tempest

• Piano Sonata No. 21 for Piano, in C, Op. 53, Waldstein

• String Quartet No. 2, in G Major, Op. 18, No. 2

• String Quartet No. 7, in F Major, Op. 59, No. 1, Razumovsky

• Sonata No. 1 for Violin and Piano, in D, Op. 12, No. 1