Episode 8 - Dec 21, 2020

Beethoven’s Drei Equale were composed in honor of All Souls’ Day, but they would find their real place in history after the composer’s death, when they were performed at his funeral and the dedication of his tombstone.

Ludwig van Beethoven: Drei Equale
I. Andante (01:19)
II. Poco adagio (03:27)
III. Poco sostenuto (05:08)

Sam Eliot, Will Kimball, Mark Davidson, Graeme Mutchler | trombones

recorded January 20, 2019, Libby Gardner Concert Hall, Salt Lake City, Utah
recording remastered by Michael Carnes

hosted and produced by Chris Myers (argylearts.com)

Transcript

Today, we’re going to take a listen to a rarely-performed work by Ludwig van Beethoven, who turned 250 on December 16.

An “Equal” was a genre of music that first began appearing in the early 16th century. “Equals” take their name from the fact that each of the voices in the piece is equal in importance.

Beethoven composed his Drei Equale in the autumn of 1812. This was shortly after his “Immortal Beloved” summer, and he’d just completed his 8th Symphony.

The Drei Equale were commissioned as “tower music” for All Souls’ Day. Tower music was music written to be performed from the towers of churches and other public buildings, often in celebration of feast days.

The pieces would gain a place in history 15 years later upon Beethoven’s death. The first and third equals were performed at his funeral, and number two was performed in a choral arrangement at the dedication of his tombstone.

Trombonists Sam Eliot, Will Kimball, Mark Davidson, and Graeme Mutchler performed the Drei Equale as part of NOVA’s Libby Gardner Series on January 20, 2019.