May 30 Festival Trio
Program notes
Haydn – Piano Trio No. 35 in C major, Hob. XV:21
Joseph Haydn’s contribution to the piano trio genre is foundational, and his late trios, written during his celebrated London visits, are among the most inventive chamber works of the Classical era. The Piano Trio No. 35 in C major, composed in 1795, is a prime example of Haydn’s mature style, balancing wit, lyricism, and structural innovation.
This trio is unique among Haydn’s works for its opening—a rare, six-bar Adagio pastorale introduction. With its gentle, hymn-like chords, the introduction evokes a sense of calm anticipation, as if inviting the listener into a sunlit landscape. This brief moment of serenity is soon dispelled by the energetic Vivace assai, a movement brimming with Haydn’s trademark playfulness. Here, the piano leads with sparkling passagework, while the violin and cello provide lively interplay. Haydn, ever the musical humorist, delights in sudden dynamic contrasts and unexpected harmonic turns, keeping both performers and listeners on their toes.
The second movement, Andante, is a lyrical gem. Its singing lines and delicate textures showcase Haydn’s gift for expressive melody, with the instruments engaging in intimate conversation. The movement’s simplicity belies its subtle sophistication, as Haydn weaves together moments of tenderness and gentle melancholy.
The finale, Allegro, returns to the rustic spirit of the introduction. Its buoyant rhythms and folk-like themes evoke the countryside, while the trio’s transparent textures allow each instrument to shine. Throughout, Haydn’s mastery of form and his sense of joy in music-making are palpable. This trio is not only a testament to Haydn’s enduring creativity in his later years but also a celebration of the piano trio as a genre capable of both elegance and exuberance.
Elgar – Chanson de Nuit, Op. 15, No. 1
Chanson de Matin, Op. 15, No. 2
Salut d’Amour (Liebesgruß), Op. 12
Edward Elgar’s miniatures for violin (or cello) and piano occupy a cherished place in the repertoire, beloved for their melodic charm and emotional sincerity. Written in the late Victorian era, these pieces offer a window into Elgar’s early style, before the grandeur of the Enigma Variations and the Pomp and Circumstance marches.
Chanson de Nuit and Chanson de Matin—“Song of Night” and “Song of Morning”—were composed around 1897 and published as companion pieces. Chanson de Nuit opens the pair with a gentle, nocturnal mood. Its flowing melody, tinged with nostalgia, is supported by delicate piano harmonies, creating an atmosphere of quiet reflection. The piece’s subtle harmonic shifts and expressive phrasing reveal Elgar’s sensitivity to colour and nuance.
By contrast, Chanson de Matin is bright and optimistic, its lilting rhythm and soaring melody evoking the freshness of dawn. The interplay between the cello (or violin) and piano is light and conversational, with sparkling figurations that capture the spirit of a new day. Together, these pieces form a musical diptych, inviting listeners to contemplate the passage from night to morning, from introspection to awakening.
Salut d’Amour (Liebesgruß), composed in 1888 as a gift for Elgar’s fiancée, Caroline Alice Roberts, is perhaps the composer’s most enduringly popular work. Its title—“Love’s Greeting”—reflects both its personal origins and its universal appeal. The piece unfolds with a graceful, arching melody, supported by gently undulating piano accompaniment. Elgar’s gift for heartfelt simplicity is on full display, as the music conveys tenderness and devotion without a trace of sentimentality. Over the years, “Salut d’Amour” has been arranged for countless instrumental combinations, testament to its melodic strength and emotional resonance.
Together, these three works showcase Elgar’s melodic gift and his ability to evoke mood and atmosphere in miniature form—qualities that would later blossom in his larger-scale orchestral and choral works.
Manuel de Falla – Suite Populaire Espagnole (arranged for cello and piano)
Manuel de Falla’s Suite Populaire Espagnole is a vibrant homage to the folk music traditions of Spain. Originally composed in 1914 as Siete canciones populares españolas for voice and piano, the suite was later arranged for various instruments, including the cello, where its earthy expressivity and rhythmic vitality find a new voice.
Each of the suite’s six movements draws on a different region or style of Spanish folk music, creating a vivid musical travelogue:
1. El paño moruno (The Moorish Cloth) opens the suite with an Andalusian melody, characterized by its exotic, Moorish-inflected scale and a text that hints at the loss of innocence.
2. Nana is a haunting lullaby from Andalusia. Its gentle rocking rhythm and plaintive melody evoke the intimacy of a mother’s song.
3. Canción offers a brief, bittersweet interlude, its melody simple yet deeply expressive.
4. Polo is a fiery dance, marked by sharp rhythms and passionate outbursts—a musical portrait of Spanish intensity.
5. Asturiana transports the listener to northern Spain. A melancholy melody floating over hypnotic piano chords evokes the misty landscapes of Asturias.
6. Jota concludes the suite with a lively dance from Aragon, its infectious rhythms and exuberant spirit bringing the work to a festive close.
