Ludwing van Beethoven composed his Op. 70 Trios for violin, piano, and cello, during his stance at Countess Marie von Erdödy's estate, and both are dedicated to her for her hospitality. They were published in 1809. The Trio Op. 70 no. 2 in D major, usually nicknamed 'The Ghost', is one of the best known works in the genre (rivaled only by the Archduke Trio). It features some melodies found in the second movement of the composer's own Symphony no. 2. It was called 'The Ghost' because of its particularly eerie-sounding slow movement, and the name has persisted until today. The ghostly music may have had its roots in sketches for a Macbeth opera that Beethoven was contemplating at the time.
