Kettering Concerts

Kettering Concert 2023-11-12

Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 32 – Anton Stepanovich Arensky (1861-1906)

The Russiam composer, pianist and conductor, Anton Arensky, composed his Piano Trio no. 1 in D minor, Op. 32 in 1894. It was written in the early romantic era (1830-1900), a time when compositions became increasingly expressive and inventive, taking inspiration from art and literature. Other composers from that era include Mahler, Verdi, Rimsky-Korsakov amongst many others, and especially Tchaikovsky who was said to have had a great influence on Arensky, seen in his use of elegies which his mentor Tchaikovsky had established as a tradition for piano trios. Such works are passionate, energetic and often have nationalistic undertones. A child prodigy, Arensky studied under Rimsky-Korsakov at the St. Petersburg conservatory, and later became professor of harmony and counterpoint at the Moscow conservatory. His students included such composers as Scriabin and Rachmaninoff. Arensky was particularly known for his chamber music and works for the piano. His Trio No. 1 is in four movements, and the cello is prominent throughout, introducing most of the themes. The first movement, Allegro moderato, is in the classical sonata form. It begins with a gentle, lyrical and rather plaintive melody, setting the mood for the whole work. The Scherzo which follows, is energetic and cheerful, with cascading notes and a waltz-like middle section. The third movement, Elegia - Adagio, is the heart and soul of the trio. It is slow, introspective, and dreamlike, bringing to mind Tchaikovsky's influence. The Finale is bright, fast and stormy, opening dramatically. As it progresses, snatches of themes from the first and third movement can be heard, before giving way to a turbulent ending which restates the opening theme of this last movement.

Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor, Op. 67 – Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975)

Dmitri Shostakovich composed his Piano Trio No. 2 starting in December 1943, finishing in August 1944. The death of his good friend, the genius and dedicated musician, Ivan Sollertinsky, in early 1944, affected him deeply, suffering bouts of depression. Shostakovich struggled to finish the work which he dedicated to Sollertinsky. The trio premièred in Leningrad on November 14, 1944 with Shostakovich at the piano, Dmitri Tsyganov (violin) and Sergei Shirinsky (cello) - both members of the Beethoven Quartet. Founded in 1922, the Beethoven Quartet worked closely with Shostakovich, and premièred thirteen of his fifteen string quartets. Shostakovich made two recordings of the trio. The first in 1946 with Tsyganov and Shirinksy, followed by a recording in 1947 with David Oistrakh (violin) and the Czech musician Milos Sádlo (cello). The trio is in 4 movements: The first movement, Andante - Moderato, is rather dissonant, starting with a haunting, technically very difficult melody, by the cello playing harmonics (an overtone accompanying a fundamental tone achieved by vibrating a string). The violin soon enters, followed by the piano playing canon-like, imitating the leading melody a fraction of a beat later. The pace picks up (moderato), and it is now in sonata form. The development expands the themes introduced, in a very fast, highly rhythmic manner, demanding outstanding technical ability. The movement comes to a climax recapituling the themes already introduced. This gives way to the second movement, Allegro con brio, a brilliant scherzo. It is unrelentingly frantic with many repeated notes. The trio, isn't obvious, a temporary interlude in the style of a "giddy waltz" (James Keller, 2017), before returning to the scherzo. The piano introduces the third movement, Largo, with eight slow, sombre, chords. The violin comes in quietly, with a subdued, simple melody, soon joined by the cello, repeating the violin's theme. Throughout this movement, the piano continues the unrelenting dark mood with slow heavy chords, fading away into the fourth and longest movement, Allegretto - Adagio. This movement is frantic - labelled the "Dance of Death". Starting with a quiet staccato repeated dance based on a jewish-style melody, it is followed by a re-introduction of themes heard in the previous movements. It is unrelenting, dark, full of anguish. The British music critic Ian MacCormick, in his book "The New Shostakovich" states that Shostakovich was inspired by his horror at the reports that SS guards in Nazi camps had forced Jews to dance by their own graves. In the final bars it gradually fades away ending with a tortured E major chord.