How are the Black Keys and Beethoven alike? They both had the low-down dirty blues. JK! They both compose(d) music for two instruments! You've heard his symphonies. Now hear cellist Norman Fischer – of the Fischer Duo, the Concord String Quartet, and Rice University's Shepherd School of Music – talk about Beethoven's chamber works for cello and piano. Why did Beethoven create music for a new, tiny arrangement of instruments? Did he do it for the dolla dolla billz? Did he do it to impress a king? Find out in this episode of Classical Classroom!

Audio production for this episode by Todd "Tiddlywinks" Hulslander with no production help whatsoever from that lazy nogoodnik Dacia Clay.

All music in this episode performed by the Fischer Duo, and most of this comes from the Fischer Duo's new CD, "Beethoven: Cello and Piano Complete".