The Manoel Theatre is marking Ludwig van Beethoven’s 250th birth anniversary with a concert tomorrow and on Wednesday.

An Evening with Beethoven will present two chamber works by the German composer, namely Sextet for Strings and 2 Horns, Op. 81b and Septet in Eb Major, Op. 20.

The sextet belongs to his early chamber music period and illustrates his artistic development. It features a passionate Weltschmerz in the second movement, which in later years characterised all of Beethoven’s slow movements, with the final rondo coined as one of the most poignant works by the composer.

As regards the septet, Beethoven designated its individual instruments collectively as obbligato (a musical line that is in some way indispensable in performance) parts, noting that: “I can write nothing which is not obbligato as I came into this world myself with an obbligato  accompaniment”.

The musicians taking part in the concert are: Marcelline Agius (violin), Matteo Colombo (violin), Nadia Debono (viola), Frank Camilleri (cello), Gjorgi Cincievksi (double bass), Giuseppe Recchia (clarinet), Giacomo Cella (bassoon), Etienne Cutajar (horn) and Bernardette Vella (horn).

An Evening With Beethoven is being held tomorrow and on Wednesday at the Manoel Theatre in Valletta at 8pm. For tickets and guidelines to attend performances at the theatre, log on to www.teatrumanoel.com.mt.