RACHMANINOV S., FRANCK C., SUK J. PIANO TRIOS / Petrof Piano Trio

RACHMANINOV - FRANCK - SUK - PIANO TRIOS

1. Sergei Rachmaninov - Piano Trio in G minor (1892) 14:12

2. Sergei Rachmaninov (arr. Jules Conus) - Vocalisa 06:15

César Franck – Piano Trio in F sharp minor Op.1 Nr.1

3. I. Andante con moto 11:38

4. II. Allegro molto 07:33

5. III. Finale, Allegro maestoso 13:24

6. Josef Suk - Elegy for Piano Trio Op. 23 06:14

+ BONUS:

7. C. Saint-Saëns (arr. Karl Rissland) - The Swan (Labuť) 02:42

8. Astor Piazzolla - Invierno Porteno (Zima) 06:05

Total time 68:31

PETROF PIANO TRIO:

Martina Schulmeisterová piano

Jan Schulmeister violin

Kamil Žvak cello

The poetry of Julius Zeyer has become a model not only for significant musical paintings

of the composer JOSEF SUK – the legend named Under the Apple Tree and scenic music for dramatic fairy tale Radúz and Mahulena, but also for popular miniature music titled Elegy Op. 23 with sub-title Under the Impression of Zeyer‘s Vyšehrad. The genesis of the work is based on the memorial celebration of the first anniversary of the poet’s death held in 1902 in the castle garden and also at Queen Anna’s summer palace Belveder. The whimsical painting for poem Vyšehrad named Když slunce nad Vyšehradem zapadlo appeared after lifting of the curtain at the end of Suk’s Elegy which was simultaneously his last musicalization of Zeyer’s poetical legacy. The original instrumentation was written for solo violin and cello, string quartet, harmonium and harp, the composer then adapted this nenia for the piano trio.

SERGEI RACHMANINOV’S Elegiac trio No. 1 in g minor is a student work of a 19-yearold composer, influenced by Tchaikovsky’s music. It originated during three January days (18th to 21st) in 1892 and premiered already on 30th of January with the author behind the piano, violinist David Kreyn and cellist Anatoliy Branukov. The trio without an opus number had not seen its first publication until 1947, when they were published on vinyl by a publisher Muzgiz. The one-movement trio is composed in sonata form while the exposition is built from twelve episodes which are symmetrically represented in the reprise. Elegiac theme is played within the first part Lento lugubre. The theme is executed in the end in form of funeral march. The opus assumes, along with the expanded sentence, the form of the Trio in A minor, Op. 50 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Rachmaninov dedicated his second elegiac trio, Op. 9 written in 1893 to his memory.

The programme of Petrof Piano Trio ensemble introduces the famous Vocalisa of SERGEI

RACHMANINOV’S legacy which is the last part of the cycle of 14 romances for high voice

and piano, Op. 34. Vocalisa is sung without words in a vowel ad libitum and author dedicated it to lyrical soprano Antonina Vasiljevna Neždanovov. Jules Conus is the author of the Vocalisa adaptation.

The list of compositions by CÉSAR FRANCK, one of the best organists of the 19th century, pianist and professor of the Paris Conservatory, has 91 songs most of which were published during his lifetime. Among his juveniles we can of course find his student works with opus number 1 which contain three piano trios. First of them, the Piano trio, Op. 1, No. 1 in f-sharp minor from 1841 is so extraordinary that German historian and musicologist Wilhelm Altmann recommends in his Handbook for Piano Trio Players from 1934 that each piano player should get the opportunity to get familiar with this work.

The trio has three sentences - emotive Andante, Allegro molto in the form of Scherzo and explosive Finale. As the part of bonus programme on the compact disk the ensemble chose the legendary and popular part of the suite for chamber ensemble The Carnival of the Animals of the French composer CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS named The Swan. This lyrical Andantino grazioso is a rewarding encore piece and is particularly impressive especially in cello rendition for which, and two pianos, it has been originally instrumented. Karl Rissland is the author of the piano trio arrangement.

Invierno Porteno (Winter) of the Argentinian composer and bandoeon virtuoso ASTOR

PIAZZOLLA (1921-1992) who was famous for his love of tango is the second bonus. He exalted traditional tango to so called “nuevo tango” into which he incorporated elements of jazz and classical music. Invierno Porteno (Winter) is the fourth part of well known cycle “The Four Seasons”. This work is being adapted for both solo instruments and different instrumental groupings to this day, for its musical appeal and exceptionality.