beethoven shows us his big feelings, chausson lightens the load: Piano trios that go from here to there.
Beethoven was the first composer to demonstrably infuse his music with his personal beliefs. It seems almost inevitable that he would do so, given the strength of his political leanings, his philosophy of humanitarianism, and his strong advocacy for democratic freedom (think a German guy totally cheering on the French proletariat).
Possibly the most blatant example of this marriage of absolute music (music that is not “about” anything) and personal philosophy is the Symphony Number 3, which is irrevocably tangled in the story of Beethoven’s initial reverence for, and then disgust with Napoleon as he morphed from champion for the common man to power-driven emperor.
We often hear the words “revolutionary” and “Beethoven” used in the same sentence, because this is an accurate description of our grumpy hero. Beethoven WAS a true revolutionary, whose political views in no way aligned with those of the church or the ruling class. What is notable is that through this inclusion of personal beliefs and political leanings, Beethoven created a bridge to Romanticism in music. The Romantics, of whom we could argue Beethoven was the first, wrote music that turned away from the formal structure and clean lines of the Classical period of Mozart and Haydn, and embraced a demonstration of human emotion and the inner world of the composer.
The Piano Trio Op. 97 (known as the Archduke, due to Beethoven’s dedication of the work to his friend and patron, Archduke Rudolph of Austria), was the last of Beethoven’s piano trios. It is a piece firmly rooted in Beethoven’s middle period, which saw an expansion of emotional depth and formal scale, as well as the inclusion of heroic themes and folk songs. At this time, Beethoven was still utilizing clear formal structures in his music, and he had yet to embrace the structural and tonal experimentation that marked his late period works.
The Archduke is a work indicative of the bridge to Romanticism that Beethoven almost single-handedly built. With expanded forms, a tendency to frequent modulation, and an emotional language that ranges from joy to vulnerability, the trio is marked with the increasing unpredictability of Beethoven’s middle period. In addition to being one of Beethoven’s chamber masterworks, it is a prime example of how he led the way from the formal silk-stockinged world of the Classical composers to the “badly dressed” intensity of the Romantics. For his contributions to art music, Beethoven cannot be underestimated. As the Greatest Of All Time, (my opinion, I guess, but also TOTALLY TRUE), Beethoven bared his soul, and threw his 100 tons of feelings out into the world. Given the risks inherent in being the first to take such a step, one cannot help but admire the bravery this must have required.
Ernest Chausson is a later and less bombastic composer than Beethoven. As a French citizen who was thoroughly entrenched in the artistic and musical world of Paris (he studied with Massenet and Franck, and knew Monet, Debussy and Faure, among many others), he had his roots in the Romantic traditions of his teachers. But being greatly influenced by both literature and visual art, Chausson is one of the first French composers who moved the needle from the soul-baring intensity of the Romantics to the more reserved style of French impressionism.
By the time Chausson had finished his studies, the Impressionist painters (people like Monet, Cezanne, Degas and Renoir), were already well into doing their thing. Chausson shaped a musical equivalent of their painting style of airy brush strokes and open composition. The overall tone quality of his music is lighter and more transparent than that used by the Romantics. While still highly dramatic, it is at the same time reserved. Chausson makes great use of chromaticism and frequent modulation, as well as extended chords and complex harmonic language. We see all of these elements included in the works of Debussy and later, Ravel. But while Debussy began his musical life within the French Impressionist style, Chausson began with his feet in the Romantic period and consequently helped to bridge the gap to Impressionism.
Chausson was not prolific by any means, being a composer who, like Brahms, wrote carefully and slowly. His output was also limited by his short life - he was killed in a bicycle accident at the age of 44. (Let us learn from his example and be wary of brick walls. Also, always wear your helmet). He is best remembered for his chamber works, including the piano trio, and a piano quartet. He wrote very few large scale pieces, claiming that he was intimidated by the enormity of such undertakings, although he did complete an opera and a symphony, both of which have since vanished from the repertoire. We are fortunate to have the works that remain, many of which are masterpieces of early French Impressionism, and works worth exploring.
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