String Trios

[The new erato]

The cellist got drunk and they will have to cancel the concert. 

I thought it's usually the percussionist that gets drunk and fails to appear?

[FideLeo]

I thought it's usually the percussionist that gets drunk and fails to appear?

Not in a string quartet. 

[Josquin des Prez]

String trio E flat major op.31. I've it by the Jerusalem ST. And yes, it's a masterpiece.

What makes it a masterpiece? I have a lot of Taneyev's chamber works, and while the craftsmanship is of an high order, the music itself is pretty uninspired. He's a like a second rate pressing of Brahms.

[DFO]

What makes it a masterpiece? I have a lot of Taneyev's chamber works, and while the craftsmanship is of an high order, the music itself is pretty uninspired. He's a like a second rate pressing of Brahms.

If you think so, is incomprehensible that you have a lot of his chamber works.

[sul G]

....except that 'second-rate Brahms' must therefore be first rate stuff, of course  . Though I'm not commenting on Taneyev here - I hardly have any of his music myself.

[karlhenning]

....except that 'second-rate Brahms' must therefore be first rate stuff, of course  .

(* sips some hot tea *)

[not edward]

Not in a string quartet. 

Unless it's Shostakovich's 13th, of course.

[The new erato]

Unless it's Shostakovich's 13th, of course.

Or Pavel Haas 2nd (From the monkey mountains), which has an actual percussionist.

[Josquin des Prez]

If you think so, is incomprehensible that you have a lot of his chamber works.

I have an obsessive compulsive need to acquire new music at a constant rate. I just end up regretting buying them later.

[sTisTi]

Ditto.

I have the l'Archibudelli recording, and that's the only one I've heard. If there is another I must hear I'm all ears, of course.

I recently acquired this one:
Mozart: Divertimento K. 563/K. 424, Leopold String Trio / Hyperion

Highly recommended!

[not edward]

Going back to the original post: my own personal favourites would be Mozart K563, Schnittke, Schoenberg and Webern. All remarkable works in a different manner, and I'd be hard pressed to choose between them.

Luke, I've never heard the Gideon Klein (I missed a chance to hear it live because I had to take a visiting family member out for dinner instead). Can you give a recommendation for it?

[Gurn Blanston]

Ditto.

I have the l'Archibudelli recording, and that's the only one I've heard. If there is another I must hear I'm all ears, of course.

No, you're all set. If I had to dump all my recordings of this work and just keep one, that would be it.

[chasmaniac]

Excluding names already mentioned: Albrechtsberger, Pichl, Tomasini, Boccherini, Shield, Reichardt, Viotti, Rolla, Eybler, H. Jadin... all classical era, though Jadin stretches that a little.

[Pat B]

Nice thread bump!

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Dvořák's Terzetto.

[torut]

These modern ~ contemporary works are all good, although they are short (around 10min.)

Giacinto Scelsi - String Trio (1958)
Pascal Dusapin - Musique fugitive (1980) for string trio
Jonathan Harvey - String Trio (2004)
Hector Parra - String Trio (2006) with electrionics
Dai Fujikura - Scion Stems (2011) for string trio

Hector Parra - String Trio + electrionics (2006)
https://www.youtube.com/v/07DdmpTyq5I

[bhodges]

Nice mentions, torut! I've heard the Harvey - but none of the others, and all are quite interesting composers.

--Bruce

[torut]

Thank you, Bruce. Most composers made only one or few short string trios (among recent works, Rihm's is the longest?), and focused on SQs. I love SQs, but also like the clarity and rawness of sound of string trios.

Regarding composers already mentioned ...

REGER (3)
MARTINU (3)

Didn't each of them compose only 2 string trios? (Reger Op. 77b & Op. 141b; Martinu H. 136 & H. 238) What are the other works?

[bhodges]

I love SQs, but also like the clarity and rawness of sound of string trios.

You bring up an interesting subject: the difference between the two (and for that matter, between duos and say, quintets). It's a slightly different balancing act, writing for three rather than four. Years ago, a composer told me that he thought it was actually more difficult to write a trio, given the unique voicing challenges.

Back to the main subject: I've mentioned it elsewhere, but Per Nørgård's Spell (1973) captured me a few years ago. It's on this fine disc below by Trio Ondine, with Holmboe, Nielsen and a name new to me, Anders Nordentoft (b. 1957).

[asin]B00076SHHK[/asin]

--Bruce

[The new erato]

You bring up an interesting subject: the difference between the two (and for that matter, between duos and say, quintets). It's a slightly and a name new to me, Anders Nordentoft (b. 1957).

How many Nordic composers are there with names starting on Nor or something sismilar; Nørgård, Nordgren, Nordheim,  Nørholm, Nordgård......

[torut]

Andrea Di Paolo - NUR (for String trio, In Memoriam Béla Bartòk) (2012)

https://www.youtube.com/v/Zxj44_nLifQ

Many long sound clips (~20min.) are available at his site. His string quartet is also good.