String Trios

[torut]

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.

Does he compose traditional, tonal music? Or, atonal, avan-garde music? I am curious whether contemporary composers still feel such voicing challenges, if they don't use traditional harmony technique.

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]

I remember seeing this, got interested in, and have forgotten. But isn't it a piano trio album? Anyway, thank you for bringing this up.

[snyprrr]

Does he compose traditional, tonal music? Or, atonal, avan-garde music? I am curious whether contemporary composers still feel such voicing challenges, if they don't use traditional harmony technique.
I remember seeing this, got interested in, and have forgotten. But isn't it a piano trio album? Anyway, thank you for bringing this up.

Yes, who's Posting Piano trios in my String Trios Thread? Uh, the nerve!



Sooo, what's up in String Trio land? Petrassi's just caught the radar... very nice.

[bhodges]

Does he compose traditional, tonal music? Or, atonal, avan-garde music? I am curious whether contemporary composers still feel such voicing challenges, if they don't use traditional harmony technique.
I remember seeing this, got interested in, and have forgotten. But isn't it a piano trio album? Anyway, thank you for bringing this up.

Nørgård is more atonal than tonal (he uses a form of serialism derived from mathematics).

But sorry, I flaked out and mentioned a piano trio, rather a string trio - my bad. (Still worth hearing, though.  ) Will see if I can recommend something else that hasn't been mentioned.

--Bruce

[snyprrr]

I added things from the Thread to the OP.

I'm so glad for the Thread Activity!

[torut]

Years ago, a composer told me that he thought it was actually more difficult to write a trio, given the unique voicing challenges.

Nørgård is more atonal than tonal (he uses a form of serialism derived from mathematics).

That is interesting, thank you. I only have his Symphony No. 6. I'll check his piano trio and other works.

[torut]

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

The instrumentation of Terzetto is interesting: 2 violins + viola. According to Wikipedia, the first string trio form in the early Classical era was 2 violins + cello.

Taneyev also composed a work using that form (2 violins + viola), and one using "Viola-tenore."
- String Trio in D major (1879/1880)
- String Trio in D for 2 violins and viola, Op. 21 (1907)
- String Trio in E♭ major for violin, viola and viola-tenore, Op. 31 (1911); Viola-tenore is pitched one octave below the violin.
- String Trio in B minor (1913)

[torut]

Sooo, what's up in String Trio land? Petrassi's just caught the radar... very nice.

Is it this? It is a good modern trio. Thank you.

G.Petrassi - Trio per archi (1959)
https://www.youtube.com/v/tGtDZMNYjMc

Walter Zimmerman's string trio was mentioned in 1950 to 2000 thread.

Walter Zimmermann (b. 1949, Germany).

Prof. Zimmermann studied oboe, piano and violin as a child and began composing at age twelve. He studied piano with Ernst Gröschel at the Fürth Gymnasium in the mid-1960s and composition with Werner Heider in Nuremberg from 1968–70 and attended the Kölner Kurse für Neue Musik from 1970–73, where he studied with Mauricio Kagel. He also studied electronic music with Otto E. Laske at the Institute of Sonology of the University of Utrecht, at the Jaap Kunst Center of Ethnology in Amsterdam and privately in Hamilton, New York in 1974.

Distentio (1992) for string trio

https://www.youtube.com/v/BDGC1JGvFTw

[torut]

Edith Canat de Chizy composed 3 string trios which are really good. She is also a trained violinist, and composed many works for strings (concertos, chamber works, solos, etc.) This album contains 3 string trios, a string quartet, a violin solo, and a contrabass solo.

[asin]B00008AVBE[/asin]

Tiempo (1999) for string trio
Irisations (1999) for violin solo
Moving (2001) for string trio
Vivere (2001) for string quartet
Hallel (1991) for string trio
Danse de l'aube (1998) for contrabass solo

[CRCulver]

Nørgård is more atonal than tonal (he uses a form of serialism derived from mathematics).

Nørgård's "infinity series" can be applied to any scale, and except for a very brief period, he has used it in a tonal context. Really, if one looks at Nørgård's career of over 60 years now, one sees that his use of total chromaticism lasted only about a decade, roughly overlapping with the Sixties. Starting in the early 1970s, he wrote a number of publications explaining why he was returning to tonality, and I'd strongly recommend you at least read his "Inside A Symphony" (Numus West, 1975) as this has been translated into English and should be widely available.

