# Dabbling in Piano Trios



## benclassic (Jan 13, 2013)

What a wonder.. 

I'd like to get in some Piano Trios but not sure which are some good one to start out with (Listening)

Any advice from the masters?


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## DrKilroy (Sep 29, 2012)

Be sure to try Ravel. 

Best regards, Dr


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## Karabiner (Apr 1, 2013)

I second the Ravel, and add the last Haydn piano trios. This recording is excellent:


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## schuberkovich (Apr 7, 2013)

Ravel
Beethoven's Archduke trio
Schubert's


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## julianoq (Jan 29, 2013)

Mendelssohn's trios are very good and accessible. I recommend the Borodin Trio.


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## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

Brahms Trio No.1 Op.8 in B major.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Begin with any of Haydn's later ones and then: Beethoven ('Ghost' and 'Archduke'), Schubert (both), Mendelssohn (both), Smetana, Tchaikovsky, Dvorak ('Dumky'), Saint-Saens (2nd), Korngold, Ives, Ravel, the three surviving trios of Roslavets, Copland ('Vitebsk') and Shostakovich (2nd).

Granted, listing so many of the things is a lot in one go and I'm not trying to show off but taken chronologically they make a great journey and are also individually rewarding in their own right.


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## Xaltotun (Sep 3, 2010)

I'm not the pianotrioest piano trio expert in the world, but there are some that I love to bits: all three of Brahms, both of Schubert, Beethoven's "Ghost" and "Archduke"... All of these are readily accessible and infinitely rewarding music.

I might start with Brahms Op. 8, a bleeding heart romantic masterpiece if there ever was one!


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## Novelette (Dec 12, 2012)

Schumann's three piano trios are very nice indeed, especially the first!

All of the above recommendations are great ways to explore this rich repertoire. 

::cough:: MENDELSSOHN! ::cough::


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## pjang23 (Oct 8, 2009)

Mendelssohn, Schubert and Brahms.


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## Praeludium (Oct 9, 2011)

You should really try Fauré 
It's late Fauré, and it's amazing, beautiful.
It has this kind of French, modal, color, but it's really deep, emotional, romantic music.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Aaron Copland ~ Vitebsk, based on Jewish folk themes, yet in Copland's 'serious' musical vocabulary (I.e. the trio is not written in the vein of Copland's more populist sound, ala Appalachian Spring.)

More current (also tonal) try Mark O'Conner ~ 
Piano Trio No. 1 _Poets And Prophets_
Piano Trio No. 2 _Strange Rims_


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

For something very melodic and catchy and very suitable for someone who'd like to get into some piano trios I can definitely recommend Farrenc's Piano Trio no. 4, op. 45, preferably the version for flute, cello and piano.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I'm not a huge Tchaikovsky fan -- oh, settle down! I don't hate his music or anything, just not a big fan. But recently I acquired his Piano Trio in A minor, Op.50. Somehow limiting his pallet to the trio of instruments made me appreciate his composition style a lot more. It's quite an amazing piece, though I don't recall hearing it mentioned as representative of the genre. 

The work came coupled on an album with Rachmaninoff's Trio élégiaque No.1 in G minor which sadly I don't recall at all. That probably will require more listens.


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## DavidH (May 12, 2013)

I very strongly recommend listening to Piano Trio No. 1 by Saint-Saëns. I heard it for the first time earlier this year, and my goodness it astonished me with its inventiveness and wit. The slow movement is inspired.

Here is another recording of the Scherzo played dazzlingly fast.


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## Kevin Pearson (Aug 14, 2009)

I highly recommend Julius Rontgen's piano trios. They are available as a two volume set performed exquisitely by the Storioni Trio. Also Anton Arensky's trios by the New Arts Trio is worth a listen.

Kevin


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## Guest (Jul 3, 2013)

Alfano, Arensky, Beethoven, Brahms, Catoire, Chausson, Cras, Dvorak, Farrenc, Faure, Haydn, Hummel, Jongen, Lekeu, Martinu, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Pejacevic, Pizzetti, Ravel, Saint-Saens, Schoenfield, Schubert, Shostakovich, Smetana, Taneyev, Tchaikovsky... they're all quite good.

It seems I've never heard a piano trio I didn't like.

Hmmm.... I'll have to check out the Rontgen, Schumann, Korngold, and Copland trios at some point.


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## Klavierspieler (Jul 16, 2011)

Allow me to echo the recommendations for Schumann (all three, but especially No. 2), Mendelssohn (again, especially No. 2), Faure, and Roslavets (if you're into that kind of thing).


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## Ondine (Aug 24, 2012)

Mozart's, each of them.

Haydn's his lasts eight ones. 

Brahams' each of them, too.

and... Dvorak's each of them,


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

BPS said:


> Hmmm.... I'll have to check out the Rontgen, Schumann, Korngold, and Copland trios at some point.


Korngold was only about 13 when he wrote his piano trio (his official opus 1) but the maturity within the work is quite remarkable. Even before then Mahler had bestowed praise upon him for a vocal work composed when he was only about 9! Hope you like it.


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## Avey (Mar 5, 2013)

Tchai, Tchai, Tchai!



^ That's a trio.


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