Haydn: Piano Trios Trio Jean Paul

• Joseph Haydn (1732–1809): Klaviertrio C-Dur / Piano Trio in C Major, Hob.XV:27:
• 1 Haydn: Piano Trio in C Major, Hob. XV:27: I. Allegro 08:00
• 2 Haydn: Piano Trio in C Major, Hob. XV:27: II. Andante 05:08
• 3 Haydn: Piano Trio in C Major, Hob. XV:27: III. Presto 04:32
• Klaviertrio d-Moll / Piano Trio in D Minor, Hob.XV:23:
• 4 Haydn: Piano Trio in D Minor, Hob. XV:23: I. Molto Andante 08:37
• 5 Haydn: Piano Trio in D Minor, Hob. XV:23: II. Adagio ma non troppo 04:20
• 6 Haydn: Piano Trio in D Minor, Hob. XV:23: III. Finale. Vivace 04:35
• Klaviertrio e-Moll / Piano Trio in E Minor, Hob.XV:12:
• 7 Haydn: Piano Trio in E Minor, Hob. XV:12: I. Allegro moderato 07:05
• 8 Haydn: Piano Trio in E Minor, Hob. XV:12: II. Andante 05:16
• 9 Haydn: Piano Trio in E Minor, Hob. XV:12: III. Rondo: Presto 04:20
• Klaviertrio fis-Moll / Piano Trio in F Sharp Minor, Hob.XV:26:
• 10 Haydn: Piano Trio in F Sharp Minor, Hob.XV:26: I. Allegro 05:16
• 11 Haydn: Piano Trio in F Sharp Minor, Hob.XV:26: II. Adagio 03:44
• 12 Haydn: Piano Trio in F Sharp Minor, Hob.XV:26: III. Tempo di Menuet 04:51
• Total Runtime 01:05:44

Info for Haydn: Piano Trios

C – D – E – F#. The keys of the four Haydn trios on this disc form an ascending progression corresponding to the tritone, regarded since the Middle Ages as the most dissonant interval of all. The octave, conversely, has been regarded since ancient times as a symbol of divine unity and purity. The tritone divides the octave into two exact halves, thus destroying that unity – which is why it is also known as the diabolus in musica.

To call Haydn’s music “diabolic” would be stretching the analogy too far. Nonetheless, in its hovering, unstable quality requiring resolution in opposite directions, the tritone can illustrate one of the most marked traits we find in this composer’s output. His music is known for its typical element of surprise: Haydn indeed managed to foil the well-educated expectations of 18th century audiences quite consistently. He must often have felt a quasi-diabolical pleasure in perturbing his listeners with different kinds of jolts, constantly varied and renewed. Even in the “pure” area of musical conversation – e.g. chamber music – Haydn stood apart from other composers thanks to his witty sense of humour, his knack for inserting the most fitting punchline at exactly the right moment. No other composer of Vienna Classicism possessed Haydn’s unique, infallible anticipation of what the listener’s emotional state would be like at any given moment, foiling expectations and bringing them out of balance with a decisive kick in the shins. ...

Eckart Heiligers, piano Ulf Schneider, violin Martin Löhr, cello

Recorded in March 2013 at WDR Koeln in Klaus von Bismarck Saal
Produced, editing and mastering by Stephan Schmidt
Engineered by Christoph Gronartz
Executive Producer: Bernhard Wallerius, WDR

The Trio Jean Paul
founded in 1991, is one of today’s most distinguished chamber music ensembles and a popular guest at the international concert venues. Among the highlights of the latest seasons were concerts in Vienna, Berlin, Brussels, Bremen, London, Zurich and Hamburg as well as at the renowned Sociedad Filarmónica in Bilbao, Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon and Liceo de Cámara in Madrid. Concerts in Los Angeles, Vancouver, Quebec and Montreal marked their last tour of the US and Canada.

After First Prizes at the international competitions in Osaka (1993), Melbourne (1995), and at the German Music Competition, an extensive concert career has developed which has led the ensemble on a regular basis to major musical centers and tours to Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South-America, and the USA. Master classes and performances at highly rated international festivals are par of their agenda. Regular cooperation with musicians like Sharon Kam, Paul Meyer, Lars Anders Tomter and Vladimir Mendelssohn adds to the multifarious artistic work of the Trio.

By naming their ensemble after the romantic author Jean Paul, the three musicians not only refer to their special affinity for the works of Robert Schumann, but also to the fundamental artistic idea of making the music’s speech-like and rhetorical elements to the point of departure for their interpretations, which reflected in many recordings. An important area of the Trio’s work is therefore its occupation with the contemporary repertoire as numerous world premieres by famous composers such as M.C. Redel, K.Y. Chong, M. Denhoff, G. Kerry, V.D. Kirchner und A. Gürsching show. 2014 brought the highlight of the world première of Wolfgang Rihm’s triple concerto, dedicated to Trio Jean Paul, at the Berliner Festwochen with Cologne Radio Symphony Orchestra under Jukka-Pekka Sarastre.

Booklet for Haydn: Piano Trios