R. Schumann: Piano Trios, Vol. 1 Kungsbacka Piano Trio

• Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856): Piano Trio No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 63:
• 1 Piano Trio No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 63: I. Mit Energie und Leidenschaft 11:50
• 2 Piano Trio No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 63: II. Lebhaft, doch nicht zu rasch - Trio 04:44
• 3 Piano Trio No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 63: III. Langsam, mit inniger Empfindung - Bewegter - Tempo I 06:21
• 4 Piano Trio No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 63: IV. Mit Feuer - Nach und nach schneller 07:46
• Fantasiestücke, Op. 88:
• 5 Fantasiestücke, Op. 88: I. Romanze 02:20
• 6 Fantasiestücke, Op. 88: II. Humoreske 06:42
• 7 Fantasiestücke, Op. 88: III. Duett 03:16
• 8 Fantasiestücke, Op. 88: IV. Finale 05:39
• Piano Trio No. 2 in F Major, Op. 80:
• 9 Piano Trio No. 2 in F Major, Op. 80: I. Sehr lebhaft 07:39
• 10 Piano Trio No. 2 in F Major, Op. 80: II. Mit innigem Ausdruck - Lebhaft 07:48
• 11 Piano Trio No. 2 in F Major, Op. 80: III. In mäßiger Bewegung 05:03
• 12 Piano Trio No. 2 in F Major, Op. 80: IV. Nicht zu rasch 05:18
• Total Runtime 01:14:26

Info for R. Schumann: Piano Trios, Vol. 1

It was in 1842, his ‘year of chamber music’ that Robert Schumann took on the combination of violin, cello and piano for the first time. He seems to have decided against releasing the resulting Fantasiestücke as a fully-fledged piano trio, however, but later returned to the work, revising it for publication in 1850. The model here is not the large-scale, quasi-symphonic trios of Beethoven or Schubert – instead Haydn’s characteristic trio textures spring to mind, especially in the first two movements where the cello largely follows the piano’s left-hand bass line. By the time the Fantasiestücke was published, Schumann had already written two ‘proper’ piano trios, No. 1 in D minor and No. 2 in F major. According to the composer the second of these ‘makes a friendlier and more immediate impression’ but it is in fact the D minor trio that has long been the more popular: passionate, mainly extrovert and bursting with fine thematic material it is the easiest to grasp on one hearing. Both works are filled to capacity with imitative writing, sometimes conspicuously so but often subtly as if on a subconscious level – an aspect that the members of the Kungsbacka Piano Trio, with more than 20 years of playing together, are able to make the most of.

Kungsbacka Piano Trio

Kungsbacka Piano Trio
Formed in 1997, the Kungsbacka Piano Trio has gained an enviable reputation as one of the most outstanding ensembles of its kind. Having established its credentials early on by winning first prize in the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition, joining the Young Classical Artists Trust and BBC Radio 3’s New Generation Artists scheme, and being selected as “rising stars” by the European Concert Halls Organisation with concerts including at New York’s Carnegie Hall, the trio has since appeared at numerous festivals and venues throughout Europe, North and South America, Australia and New Zealand. In the United Kingdom, the trio has performed at the Wigmore Hall, Bridgewater Hall, LSO St Luke’s and the City of London, Cheltenham and Edinburgh International Festivals. Recordings for Naxos include Piano Trios by Schubert, Mozart, Chopin and Fauré, and the world première of Karen Rehnqvist’s Beginning for Piano Trio, commissioned for the Trio and released on BIS. Other commissions have included works by composers such as Daniel Bortz, Joe Duddell, Helen Grime, Paul Stanhope and Mark-Anthony Turnage. With a strong connection to Sweden through founder-member Malin Broman, the Kungsbacka Piano Trio regularly performs on tour throughout the country. Alongside numerous chamber music tours, the trio has performed as soloists in Martinů’s Triple Concerto with the Västerås Sinfonietta, and in Beethoven’s Triple Concerto with the Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Andrew Manze. The Kungsbacka Piano Trio has been honoured to receive the prestigious Interpret Prize from the Royal Swedish Academy of Music, which was presented to them by Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.

Booklet for R. Schumann: Piano Trios, Vol. 1