Editing Piano Trio, Op. 97 (Beethoven) (section)

== First performances ==
Two days after its completion in 1811, Beethoven played the Archduke Trio in an informal setting at the Baron Neuworth's residency.<ref name=":05"/> The first public performance was given by Beethoven himself, [[Ignaz Schuppanzigh]] (violin), and [[Josef Linke]] (cello) at the Viennese hotel ''Zum römischen Kaiser'' on April 11, 1814. At the time, Beethoven's deafness compromised his ability as a performer, and after a repeat performance a few weeks later, Beethoven never appeared again in public as a pianist.<ref>[http://imslp.org/wiki/Piano_Trio_in_B-flat_major,_Op.97_(Beethoven,_Ludwig_van) Piano Trio in B-flat major, Op.97] imslp.org, accessed 17 April 2014</ref><ref name="moran2">[http://bf.press.illinois.edu/view.php?vol=14&iss=1&f=br_2.pdf Historically Informed Performances: “Archduke” and “Ghost” Trios, by John Moran] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304134622/http://bf.press.illinois.edu/view.php?vol=14&iss=1&f=br_2.pdf|date=2016-03-04}} bf.press.illinois.edu, accessed 17 April 2014</ref><ref name="orga2">[https://books.google.com/books?id=TVde8Ah-PqgC&pg=PT241&lpg=PT241&dq=archduke+trio+schuppanzigh+spohr Beethoven: Illustrated Lives Of The Great Composers, by Ates Orga] accessed 17 April 2014</ref><ref name=":13"/>

The violinist and composer [[Louis Spohr]] witnessed a rehearsal of the work, and wrote, "on account of his deafness there was scarcely anything left of the virtuosity of the artist which had formerly been so greatly admired. In ''forte'' passages the poor deaf man pounded on the keys until the strings jangled, and in ''piano'' he played so softly that whole groups of notes were omitted, so that the music was unintelligible unless one could look into the pianoforte part. I was deeply saddened at so hard a fate."<ref name="orga2" />

The pianist and composer [[Ignaz Moscheles]] attended the premiere, and wrote about the work, "in the case of how many compositions is the word 'new' misapplied! But never in Beethoven's, and least of all in this, which again is full of originality. His playing, aside from its intellectual element, satisfied me less, being wanting in clarity and precision; but I observed many traces of the grand style of playing which I had long recognized in his compositions."<ref name="moran2" />