Tuesday 14 December 2010

Rachmaninov - Piano Trio 2 [Beaux Arts Trio]

As Tchaikovsky had written a Piano Trio 12 years earlier as memorial to Rubinstein, so too Rachmaninov composed a Piano Trio in memory of Tchaikovsky when he died, Rachmaninov started this composition on the very day Tchaikovsky died, and he modelled it on the Tchaikovsky work, incorporating a set of variations in the second movement, soundwise it's a lot like the Tchaikovsky work too, and many times they're found on disc together.

The Beaux Arts Trio were founded in 1955 by Menahem Pressler, and it was only in 2008 that they disbanded, on this disc the trio of Pressler / Cohen / Greenhouse stood for 19 years, and are the personnel i think of when i hear Beaux Arts Trio, on Philips this Trio are established as the premier Piano Trio in the same way as the Quartett0 Italiano are to the String Quartet, and it's wonderful that the Philips Label has nurtured, and allowed to nurture these great Chamber Music Ensembles.

The front cover booklet is a painting by Georges Rouault entitled 'Misere', a strange painting, he mainly paints crucifixion scenes in black and white, but strangely it's also apt for the music inside.

I must admit i like variation movements, and therefore of course the middle movement of this Piano Trio goes down well with me,

Here's YouTube.