Music Chamber

Anton Rubinstein: Piano Trio No 2 in G major Op 15/2

Joaquin Turina: Piano Trio No 2 in b Op 76

Free entry, retiring collection

 

 

Rubinstein's 1st & 2nd Piano Trios were both published in 1855. he was one of those rare concert virtuosi whose contribution to music went far beyond performing. In 1862, he founded the St. Petersburg Conservatory and served as its first director. His efforts in developing Russian musical talent were perhaps the greatest of any single individual. Not only did he introduce European educational methods but he also established standards that were as rigorous as any conservatory in Europe. Rubinstein was a prolific composer writing in nearly every genre. It must be admitted that many of the chamber works do not rise above the commonplace as Rubinstein was simply too fluent a writer for his own good and lacked the patience to take pencil and eraser to the manuscript page to improve what he had just dashed off. Few composers could have produced anything at all of merit doing this, but Rubinstein, by the sheer prodigious quality of his talent, was, on occasion, able to create works of astonishing beauty and quite good style. Certainly this piano trio is among these works. 'The lilting main theme of the opening Moderato is indeed quite effective while the development section, which leads to the delightful, lyrical second theme, is very finely done. The magnificent second movement, Adagio, is a gorgeous Mendelssohnian Song Without Words. The Allegro assai scherzo which follows is in the form of a tarantella. This is a lively, fleet and very effective movement. Both melodies of the finale, Moderato, are expressive and well done. This trio deserves a place of honor in the concert hall.' Wilhelm Altmann from his Handbook for Piano Trio Players. 

 

Written in 1933 Turina’s Piano Trio No 2 is one of 3 mature piano trios. Lively, sparkling, evocative and concise, it is refreshing for its time, associating on one hand with the classical and romantic piano trio traditions, and, on the other, with the harmony, color and relaxed form of the more recent French and Spanish composers. Distinctively Spanish elements pervade its vocabulary in the form of melodic intervals, harmonic chord progressions and rhythmic patterns, including the middle movement scherzo written in a characteristic Spanish dance meter of 5/8. Even where Turina reminds one of the modern French composers who influenced him, it is worth remembering that both Debussy and Ravel were captivated by the sounds of Andalusia, the flavors and idioms of which Turina could “borrow” back quite naturally and authentically. All three of Turina’s mature piano trios use a three movement form harkening back to the first classical piano trios of Haydn and Mozart. The first movement follows a sonata outline with clear, contrasting themes first in minor, then major keys, followed by a developmental interlude introducing fresh melodic material. The second movement is a brief but dense scherzo based on a spicy dance rhythm, a bright countermelody and a languid trio. The finale is a majestic landscape miniature with all the poetry and perfume of great Spanish music. A rondo, it visits a number of vivid scenes between recurring refrains of a dark, masculine cast. Using a technique that Turina likely acquired from his French schooling, he takes a cyclic look backward in the final episode, recalling all the themes from previous movements before a dazzling entrance into the final, wonderfully elaborated refrain.

 

The Edlian Piano Trio performs regularly in London and for music societies throughout the country. International tours and festivals have taken them to Moscow, Edinburgh, Brighton and Amsterdam. They specialize in Russian Music and have recently revived the exceptional piano trio repertoire of Anton Rubinstein. They have gained an outstanding reputation for their enlightened performances of unusual works as well as the better-known repertoire.

 

Tatiana Andrianova (piano) was born in the former Soviet Union and began playing the piano at the age of five. She studied with Olga Gerlach and at The Russian Academy of Music with Yuli Gultman and Valentina Zvereva. In Russia she performed extensively as a soloist and accompanist in addition to teaching at a specialist music school in Moscow. She now lives and works in London where she performs as a member of various chamber groups.

 

Charlotte Edwards (violin) began her career as a musician after she was awarded a Master's Degree in Violin Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music, Boston, USA, having previously obtained a doctorate in human biochemical genetics from University College London. As a freelance violinist she has been increasingly invited to lead and perform as soloist with various orchestras and ensembles. Education has always been an important part of her musical activity and in addition to teaching privately she also takes part in creative workshops in schools involving music composition and dance.

 

Ann Lines (cello) studied for four years at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London with Leonard Stehn. Soon after leaving college she went to Italy to play principal cello with the Orchestra Sinfonica dell'Emiglia Romagna, 'Arturo Toscanini' in Parma. Since returning to London in 1989 she has been working as a freelance player in various orchestras, ensembles and touring opera companies. She has played for several West End shows and has even been part of the backing for a 'heavy metal' band.