Piano Quintet Cello,Piano,Viola,Violin - Level 4 - Digital Download SKU: A0.945599 Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven. Arranged by Tony Matthews. Classical,Contemporary,Romantic Period. 84 pages. Archway Publications #6354529. Published by Archway Publications (A0.945599). This Fantasia (or Fantasy) for piano, vocal soloists, chorus, and orchestra, Op. 80, was composed in 1808 by a 38 year old Beethoven.The Fantasia was hastily written to serve as the grand finale for a (personal) benefit concert on the 22nd December 1808 which included premiers of his 5th and 6th symphonies, the 4th Piano concerto and the Mass in C. Beethoven took the opportunity to use the forces available to make this comparatively short piece for piano, orchestra, and a choral finale where he, the soloist, could showoff just how good he was.Sadly, this work is seldom performed because who wants to hire a choir for just 2 minutes of music and an orchestra for not that much longer. This quintet version addresses this by allowing a much smaller ensemble to enjoy performing this utterly delightful work. The piano part is basically what Beethoven wrote, however it has been suitably modified in places to allow the piano to fit into the overall ensemble.
