Franz Schubert - Piano Trio No. 2 in E-flat major for piano, violin, and cello, D. 929
The Piano Trio No. 2 in E-flat major for piano, violin, and cello, D. 929, was one of the last compositions completed by Franz Schubert, dated November 1827. It was published by Probst as Opus 100 in late 1828, shortly before the composer's death and first performed at a private party in January 1828 to celebrate the engagement of Schubert's school-friend Josef von Spaun. The Trio was among the few of his late compositions Schubert heard performed before his death.
The piano trio contains four movements:
I. Allegro
The first movement is in sonata form. There is disagreement over the break-up of thematic material with one source claiming six separate units of thematic material while another source divides them into three themes each with two periods. There is to an extent extra thematic material during the recapitulation. At least one of the thematic units is based closely on the opening theme of the third movement of the earlier Piano Sonata in G major, D 894. The development section focuses mainly on the final theme of the exposition.
II. Andante con moto
The second movement takes an asymmetrical-double-ternary form. The principal theme is based on the Swedish folk song Se solen sjunker, which the composer had heard in the Fröhlich sisters' house, sung by the tenor Isak Albert Berg.
III. Scherzo: Allegro moderato
The scherzo is an animated piece in standard double ternary form.
IV. Allegro moderato
The finale is in sonata-rondo form. Schubert also includes in two interludes the opening theme of the second movement in an altered version. Schubert also made some cuts in this finale, one of which includes the second-movement theme combined contrapuntally with other material from the finale.
