# Your 5 favourite piano trios!



## Waehnen

Please name your 5 favourite piano trios! The trios that you feel most at home with.

Here are mine, with naturally many contestants bubbling under.

*Beethoven: Archduke in Bb Major
Brahms: Piano Trio no. 1 in B Major
Mendelssohn: Piano Trio no. 1 in D minor
Dvorak: Piano Trio in E minor, Dumky
Tchaikovsky: Piano Trio in A minor*

At its very best, the Piano Trio is a most balanced, colourful, versatile and satisfying ensemble. The texture and sound is neither too thin or thick!


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## Art Rock

Brahms 2, Schubert 1, Dvorak's Dumky, Ravel, and above all Shostakovich 2.


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## Waehnen

Art Rock said:


> Brahms 2, Schubert 1, Dvorak's Dumky, Ravel, and above all Shostakovich 2.


Beautiful works all! Other than the Brahms C major 1st Movement which I find uninspiring for some reason.


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## SanAntone

Ravel - Piano Trio
Cras - Piano Trio in C Major
Weinberg - Piano Trio in A minor, Op. 24
Shostakovich - Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor, Op. 67
Krzysztof Meyer - Piano Trio, Op. 50

And one more to mention:
Bernstein - Piano Trio (1937)


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## RobertJTh

Beethoven - Archduke Trio
Schubert 2
Brahms 3
Ravel
Shostakovitch 2

And one more... Ives!


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## SearsPoncho

1) Ravel (my favorite)
2) Tchaikovsky
3) Saint-Saens #2
4) Beethoven - "Archduke"
5) Faure

Honorable mention: Tie between Schubert #1, Schubert #2, Dvorak #3, Dvorak #4 ("Dumky"), Mendelssohn #1 and Shostakovich #2


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## SanAntone

*Rachmaninoff*'s two _Trios Elégiaque_ are worth mentioning, and I almost included in my list but chose less obvious others, thinking that surely someone would list at least one of these great works.


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## Prodromides

Benjamin Frankel: Trio for piano, clarinet & cello (1940)
William Alwyn: Trio for piano, flute & cello (1951)
Karl-Birger Blomdahl: Trio for piano, clarinet & cello (1956)
Don Banks: Trio for piano, horn & violin (1962)
Luis de Pablo: Trio for piano, violin & cello (1993)


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## Highwayman

Brahms 3
Dvořák 4 "Dumky"
Mendelssohn 1
Fauré
Bridge 2


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## Brahmsian Colors

Brahms 1
Brahms 2
Ravel
Haydn 39 "Gypsy"
Schubert 1


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## Rogerx

Haydn: Piano Trio (all of them)
Dvořák: Piano Trio No. 4 in E minor, Op. 90 
Saint-Saëns: Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor Op. 92
Beethoven: Piano Trio No. 5 
Bach, C P E: Keyboard Sonata in A major, Wq. 89 / 3 (H527)
arr. for piano trio
Linos Piano Trio


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## Mandryka

Rihm, Fremde Szenen
Furrer, Retour an dich


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## jegreenwood

Waehnen said:


> Please name your 5 favourite piano trios! The trios that you feel most at home with.
> 
> Here are mine, with naturally many contestants bubbling under.
> 
> *Beethoven: Archduke in Bb Major
> Brahms: Piano Trio no. 1 in Bb Major
> Mendelssohn: Piano Trio no. 1 in D minor
> Dvorak: Piano Trio in E minor, Dumky
> Tchaikovsky: Piano Trio in A minor*
> 
> At its very best, the Piano Trio is a most balanced, colourful, versatile and satisfying ensemble. The texture and sound is neither too thin or thick!


Never cared for the Tchaikovsky. Substitute Ravel and you have it.

(Although I would be equally happy substituting Schubert 1 for the Dumky.)


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## Kreisler jr

Rogerx said:


> Beethoven: Piano Trio No. 5


Which one is that - op.70/1 "Ghost"? I am not sure there is an official numbering with op.44, some WoO etc. sometimes counted along, sometimes not.


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## Art Rock

Rogerx said:


> Bach,: Trio Sonata No. 6 in G major, BWV530


AFAIK this is a composition for organ.


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## Rogerx

Bach, C P E: Keyboard Sonata in A major, Wq. 89 / 3 (H527)

arr. for piano trio
Linos Piano Trio
I mean this one.


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## StDior

Schumann: Piano Trio No. 2 in F major, Op. 80
Beethoven: Piano Trio No. 5 in D major, Op. 70/1 "Ghost"
Ives: Piano Trio
Gubaidulina: Quasi Hoquetus, for viola, bassoon, and piano
Franck: Piano Trio in F-sharp minor, Op. 1/1

HM:
Khachaturian: Trio for clarinet, violin, and piano
Sørensen: Phantasmagoria
Schumann's other 4 piano trios


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## ansfelden

Franck 1/1 is awesome, ahead (or above) its time. 

