The Minuet and Trio in E by Franz Schubert is an excellent performance piece and this plai score version for solo piano is available as a free score from PlentyMusic as a pdf download. Whilst the work is described as a Minuet with two Trios only the second Trio has been used in this arrangement. It is an excellent performance piece. The Minuet and Trio are performed without the written repeats sounding in the realisation. In a performance the Minuet and Trio should be performed as follows. Minuet AABB | Trio AABB | Minuet AB. Both the Minuet and Trio are played at the same tempo. Legato playing is required in the playing of the Trio section. Many of the melodic ideas from the music from the classical and romantic era can be understood to be almost like conversations. Piano pedalling has not been indicated in the music score although its use is appropriate particularly in the trio section. The pedalling should not be too heavy and pedal points should relate to changes in the harmony. Pianists would be well advised to approach the playing of the two movements with a lightness in their hands. The triplet figuration is a prominent feature in the melodic line which has a range of two octaves in essentially a two, three sometimes four-part texture. The small notes in bar (acciaccaturas or crushed notes) do not sound in the realisation in bar 41. This an excellent movement for developing the playing of a range of different articulations. Pianists and keyboard players should explore the dynamic element in their performances exploring contrasting dynamics. A movement with clarity of intention particularly in respect to its rhythmic detail. Phrasing can be very much determined by the choice of fingering with regular 8 bar phrases predominantly feature. The pause marks indicated in the sheet music score are an aspect of the score detail that can be explored in a live performance. The compositional basis of much music from the classical era is concerned with the exploration of contrast. This is a feature that can be readily identified in the music of Schubert. Both a plain score and an edited music score are available from PlentyMusic. There are many arrangements to be discovered on the PlentyMusic website featuring a range of instruments and ensembles.
