Septet in E flat major, Op. 20

The Septet unfolds like a small serenade in six movements, each with its own character.

I. Adagio - Allegro con brio opens with a stately slow introduction before breaking into a bright, energetic main theme, the strings and winds trading phrases.

II. Adagio cantabile is a long-breathed, songful slow movement, led first by clarinet, then violin, over a gently rocking accompaniment.

III. Tempo di menuetto is a graceful minuet built on a tune Beethoven reused from one of his piano sonatas, a melody many listeners will recognize once it starts.

IV. Tema con variazioni takes a simple folk-like theme through a set of variations, each one changing the instrumentation, the mood, or the decoration around the tune.

V. Scherzo, Allegro molto e vivace is a quick, playful movement with a horn line that jumps out and a soft, dancing middle section.

VI. Andante con moto alla marcia - Presto begins with a hushed, march-like introduction featuring a solo violin passage that sounds almost improvised, then launches into a fast, cheerful finale that closes the work with high spirits.

Beethoven wrote the Septet around 1799 and 1800, while he was becoming known in Vienna as a rising composer. Scored for clarinet, bassoon, horn, violin, viola, cello and bass, it was written in the popular tradition of the divertimento, light music meant for entertainment. It was premiered in Vienna in 1800 on a concert that also introduced his First Symphony. The Septet became one of Beethoven's most beloved works during his lifetime, performed constantly in arrangements for all kinds of ensembles. Its success eventually irritated the composer, who felt it overshadowed his more ambitious later works. Today it remains a favorite for the warmth of its melodies and the easy conversation between strings and winds.