Camille SAINT-SAËNS (1835-1921)
Piano Trio No.1 in F major, Op. 18 (1863) [29:56]
Piano Trio No.2 in E minor, Op. 92 (1891) [34:11]
Vienna Piano Trio (Bogdan Božović (violin); Matthias
Gredler (cello); Stefan Mendl (piano))
rec. 16-18 June 2012, Konzerthaus der Abtei Marienmünster,
Germany
MUSIKPRODUKTION DABRINGHAUS UND GRIMM SACD 942 1763-6
[64:07]
When Saint-Saëns was born in Paris in 1835 Mendelssohn
had twelve more years to live, and when Saint-Saëns died
in Algiers in 1921 Stravinsky’s ballet The Rite of
Spring was already eight years old. Sadly by the time of
Saint-Saëns’s death his popularity in France had
diminished significantly since around the time of the First
World War the public taste in music had changed. In recent years
the music of the multi-talented Saint-Saëns has been undergoing
a welcome resurgence as thankfully it is being judged for its
intrinsic quality rather than the dynamic of the era in which
it was written. For many decades in nineteenth century France
there had been an insatiable appetite for all things operatic
and to a lesser degree solo piano music was also popular. Although
Saint-Saëns carried on the opera tradition, writing thirteen
operas himself, he was a trailblazer for French chamber music.
He was highly prolific in the chamber field writing some fifty
scores including the two piano trios contained on this MDG disc.
Composed some twenty-eight years apart the piano trios have
become much better known thanks to excellent recordings by the
Joachim Trio/Naxos; Florestan Trio/Hyperion and Trio Wanderer/Harmonia
Mundi.
Since reviewing the Vienna Piano Trio’s 2011 release titled
‘Vienna Piano Trio Live!’ of works trios
by Beethoven, Ravel and Schumann, the violinist Wolfgang Redik,
a founding member, has stepped down and has been succeeded by
Bogdan Božović. For those interested in these things
Božović is playing a loaned Stradivari ‘Arma
Senkrah’ (1685); Matthias Gredler a cello by J.B. Guadagnini
(1752) and Stefan Mendl a Steinway Concert Grand Piano D (1901).
I have seen photographs of this extraordinarily beautiful piano
looking resplendent in its bright and shiny rosewood veneered
exterior.
The Piano Trio No.1 in F major, Op. 18 completed
in 1863 is a relatively early work written before Saint-Saëns
had completed any of his 13 operas. Cast in the traditional
Classical Viennese four movement style the score had to wait
until 1867 for its première. I especially enjoyed the
first two movements with their memorable themes that linger
long in the memory. The opening movement Allegro vivace
featuring a rhythmic and attractive main theme is played by
the Vienna Piano Trio with buoyancy creating a warm, optimistic
character to the writing. The Andante with its main theme
taken from an Auvergne folk song is perhaps even catchier than
that in the first movement. Here the Vienna Piano Trio conveys
an overall mood of song-like reflection together with suggestions
of yearning.
From 1891 the Piano Trio No.2 in E minor, Op. 92 is a
substantial five movement score containing more complex writing
than the earlier F major Piano Trio. At this time Saint-Saëns
was in his full maturity having already completed seven of his
operas including Samson and Delilah written fourteen
years previously. Saint-Saëns much loved Symphony No.
3 in C minor, Op. 73 ‘Organ Symphony’
had been composed five years earlier at a time generally considered
to be the pinnacle of his creative output. I was struck by the
lengthy opening movement Allegro non troppo with its
brisk surging forward motion. Providing an appealing contrast
is a calm melody on the strings. In the Grazioso, poco
allegro the Vienna Piano Trio communicate a cheerful spring-like
quality pervaded with classical restraint that brings Schubert
to mind. Throughout one senses that the Trio is totally involved
in the music offering compelling performances that draw the
listener in. So richly accomplished the Vienna Piano Trio play
with unerring unity and intonation. Recorded at the Konzerthaus
der Abtei Marienmünster the sound quality is closely recorded
with a fine clarity. In the forte passages the piano
blurs slightly at the edges but this is nothing to worry about
too much.
From my collection of recordings of the Saint-Saëns piano
trios only the accounts from the Florestan Trio can match these
performances from the Vienna Piano Trio on MDG. Playing with
conviction and liberal amounts of style and expression the Florestan
Trio was recorded in 2004 at the Henry Wood Hall, London on
Hyperion CDA 67538. A very popular disc for some time has been
the assured performance from the Joachim Trio who play with
freshness and polish. The Joachim was recorded in 1993 at the
Conway Hall, London on Naxos 8.550935. Another recording worthy
of consideration is from the confident Trio Wanderer for their
ability to convey elegance and expression. Recorded in 2004
at the Salle Modulable IRCAM, Paris the Trio Wanderer account
was originally issued on Harmonia Mundi HMC 901862 and reissued
on the label’s Musique d'Abord series on HMA 1951862.
This is the fourth release I have of Saint-Saëns’
chamber music on MDG, a label that is doing sterling work in
championing the French composer. Played by the excellent Vienna
Piano Trio this MDG release of the Saint-Saëns Piano
Trios will complement any chamber music collection.
Michael Cookson
This will complement any chamber music collection.