[bhodges]

Nørgård's "infinity series" can be applied to any scale, and except for a very brief period, he has used it in a tonal context. Really, if one looks at Nørgård's career of over 60 years now, one sees that his use of total chromaticism lasted only about a decade, roughly overlapping with the Sixties. Starting in the early 1970s, he wrote a number of publications explaining why he was returning to tonality, and I'd strongly recommend you at least read his "Inside A Symphony" (Numus West, 1975) as this has been translated into English and should be widely available.

Thanks much - I may have been exposed to just a small portion of his work and reached an incorrect conclusion. And thanks for the book rec - appreciate that, too.

--Bruce

[snyprrr]

Edith Canat de Chizy composed 3 string trios which are really good. She is also a trained violinist, and composed many works for strings (concertos, chamber works, solos, etc.) This album contains 3 string trios, a string quartet, a violin solo, and a contrabass solo.

[asin]B00008AVBE[/asin]

Tiempo (1999) for string trio
Irisations (1999) for violin solo
Moving (2001) for string trio
Vivere (2001) for string quartet
Hallel (1991) for string trio
Danse de l'aube (1998) for contrabass solo

Now that's awesome!

btw- yes, on Pettrassi- sweet!

[torut]

Haydn's string trios have not been mentioned. The instruments are 2 violins + cello except Hob.V:8 (violin+Viola+cello). I have not heard all of them, but the only minor work, Hob.V:3, is particularly beautiful. The last trio, Hob.V:21, is also very nice, the 1st movement is my favorite.

Divertimento (2 Violins and Violoncello) E major Hob. V:1
Divertimento (2 Violins and Violoncello) F major Hob. V:2
Divertimento (2 Violins and Violoncello) b minor Hob. V:3
Divertimento (2 Violins and Violoncello) E flat major Hob. V:4
Divertimento (2 Violins and Violoncello) E flat major Hob. V:6
Divertimento (2 Violins and Violoncello) A major Hob. V:7
Divertimento (Violin, Viola and Violoncello) B flat major Hob. V:8
Divertimento (2 Violins and Violoncello) F major Hob. V:10
Divertimento (2 Violins and Violoncello) E flat major Hob. V:11
Divertimento (2 Violins and Violoncello) E major Hob. V:12
Divertimento (2 Violins and Violoncello) B flat major Hob. V:13
Divertimento (2 Violins and Violoncello) D major Hob. V:15
Divertimento (2 Violins and Violoncello) C major Hob. V:16
Divertimento (2 Violins and Violoncello) E flat major Hob. V:17
Divertimento (2 Violins and Violoncello) B flat major Hob. V:18
Divertimento (2 Violins and Violoncello) E major Hob. V:19
Divertimento (2 Violins and Violoncello) G major Hob. V:20
Divertimento (2 Violins and Violoncello) D major Hob. V:21

(attributed to Haydn)
Divertimento (2 Violins and Violoncello) D major Hob. V:D1
Divertimento (2 Violins and Violoncello) F major Hob. V:F1
Divertimento (2 Violins and Violoncello) B flat major Hob. V:B1
Divertimento (2 Violins and Violoncello) A major Hob. V:A2
Divertimento (2 Violins and Violoncello) C major Hob. V:C4
Divertimento (2 Violins and Violoncello) D major Hob. V:D3
Divertimento (2 Violins and Violoncello) G major Hob. V:G1
Divertimento (2 Violins and Violoncello) C major Hob. V:C1

[EigenUser]

I love the Dohnanyi trio. Wonderful piece. Hate the ending, though.

[Brian]

Champs Hill Records has an ongoing series of the Julius Rontgen string trios. They're lovely pieces: about 15 minutes each, light and airy but with lots of early-20th-century sophistication. Some contain homages to past masters. Very nice listening.

[snyprrr]

Villa-Lobos!

This is a very nice piece in his grand manner, very rare- should be included in any SQ Cycle.

[torut]

This is a very good album. The performances are excellent.

String Trios from The East ~ Goeyvaerts String Trio
[asin]B004FXLR7I[/asin]

Gubaidulina - String Trio (1988) Dark, quiet, disturbing. Really nice.
Paiberdin - ORGANUM A-nn-A (2000-2007) I heard this composer's music for the first time. Very Interesting sonority. I would like to check his other works.
Kancheli - Time ... And Again (1998) Expressive, sentimental. Beautiful.
Kancheli - Rag-Gidoen-Time (1999) A short fun piece; These two works were originally composed for violin & piano, dedicated to Kremer.
Knifel - E.F. and three visiting cards of the poet (2008) Static, sparse, minimalistic work.

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

I didn't buy their 1st album because I have all the works in other recordings (String trios of Schönberg, Webern, Schnittke), but their new album (Pärt's Stabat Mater in just intonation & Ivan Moody) seems very interesting.

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