Auerbach Weinberg Dvorak Trio Zimbalist

The Smetana Trio continued its survey of Czech piano trios with this 2007 Supraphon disc coupling works by Antonin Dvorák, Bohuslav Martinu, and Zdenêk Fibich. As with the earlier discs in this series, the Smetana performs with equal measures of independence and interdependence. Each player has his/her own approach to the music and to the instruments. Violinist Jana Vonáskova-Nováková and cellist Jan Pálenícek don't always agree on the size of their vibratos, for example, and pianist Jitka Cechová doesn't always agree with string players on the inflection of rhythmic accents.

Russian Roots is the Trio Gaspard's debut recording for Chandos records, for which they are joined by soprano Katharina Konradi for a diverse and rewarding program that explores the Russian influence across almost 200 years of music. A selection of Russian folksongs set by Beethoven, Shostakovich's first Piano Trio, his Seven Romances on poems by Blok and Weinberg's Jewish Songs form the backbone of the recital. These are interspersed with Vocalises (wordless songs) by Stravinsky, Rachmaninoff, Gubaidulina and Auerbach.

The Guarneri Trio Prague, belongs to the most renowned piano trios in the world of classical music. Founded by Ivan Klanský, Čeněk Pavlík and Marek Jerie, the Trio drew with its artistically spectacluar performances the attention of the international press early in its carreer. The Trio has been playing since 1986 in in the same line-up.

Russian Roots is the début recording of Trio Gaspard for Chandos Records, for which the group is joined by the soprano Katharina Konradi in a diverse and rewarding programme that explores the Russian influence across almost 200 years of music. A selection of Russian folksongs set by Beethoven, Shostakovich’s First Piano Trio and Seven Romances on Poems by Blok, and Weinberg’s Jewish Songs form the backbone of the recital. These are complemented by vocalises (wordless songs) by Stravinsky, Rachmaninoff, Gubaidulina, and Auerbach.

Three Palms for string quartet and soprano, op. 120 (1977): A poem by Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov (1814–1841) speaks of three palm trees in the Arabian desert. Weinberg used this text as the basis of his like-named work, scored for the unusual combination of soprano and string quartet. The character of this 20-minute work, conceived in 1977, comes from its mixture of chamber music, song cycle and cantata……..

Sharon Bezaly / Nobuko Imai / Ronald Brautigam – leading names on their respective instruments (flute, viola and piano). One great advantage of the recording medium is that it brings together musicians who would normally be too busy to sit down and play chamber music together. Here we have a disc featuring three remarkable musicians who have pooled their resources in the performance of some highly original repertoire. Not surprisingly where the flute is concerned, much of the music originated in France. Yet here it is not a matter of nineteenth century repertoire – of which there is an almost endless quantity featuring the flute – but of works written (with one exception) during the twentieth century.