Falla’s music retains its vocal character in the cello and piano arrangement while gaining new colours and expressive possibilities. The cello’s singing tone and wide expressive range are ideally suited to the suite’s blend of lyricism and drama, while the piano provides both rhythmic drive and atmospheric colour. The Suite Populaire Espagnole celebrates Spain’s rich musical heritage, filtered through Falla’s modernist sensibility and deep affection for his homeland.
Shostakovich – Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor, Op. 67
Few chamber works of the 20th century are as searing or as deeply personal as Dmitri Shostakovich’s Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor, Op. 67. Written in 1944, during the darkest days of World War II, the trio is both a memorial to the composer’s close friend Ivan Sollertinsky and a broader lament for the suffering of millions during the war.
The work opens with a haunting, almost spectral theme played by the cello in harmonics—an eerie, glassy sound that immediately sets the trio apart. This theme is taken up in canon by the violin and piano, building a sense of inexorable tension. The first movement unfolds as a meditation on loss, its bleak lyricism punctuated by moments of anguish and resignation.
The second movement, a scherzo, is driven by relentless rhythms and sardonic humour. Its manic energy and grotesque character are hallmarks of Shostakovich’s style, often interpreted as a form of defiance in the face of adversity. The music’s dance-like quality is tinged with irony, as if mocking the very idea of celebration.
The third movement, a Passacaglia, is the emotional heart of the trio. Built on a repeating eight-bar bass line, it is a funeral procession, its sombre theme passed between the instruments in a series of variations. Here, Shostakovich’s gift for expressive economy is on full display—the music is spare yet devastating in its impact.
The finale bursts forth with a wild, Jewish-inflected dance, its frenetic energy masking a deep sense of tragedy. Shostakovich was profoundly affected by reports of the Nazi atrocities against the Jewish people, and the movement’s klezmer-like melodies have been interpreted as both a tribute to the victims and a cry of protest. The dance becomes increasingly frenzied, eventually collapsing into exhaustion. The trio ends as it began, with the ghostly theme of the opening, now drained of its former vitality—a final gesture of mourning and remembrance.
The Piano Trio No. 2 is one of Shostakovich’s most powerful statements, a work of raw emotion and uncompromising honesty. Its fusion of personal grief and historical witness makes it a landmark of 20th-century chamber music and a profound testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable loss.
Program Note Summary:
This concert traverses a vast emotional and stylistic landscape—from Haydn’s radiant Classicism and Elgar’s lyrical miniatures, through the folkloric vibrancy of de Falla, to the harrowing depths of Shostakovich. Together, these works offer a panorama of chamber music’s capacity to express joy, nostalgia, national identity, and the deepest reaches of human sorrow.
Joseph Haydn’s contribution to the piano trio genre is foundational, and his late trios, written during his celebrated London visits, are among the most inventive chamber works of the Classical era. The Piano Trio No. 35 in C major, composed in 1795, is a prime example of Haydn’s mature style, balancing wit, lyricism, and structural innovation.
This trio is unique among Haydn’s works for its opening—a rare, six-bar Adagio pastorale introduction. With its gentle, hymn-like chords, the introduction evokes a sense of calm anticipation, as if inviting the listener into a sunlit landscape. This brief moment of serenity is soon dispelled by the energetic Vivace assai, a movement brimming with Haydn’s trademark playfulness. Here, the piano leads with sparkling passagework, while the violin and cello provide lively interplay. Haydn, ever the musical humorist, delights in sudden dynamic contrasts and unexpected harmonic turns, keeping both performers and listeners on their toes.
The second movement, Andante, is a lyrical gem. Its singing lines and delicate textures showcase Haydn’s gift for expressive melody, with the instruments engaging in intimate conversation. The movement’s simplicity belies its subtle sophistication, as Haydn weaves together moments of tenderness and gentle melancholy.
The finale, Allegro, returns to the rustic spirit of the introduction. Its buoyant rhythms and folk-like themes evoke the countryside, while the trio’s transparent textures allow each instrument to shine. Throughout, Haydn’s mastery of form and his sense of joy in music-making are palpable. This trio is not only a testament to Haydn’s enduring creativity in his later years but also a celebration of the piano trio as a genre capable of both elegance and exuberance.
Elgar – Chanson de Nuit, Op. 15, No. 1
Chanson de Matin, Op. 15, No. 2
Salut d’Amour (Liebesgruß), Op. 12
Edward Elgar’s miniatures for violin (or cello) and piano occupy a cherished place in the repertoire, beloved for their melodic charm and emotional sincerity. Written in the late Victorian era, these pieces offer a window into Elgar’s early style, before the grandeur of the Enigma Variations and the Pomp and Circumstance marches.
Chanson de Nuit and Chanson de Matin—“Song of Night” and “Song of Morning”—were composed around 1897 and published as companion pieces. Chanson de Nuit opens the pair with a gentle, nocturnal mood. Its flowing melody, tinged with nostalgia, is supported by delicate piano harmonies, creating an atmosphere of quiet reflection. The piece’s subtle harmonic shifts and expressive phrasing reveal Elgar’s sensitivity to colour and nuance.
