All the members of the Wanderer Trio, Jean-Marc
Phillips-Varjabédian (violin), Raphaël Pidoux (cello) and Vincent Coq (piano),
graduated from the National Music Conservatory of Paris and have studied with
grand masters such as Jean-Claude Pennetier, Jean Hubeau, and Menahem Pressler
of the Beaux-Arts Trio and the Amadeus Quartet. They won the ARD International
Music Competition in Munich in 1988 and the Fischoff Chamber Music Competition
in the USA in 1990. From 1988 to 1990, they took master classes in chamber
music at the Festival of La Roque d'Anthéron.
The Trio has performed on the most prestigious music stages
including Berlin's Philharmonic, Paris' Théâtre des Champs Elysées, London's
Wigmore Hall, Milan's Teatro alla Scala, Barcelona's Palau de la Musica,
Washington's Library of Congress, Rio de Janeiro's Teatro Municipal, Tokyo's
Kioi Hall, Zürich's Tonhalle and Amsterdam's Concertgebouw. They have also
performed at major festivals such as Edinburgh, Montreux, Feldkirch, Schleswig
Holstein, Rheingau Musiksommmer, Colmar, La Roque d'Anthéron, the Folles
Journées de Nantes, Granada, Stresa, Osaka and three times at Salzburg
festival.
Harmonia Mundi www.harmoniamundi.com have released nine previous recordings
by the Wanderer Trio covering such composers as Chausson, Ravel, Haydn,
Shostakovich, Copland, Saint-Saëns, Mendelssohn, Smetana, Schubert, Brahms, Hummel,
Beethoven, Liszt and Messiaen.
Their recordings have been awarded several prizes including
Choc du Monde de la Musique, Fanfare's Want List, Critic's Choice of
Gramophone, CD of the Month by the BBC Music Magazine, Klassik.com Empfehlung,
CDs des Monat Fono Forum, Diapason d'Or of the Year, Midem International
Classical Music Award.
The Trio Wanderer's 2013-2014 engagements include
performances at Paris' Théâtre des Champs Elysées (Beethoven Triple concerto)
and Paris' Opéra Comique (Beethoven complete Piano Trios), London's Wigmore
Hall, Amsterdam's Concertgebouw, la Roque d'Anthéron Festival, Bath Festival,
as well as concerts in Netherlands, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Italy,
Switzerland, Japan, Brazil, Canada and USA.
It was, therefore with great expectation that I approached
their new release from Harmonia Mundi www.harmoniamundi.com
that features the piano trios of Arensky and Tchaikovsky.
HMC 902161 |
Anton Stepanovich
Arensky (1861-1906) Piano Trio No.1 in D minor, Op.32 was written in memory
of the cellist, composer and teacher, Karl Yulyevich Davydov (1838–1889), and
published in 1894. Though his
compositions include two symphonies, concertos for both piano and violin, and
two string quartets as well as operas, choral works and piano works, it is his
first piano trio that seems to receive the most attention.
The opening Allegro
moderato has some lovely broad lines as it unfolds with some passionate
string playing from the Wanderer Trio. Arensky’s main melody is a wonderful
theme with especially fine, fluent piano playing. The Trio Wanderer make it
obvious why this is the most performed of all Arensky’s works, the way they
find so much drama and passion in the music. Their playing is so crisp with
terrific ensemble yet each player retaining so much individual character.
There is pinpoint precision in the opening of the Scherzo. Allegro molto and a beautiful
trio section, showing just how well these players blend. A lovely cello theme
opens the Elegia. Adagio before the
other players join with more first rate playing. In the rising melody over a
rippling piano accompaniment the Trio are exquisite with lovely sonorities as
the movement progresses.
The Finale. Allegro
non troppo brings tremendous string playing over a wonderful piano part
with such drama, passion and drive. The gentle trio section is full of
introspective beauty before a terrific coda.
Peter Ilyich
Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) also wrote his Piano
Trio in A minor, Op.50 following the death of a colleague, in this case his
friend, the pianist, conductor and composer, Nikolay Grigoryevich Rubinstein (1835-1881).
It was premiered at the Moscow Conservatory in 1882.
What a glorious opening the Pezzo elegiac. Moderato assai has, so rich and flowing in this
Trio’s hands, one of Tchaikovsky’s most inspired themes. There is a lovely
tenderness in the central section and some exquisite hushed beauty. This Trio
bring a sense of authority and command as well as some tremendously dynamic playing.
In the Tema con
Variationi. Andante con moto Tchaikovsky presents his theme simply on the
piano before all the players subject it to eleven variations. There are many
fine moments in this performance such as Variation
II where there is some lovely string playing, full of panache, Variation IV with its lovely broad
melody for strings, so richly played and the tiny Variation V that receives some especially fine playing from the
Trio’s pianist.
There is a lovely finesse shown in the valse Variation No.VI, more terrific playing
from the Wanderers pianist in Variation
VII, Variation VIII that starts with a fugue for piano before strings enter
building up a fine momentum and Variation
IX where there is an exquisitely played violin melody over a rippling piano
accompaniment before the cello takes up the violin theme.
The Variazione Finale
e Coda. Allegro risoluto e con fuoco
– Andante con moto leads off with great panache and continues to build to a
tremendously passionate climax as the opening theme returns to give such a
feeling of completion and overall form before the grief laden coda.
Trio Wanderer really throw themselves into this great trio
in what is surely one of the finest performances on disc.
They receive an excellent recording and there are informative
booklet notes.
There are better performances of the Tchaikovsky's trio : by Oborin / Oistrakh / Knushevitsky (Brilliant Classics) and by Gilels / Kogan / Rostropovich. This one is very fine, but
ReplyDeletea) the mazurka variation does not pick up the right rhythm (just listen to the Oborin's and Rubinstein's performances, their mazurkas are superb)
b) Wanderer's recording lacks in emotional depth, which is to be found at the mentioned above Russian recordings.
Liked the way you explained that on a Trio Wanderer give one of the finest performances on disc of Piano Trios by Arensky and Tchaikovsky on a new release from Harmonia Mundi. I have seen many online book ghostwriters having the same skills. Keep growing!
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