Trio Koch http://triokoch.com is a family trio consisting
of father, daughter and son Philippe (violin), Laurence (violin) and
Jean-Philippe Koch (piano) who explore the little-played repertoire of trio
pieces for two violins and piano covering all periods from Bach to Shostakovich
and Berio. They have performed in many countries including France, Luxembourg,
Belgium and Japan
Their new release for
Etcetera Records www.etcetera-records.com brings
together works for two violins and piano by Moszkowski, Milhaud and Martinů
http://orelfoundation.org/index.php/composers/article/bohuslav_martinu
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| KTC 1543 |
A trailer for this release and three videos are available at the following links:
Music Videos
Trio Koch bring a fiery, energetic opening to the Allegro energico before pushing ahead
with a really fine forward rolling flow, the strings finding every dynamic and
subtle variation of tempi with some lovely incisive playing revealing some fine
string textures. The Allegro moderato
has a lovely gentle opening that soon develops through some lovely weaving of
violin lines over a constantly varying piano part before reaching the coda with
pizzicato strings. This is a movement on the lighter side but full of lovely
ideas.
The piano opens the slow, deeply felt Lento assai with these players keeping a fine forward flow as this
lovely melody unfolds, never allowing the music to descend into sentimentality.
The Molto vivace brings a terrific
rhythmic fizz full of life and energy, perhaps the most individual movement of
the whole work. The two violins swirl around over a buoyant piano accompaniment
with an attractive slower trio section in which the two violins add some lovely
textures and harmonies before hurtling to the coda
This is an attractive work that never outstays its welcome,
particularly in such a fine performance as this.
Darius Milhaud’s
(1892-1974) Sonata for two violins and piano, Op.15 dates from 1914. Having
been rejected for army service due to ill health, the composer had returned to
his native Aix-en-Provence to stay with his parents.
The strings conjure some lovely textures in the opening
theme of the Animé, echoed by the
piano. Trio Koch brings a lovely lightness of texture as the happy theme
develops, adding firmer string textures and piano phrases through more incisive
passages. There are exquisite little violin textures and a slow section where
the theme is taken through a more thoughtful variation, these players bringing
some quite lovely moments. The music picks up through an energetic, incisive
passage before finding a gentle, slower coda.
These three players conjure a quite wonderful Modéré, gently shaping this glorious
music to perfection. They find a rare beauty, finding subtle increases in tempo
and dynamics. The music falls back to an exquisite moment where one violin weaves
the melody over the other, holding shimmering textures. Soon, the piano takes
the theme over both shimmering violins. Milhaud creates some quite wonderful
ideas and textures, brilliantly revealed by this trio. Later there are beautifully
limpid piano phrases that underscore the violin lines.
The trio brings much energy and vibrancy to the Très vif, developing through some fast
moving passages with terrific ensemble. Later there is a slower, quieter more
ruminative section before the music finds a lighter texture to move ahead with
these players weaving some lovely harmonies before the music seemingly runs out
of energy as it leads to a quiet, slow coda.
Here is a trio of much beauty and fine ideas wonderfully
revealed by Trio Koch.
Bohuslav Martinů’s
(1890-1959) Sonatina for two violins and piano, H.198 was written in 1930 whilst
he was living in Paris. It is one of two such works, the other being his Sonata for Two Violins and Piano, H. 213
(1932 Paris).
There is an incisive, vibrant opening to the Allegro with this trio giving very fine attention
to all the little rhythmic variations, shaping the music so well. There is a
more flowing passage before the opening returns to take us to a beautifully
tailored coda. The Andante brings
some very fine harmonies and textures for strings with a lovely piano part that
works around the strings. The two violins weave some lovely textures over
insistent piano chords, through moments of more melancholic feel before developing
richer string textures over the insistent piano before leading to a lovely coda.
There is a vibrant, fast moving Allegretto where these three players seem to find much pleasure
racing around each other, showing terrific accuracy and intuitive ensemble with
a terrific spring to their playing. The Poco
allegro takes off with energy, these players weaving some terrific,
insistent phrases, always keeping a fine buoyancy – and of course that fine
rhythmic spring.
This is a work that is full of terrific ideas, brilliantly
realised by this trio.
Trio Koch delivers wonderful performances that are full of
spirit and energy as well as moments of much sensitivity. They certainly
convinced me of the merits of these three works.
They receive an excellent recording and there are useful
booklet notes.
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