By contrast, Chanson de Matin is bright and optimistic, its lilting rhythm and soaring melody evoking the freshness of dawn. The interplay between the cello (or violin) and piano is light and conversational, with sparkling figurations that capture the spirit of a new day. Together, these pieces form a musical diptych, inviting listeners to contemplate the passage from night to morning, from introspection to awakening.
Salut d’Amour (Liebesgruß), composed in 1888 as a gift for Elgar’s fiancée, Caroline Alice Roberts, is perhaps the composer’s most enduringly popular work. Its title—“Love’s Greeting”—reflects both its personal origins and its universal appeal. The piece unfolds with a graceful, arching melody, supported by gently undulating piano accompaniment. Elgar’s gift for heartfelt simplicity is on full display, as the music conveys tenderness and devotion without a trace of sentimentality. Over the years, “Salut d’Amour” has been arranged for countless instrumental combinations, testament to its melodic strength and emotional resonance.
Together, these three works showcase Elgar’s melodic gift and his ability to evoke mood and atmosphere in miniature form—qualities that would later blossom in his larger-scale orchestral and choral works.
Manuel de Falla – Suite Populaire Espagnole (arranged for cello and piano)
Manuel de Falla’s Suite Populaire Espagnole is a vibrant homage to the folk music traditions of Spain. Originally composed in 1914 as Siete canciones populares españolas for voice and piano, the suite was later arranged for various instruments, including the cello, where its earthy expressivity and rhythmic vitality find a new voice.
Each of the suite’s six movements draws on a different region or style of Spanish folk music, creating a vivid musical travelogue:
1. El paño moruno (The Moorish Cloth) opens the suite with an Andalusian melody, characterized by its exotic, Moorish-inflected scale and a text that hints at the loss of innocence.
2. Nana is a haunting lullaby from Andalusia. Its gentle rocking rhythm and plaintive melody evoke the intimacy of a mother’s song.
3. Canción offers a brief, bittersweet interlude, its melody simple yet deeply expressive.
4. Polo is a fiery dance, marked by sharp rhythms and passionate outbursts—a musical portrait of Spanish intensity.
5. Asturiana transports the listener to northern Spain. A melancholy melody floating over hypnotic piano chords evokes the misty landscapes of Asturias.
6. Jota concludes the suite with a lively dance from Aragon, its infectious rhythms and exuberant spirit bringing the work to a festive close.
Falla’s music retains its vocal character in the cello and piano arrangement while gaining new colours and expressive possibilities. The cello’s singing tone and wide expressive range are ideally suited to the suite’s blend of lyricism and drama, while the piano provides both rhythmic drive and atmospheric colour. The Suite Populaire Espagnole celebrates Spain’s rich musical heritage, filtered through Falla’s modernist sensibility and deep affection for his homeland.
Shostakovich – Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor, Op. 67
Few chamber works of the 20th century are as searing or as deeply personal as Dmitri Shostakovich’s Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor, Op. 67. Written in 1944, during the darkest days of World War II, the trio is both a memorial to the composer’s close friend Ivan Sollertinsky and a broader lament for the suffering of millions during the war.
The work opens with a haunting, almost spectral theme played by the cello in harmonics—an eerie, glassy sound that immediately sets the trio apart. This theme is taken up in canon by the violin and piano, building a sense of inexorable tension. The first movement unfolds as a meditation on loss, its bleak lyricism punctuated by moments of anguish and resignation.
The second movement, a scherzo, is driven by relentless rhythms and sardonic humour. Its manic energy and grotesque character are hallmarks of Shostakovich’s style, often interpreted as a form of defiance in the face of adversity. The music’s dance-like quality is tinged with irony, as if mocking the very idea of celebration.
The third movement, a Passacaglia, is the emotional heart of the trio. Built on a repeating eight-bar bass line, it is a funeral procession, its sombre theme passed between the instruments in a series of variations. Here, Shostakovich’s gift for expressive economy is on full display—the music is spare yet devastating in its impact.
The finale bursts forth with a wild, Jewish-inflected dance, its frenetic energy masking a deep sense of tragedy. Shostakovich was profoundly affected by reports of the Nazi atrocities against the Jewish people, and the movement’s klezmer-like melodies have been interpreted as both a tribute to the victims and a cry of protest. The dance becomes increasingly frenzied, eventually collapsing into exhaustion. The trio ends as it began, with the ghostly theme of the opening, now drained of its former vitality—a final gesture of mourning and remembrance.
The Piano Trio No. 2 is one of Shostakovich’s most powerful statements, a work of raw emotion and uncompromising honesty. Its fusion of personal grief and historical witness makes it a landmark of 20th-century chamber music and a profound testament to the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable loss.
Program Note Summary:
This concert traverses a vast emotional and stylistic landscape—from Haydn’s radiant Classicism and Elgar’s lyrical miniatures, through the folkloric vibrancy of de Falla, to the harrowing depths of Shostakovich. Together, these works offer a panorama of chamber music’s capacity to express joy, nostalgia, national identity, and the deepest reaches of human sorrow.
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