Brahms: Piano Trio No. 1 in B major, Op. 8

The four piano trios and the first of the three piano quartets cover a large part of the career of Johannes Brahms, from the youthful convulsions of the Trios op.8 and op. posth. (dating from 1854) to the masterpiece of late Romantic literature constituted by op.101 of 1886. A repertoire that is naturally close to the hearts of the Wanderer Trio.

The Capuçon brothers have over a relatively short space of time become acknowledged as leading chamber-music players. For their new recording of Brahms they are joined by the pianist Nicholas Angelich. The piano trios are firm favourites of the repertoire and as such have been recorded by a number of the world’s finest players. The Capuçons bring fresh insight to these familiar through their innate musicianship and the bonding that comes from regularly performing the pieces together.

Trio Testore, as part of its recording of the complete Brahms Piano Trios, presents both versions of the Trio in B major, Op. 8: the original version and the revised version which was made 35 years later and which, to a large extent, amounts to a new composition.

Whilst revising his first trio, Brahms also wrote another pair of new, contrasting trios. The musicians emphasise the richness of detail of these works at the same time, their vivid rendition, with a convincing choice of tempi, reveals the architecture and the “breadth” of the compositions. Together, these works provide an exemplary impression of Brahms’ development as a composer.

The Trio Testore was founded in 2000 by Franziska Pietsch (violin), Hans-Christian Schweiker (cello) and Hyun-Jung Kim-Schweiker (piano). The ensemble has made a name for itself nationally and internationally. For its 10th anniversary in 2011 the Trio Testore founded the annual chamber music festival Mai-Klassik.

The Beaux Arts Trio was recognised as one of the world’s greatest classical music ensembles and existed, with changes in membership, for 48 years.

When they performed this concert in 1960, the ensemble was only 5 years old. This recording gives us the opportunity to admire the beginnings of the trio.

Combining the talents of three award-winning soloists, the Weiss-Kaplan-Newman Trio was hailed by The New York Times as “Three strong voices, locked in sequence”. This CD of Brahms and Smetana trios is the Weiss-Kaplan-Newman Trio’s first full recording for Bridge Records. Previously, Bridge issued the Trio’s recording of Paul Chihara’s “Ain’t No Sunshine” (BRIDGE9267).

Beautifully packaged in a box, this single CD contains a series of dated letters exchanged between them with the music they composed at the time to accompany the experience.

Trio Kandinsky are accomplished musicians who have been playing together since 1999.