Trio No. 7 in E Flat, K. 498

By Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

Subjects: Instrumental music

Description: The unusual instrumentation is of note: having a clarinet instead of the violin was by all means usual in piano trios; but in addition Mozart replaced the cello with a viola, his favourite instrument by his own admission. As a result the viola has a much stronger part than the cello usually has. - Hal Leonard. The timbres of clarinet and viola give the music an especially intimate and gentle character, as does the fact the first movement is not the typical Allegro, but a slower Andante (and in 6/8 time). Throughout the three instruments are beautifully matched, and the sense of unity arises from the music's concentration and the way Mozart utilizes each instrument's strength. - San Francisco Symphony.