Gryphon Plays Beethoven!
On this CD, the Gryphon Trio, one of Canada’s great chamber groups, performs the Piano Trio in G Major Op. 1 No. 2, and the Piano trio in B Flat Major Op. 97 “Archduke”.
There is a major difference between these 2 selections, of course: the first stems from early in Beethoven’s career, and the second has become a highly-beloved, and well-know work composed much later in Beethoven’s life. The interesting thing is how one can hear the Master already show through in the early work. Deeply moving slow movements, and dark, brooding sounds can be heard this early. Much later we hear similar voices in the slow movements of the Beethoven piano sonatas, and also in other chamber works.
Here is another group (with Cellist Amit Peled) playing a section of the Archduke Trio:
And here’s a historic video of three good friend performing together the 3rd movement from Beethoven’s Ghost Trio: Pianist Daniel Barenboim, Violinist Pinchas Zuckerman and Cellist, Jacqueline DuPre: