Serenade, Opus 4, For Flute, Violin And Piano

Serenade for Flute Violin and Viola in D major op. 25-What occasioned Beethoven to write a composition for such an unusual and yet sonorous group of instruments? Was it perhaps commissioned by a nobleman who played music with such a group and needed music? Whatever thereason behind it Opus 25 is one of Beethoven’s few chamber music works that did not have a Bass instrument. Despite the unusual combination of instruments Beethoven had no difficulty in finding apublisher for his serenade; shortly afterwards he even turned to the work again and revised an arrangement for Flute and Piano (Op. 41) which had been made by a third party. Our revised edition follows the musical text which willsoon be published in volume VI/1 of our new Beethoven Complete Edition.