Ludwig van Beethoven

Adagio WoO 43b (179b)

In 1796 Beethoven travelled to Prague where he met the Countess Josephine of Clary-Aldringen (later Countess Clamm-Gallas) who played the mandolin. For her, he wrote several works for mandolin and piano, four of which are still extant and have been arranged by Julius Berger for violoncello and piano. As Beethoven had written pieces for a mandolin tuned to G-D-A-E, it was unproblematic to transcribe them for the violoncello. The arrangements are written in the original keys and keep as close to the original as possible. These elegant works are little shining gems. Headed 'Adagio' and written in one movement at first, 'Sonatina' WoO 43a in the tragic C minor key with a bright C major section in the middle is followed by a marvellous 'Adagio ma non troppo' WoO 43b of religious depth.