Rachmaninov:
- Piano Trios
You undoubtedly know Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto #2 and 3; perhaps you also know his symphonies. But what about his chamber music?
Most of Rachmaninov’s chamber music was composed in the early part of his career. This body of work comprises the four compositions on this disc, together with two unfinished string quartets and also two Romances.
These works were composed in the two years up to December 1893. All of this music, therefore, was written before the composer was twenty-one, yet it is quite beautiful, and by no means immature.
On this CD, we get to hear the following:
Rachmaninov:
- Trio élégiaque No. 1 in G minor, Op. post.
- Pieces (2) for cello & piano, Op. 2
- Morceaux (2) de Salon, Op. 6
- Trio élégiaque No. 2 in D minor, Op. 9
Performed by The Moscow Rachmaninov Trio
The Moscow Rachmaninov Trio shows great insight into the composer and their performances bring depth to these works. What I love about the composer is his willingness to explore great emotions and to translate these emotions into music.
This recording includes the Trio élégiaque No 2 which Sergei Rachmaninov started to write on the evening of Tchaikovsky’s death on 25 October 1893 and completed on 15 December. Rachmaninov was deeply shocked and saddened at the news of Tchaikovsky’s death, and the piece was written in the memory of him.
‘The Strad’ magazine wrote:
“Performances characterized by admirable technical fluency and innate musical quality”
Here are Lang Lang, piano, Vadim Repin, violin, and Mischa Maisky, Cello, in Rachmaninov’s Trio élégiaque number 1 (see photo at left):
And next, here is the Rachmaninoff Trio élégiaque No. 2:
Finally, let’s hear another interpretation of the Rachmaninov Piano Trio no.1, from the Cremona International Music Academy and Competition:
Tags: Rachmaninov, Piano trios, Trio élégiaque