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The Trio Wanderer is a French piano trio made up of Vincent Coq piano, Jean-Marc Phillips-Varjabédian (since 1995, replacing Guillaume Sutre) violin and Raphaël Pidoux cello. Trio Wanderer’s members were all graduated from the Conservatoire de Paris. The Trio Wanderer’s new disc, centred around Rachmaninov’s youthful trios, has all the finesse and subtlety that we’ve long associated with this French ensemble. From the start, though, one thing struck me – how curiously un-Russian these pieces sound in their hands. It’s partly due to their emphasis on clarity of texture, together with a certain Classical restraint.

Rachmaninoff's output of chamber music is small but all the more precious for that. Two absolute gems bear witness to the fact: these ‘elegiac trios’, which were produced by a young composer still indisputably under the influence of Tchaikovsky. But Rachmaninoff’s personality is already fully present, reaching heights of emotion and expressiveness. The pieces by Suk and Grieg add a further touch of character to the picture, which is painted with an exceptionally rich palette: the artistry of the phenomenal Trio Wanderer!