The Archduke Trio

Details

Elbert Gong full profile / Piano trio / 3 musicians

Other players: Ethan Cobb, Enako Matsumoto

Full program notes

Beethoven's "Archduke" Trio, Op. 97, is widely loved for its grand scale and rich, soaring melodies. Dedicated to his close friend and patron, Archduke Rudolph of Austria, the piece beautifully balances a sense of noble elegance with a conversational intimacy between the violin, cello, and piano.
I'm so excited to share this work with you with two of my good friends, Ethan and Enako. As recent NYC transplants, this is our first time performing together-- hopefully the first of many.

Historical context

The Archduke Trio was written during Beethoven's "middle period" at a time of great compositional productivity. However, his deafness would soon tragically compromise his ability as a performer. Ultimately this was the last work he would ever perform publicly as a pianist.