Mozart - Beethoven Twin Works

[Zevy]

Hi, everyone - long time no post.
Has there been discussion of comparison of the Mozart/Beethoven "twin" pieces, such as the Eb string trios, the famous Eb piano & wind quintets, as well as the string quintets of Mozart and Beethoven?
Looking forward,
Zevy

[Peter]

Hello Zevy - good to see one of our early members back! All those pieces have I'm sure been discussed at some point, a quick search would reveal the posts, but I can't recall if comparisons with Mozart's works in the same genre were discussed at length.

The string trios are of particular interest because Mozart's great K.563 is the product of his maturity but Beethoven's Op.9 are one of his first great achievements. Strange point though when you consider this in light of their respective ages, Mozart 32 and Beethoven 28.

[AeolianHarp]

Only 4 years difference in age of the compositions Peter- so not strange to me!

Unless you refer to the fact that Mozart only had 4 years left of his life..

[Peter]

Only 4 years difference in age of the compositions Peter- so not strange to me!

Unless you refer to the fact that Mozart only had 4 years left of his life..

No I mean that 32 for Mozart was coming to the end of his creativity, whilst at nearly the same age for Beethoven it was a beginning of his career, the first true masterpieces.

[AeolianHarp]

No I mean that 32 for Mozart was coming to the end of his creativity, whilst at nearly the same age for Beethoven it was a beginning of his career, the first true masterpieces.

Beethoven wrote masterpieces earlier than at age 32! But then what he wrote in his last years is of such extraordinariness ( such as the late string and piano works) that one might view it like that- after all we compare his work with his work.

[Peter]

Beethoven wrote masterpieces earlier than at age 32! But then what he wrote in his last years is of such extraordinariness ( such as the late string and piano works) that one might view it like that- after all we compare his work with his work.

Yes he was 28 when he wrote the Op.9 trios. The point I'm making is that the Mozart trios came at the end of his creative life, and Beethoven's came at the beginning of his maturity not the end. No matter how fine much of Beethoven's 18th century music is, the fact is that he is chiefly remembered and revered for his 19th century music written after the age of 30.