Trio in A minor (1914) [26:29]
Ernest CHAUSSON (1855-1899)
Trio in G minor, Op. 3 (1881) [30:04]
Trio Solisti (Maria Bachman (violin); Alexis Pia Gerlach (cello); Adam Neiman (piano))
rec. 16-18 December 2013, The Performing Arts Center, Purchase College, New York, USA
BRIDGE 9440 [56:40]
The New York-based Trio Solisti has chosen to perform two of the most
attractive works in French chamber repertoire. The Ravel Piano Trio is
one of the most renowned works in all French chamber music whilst Chausson’s
early Piano Trio, although exceptionally fine, is much lesser known.
Prior to the foundation of the Société Nationale de Musique in 1871 the
chamber music performed in France had been the preserve of the Austro-Germans
especially Beethoven. Crucially the Société Nationale de Musique was established
by Romain Bussine, Camille Saint-Saëns and Henri Duparc to encouraged
native French composers. In this field Saint-Saëns was in the vanguard
and highly prolific too, writing some fifty chamber scores including the
Piano Trio No.1, Op. 18 from 1863 and the Piano Trio No.2, Op. 92 dated
1891.
Ravel’s highly acclaimed Trio for piano, violin and cello in A minor
was written in the summer of 1914 at the Basque retreat of Saint-Jean-de-Luz,
whilst on holiday with friends. Although influenced by the joyous piano
trios of Saint-Saëns this work betrays the looming spectre of the Great
War, but Ravel could not have known the extent of the horrors to come.
Musicologist David Ewen described the score as “a work reduced to
essentials. It is a masterpiece of form and technique in its avoidance
of all superfluous details.”
The Trio Solisti fondly performs the Piano Trio with its suggestion of
Basque themes hauntingly exploring the contrasts of sonorities between
piano and strings. The relatively lengthy opening movement with its ingenuity
of structure and originality of design is given an interpretation that
radiates dreamy sensitivity. It is almost like the tentative beginnings
of a heady romance. Played with remarkable fluidity the Scherzo-like second
movement titled Pantoum: Assez vif thrives with nervy vitality.
Inhabiting a serious mood the Passacaille: Très large with its
opposing sonorities of piano and strings is marked with an engaging lightness
reminiscent of a daydream. Quasi-orchestral in conception the tempestuous
Finale: Animé is passionate love music played here with precision
and unfailing understanding.
Unlike Ravel’s mature Piano Trio that of his predecessor Chausson
is the work of a relative beginner. His first chamber piece, Chausson
composed his underrated Trio in 1881 after a period of study at the Paris
Conservatoire with Massenet and Franck. It drew little or no attention
at its première in Paris and was published posthumously. In the Cobbett
Cyclopedic Survey of Chamber Music (1929) the author saw the promise
of the work: “In this work, amidst its beauties and its weaknesses,
one already feels the aspirations, as yet unrealized, of an artist-soul,
whose loftiness of thought foreshadows works in which he will come to
his own.”
Thickly scored and squally in character, the extended opening movement
marked Pas trop lent - Animé with its abrupt dynamic changes
and increasing passionate intensity is played by Trio Solisti with verve
and compelling expression. There's refreshing exuberance also in
the second movement Vite — a short and delightful, if rather
four-square Scherzo. Imbued with a sense of love and longing the intense
third movement Assez lent is given playing of satisfying concentration.
The final unrelentingly passionate Animé is windswept with a
deceptively simple opening. It quickly darkens becoming more complex.
The praiseworthy Trio Solisti give a confident interpretation: insightful
and rewarding.
Throughout both works the unity of the playing is securely formed with
an attractive timbre from both piano and strings.
With regard to competing versions the Ravel has been extremely popular
in the recording studio and the Chausson rather less so. As to the Ravel
I favour the stunningly played 2001 recording from Frank Braley with Renaud
and Gautier Capuçon on Virgin Classics. It's brimful of polished
expression. In the Chausson, a favourite account for its unerring sensitivity,
is from Pascal Rogé, Mie Kobayashi and Yoko Hasegawa recorded at La Chaux-de-Fonds,
Switzerland in 2002 for Onyx.
Bridge is to be congratulated for this well presented release. The engineers
provide impressively clear and well balanced sound. On the minus side,
at under an hour, the disc is not generous by today’s standards
and could have accommodated another work such as the Fauré Piano Trio,
Op. 120 or D’Indy Piano Trio No. 2, Op. 98.
Trio Solisti is a noteworthy advocate for this pair of wonderful French
scores. I hope that they turn their attention to English piano trios such
as Stanford, Bridge, Ireland and Bax.
Michael Cookson
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