The menuetto and trio.

[Enrique]

I was listening to one of Mozart symphonies and it occurred to me that I did not know why the trio section of a minuet is call trio. So I look up wikipedia, and I find the reason why it is call so is a purely historical one. In Lully's time usually two minuets were played one after the other followed by a repetition of the first. By that time, it became a common practice to score the second section for a trio (three instruments). And if you listen to a symphony by Mozart, you'll notice the orchestration is lighter in the trio than in the rest of the minuet. I'll bet many of you didn't know this.

[Peter]

Yes it's always interesting to learn the origins of these forms and to see how they develop - even when the minuet morphed into the scherzo, the trio was still retained. Also interesting in Beethoven's symphonies 4 and 7 how he repeats the trio twice creating ABABA.

[jackiebutler]

I was listening to one of Mozart symphonies and it occurred to me that I did not know why the trio section of a minuet is call trio. So I look up wikipedia, and I find the reason why it is call so is a purely historical one. In Lully's time usually two minuets were played one after the other followed by a repetition of the first. By that time, it became a common practice to score the second section for a trio (three instruments). And if you listen to a symphony by Mozart, you'll notice the orchestration is lighter in the trio than in the rest of the minuet. I'll bet many of you didn't know this.

I also love to listen the symphonies by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Yeah, It's really good to know something new about trio. Even I was also not aware about this before.

[Michael]

The trio of Beethoven's Eroica symphony really lives up to its name because it's played by three horns.

By the way, welcome to the forum, Jackiebutler!

[Enrique]

A clever remark! Impossible to read your post without hearing the horns resonating in one's head.

[Roehre]

Yes it's always interesting to learn the origins of these forms and to see how they develop - even when the minuet morphed into the scherzo, the trio was still retained. Also interesting in Beethoven's symphonies 4 and 7 how he repeats the trio twice creating ABABA.

Which is only one step away from the simpliest Rondo form ABCBA

[Michael]

Which is only one step away from the simpliest Rondo form ABCBA

And the above is only one letter away from a famous Swedish pop group!

[Roehre]

And the above is only one letter away from a famous Swedish pop group!

you mean a bah?

[Michael]

you mean a bah?

Yep - the gang that won the Eurovision with Wellington's other victory.