All time fav for me is Schubert 2 D929, one of the best classical pieces of all time. 

Then it gets somewhat arbitrary, no trio specialist. 

Brahms 1 and 2 and maybe one of Rachis's trios elegiaque.


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## SearsPoncho

Arensky is also worthy of an honorable mention. 

Thought I would also thank the Beaux Arts Trio for their dedication to the genre, with many reference recordings of the repertoire over the decades. I also have many recordings by the Borodin Trio and the Florestan Trio. For star ensembles, it's hard to beat Gilels, Rostropovich and Kogan if one can tolerate the poor Soviet audio quality.


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## ORigel

So far, I haven't listened to many piano trios. I like:
Beethoven Archduke
Dvorak Dumky
Mendelssohn 2
Brahms 1
Brahms Horn
Schubert Notturo for Piano Trio
Mozart Kegelstatt
Brahms Clarinet


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## Rogerx

Talking about honourable mention and Beaux Arts Trio, they made a stunning recording with trios from Turina and Granados.


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## Terrapin

1. Schubert 2
2. Beethoven "Archduke"
3. Dvorak "Dumky"
4. Schubert 1
5. Beethoven "Ghost"

Next would be Beethoven Op 70, No. 2, Brahms 1, Dvorak 3, and the two by Mendelssohn.


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## Vahe Sahakian

A new discovery for me, Rachmaninov Trio #1.
This performance on YouTube is very special, it starts with a Beethoven trio, the Rachmaninov comes at about 30 minutes, try it, a truly beautiful and intense performance.


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## HerbertNorman

Shostakovich Piano Trio no. 2
Dvorak piano trio "Dumky" in E minor
Schubert piano trio no. 1
Brahms Piano trio no. 2
Tchaikovsky: Piano Trio in A minor


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## Philidor

Beethoven D major op. 70 No. 1 ("Ghost")
Schubert B-flat major No. 1
Dvorak No. 4 E minor "Dumky"
Brahms B major No. 1
Shostakovich E minor No. 2

I remember that I liked Haydn's late piano trios as well as Chopin, Tchaikovsky and both Rachmaninov trios and I wonder why I didn't hear these works more often ...


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## golfer72

Not sure where I would rank it but just listened to Arnold Bax's piano trio yesterday and found it very enjoyable.


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## justekaia

My favourite piano trios:
-Bertrand: Treis
-Martiniaitite: In Search of Beauty
-Rihm: Fremde Szenen
-Saariaho: Light and Matter
-Vasks: Episodi e Canti Perpetuo
That being said I also listen to: Haydn: All Piano Trios; Beethoven: Archiduke Trio, Schubert D 929, Dvorak: Dumky, Shosta: PT op 67.


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## Bruckner Anton

This one is tough. My current favorites are:
1. Mendelssohn #2
2. Beethoven #5
3. Schubert #2
4. Brahms #1
5. Chausson


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## Mandryka

Art Rock said:


> AFAIK this is a composition for organ.


It would be good if someone would do it for piano trio! Florilegium released BWV 530 played with violin, gamba and harpsichord - the texture is rather nice (I have some reservations about the performance.)

https://static.qobuz.com/goodies/66/000024866.pdf


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## Mandryka

Mandryka said:


> Rihm, Fremde Szenen
> Furrer, Retour an dich


Bernhard Lang, For Franz (Monadologie XX)


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## Mandryka

justekaia said:


> -Martiniaitite: In Search of Beauty
> .


What is this?

wfpcviksevolednhsvikobdnv


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## justekaia

Mandryka said:


> What is this?
> 
> wfpcviksevolednhsvikobdnv


the composer is zibuokle martinaityte, a favourite of mine; the piece is a 70 min immersive piece for violin, cello , piano, electronics and video; the correct title is in search of lost beauty; hope this helps


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## Mandryka

justekaia said:


> My favourite piano trios:
> -Bertrand: Treis
> -


Just been listening to this

https://bastillemusique.bandcamp.com/album/christophe-bertrand-vertigo


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## maestro267

Shostakovich 2
Schubert 2
Tchaikovsky
Brahms 1
Schumann 3


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## SanAntone

*Any five by Haydn*. 

But I also like Liszt's _Tristia for Piano Trio_ even though it is a transcription of "La Vallee de Obermann", the sixth piece of _Années de Pèlerinage_, Première année: Suisse.


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## Ulrich

A piano trio can really sound like a miniature symphony. My favorites are:

Shostakovich 2 above all
Schubert 1
Schubert 2
Beethoven 7
Brahms 1


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## Roger Knox

Beethoven op.70/1 "Ghost"
Fauré Piano Trio
Arensky Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor
Debussy Piano Trio (early work)
Poulenc Trio for Oboe, Bassoon and Piano


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## Doublestring

This genre is dominated by two siblings. 

Felix Mendelssohn - Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor
Fanny Mendelssohn - Piano Trio in D minor 
Haydn - Piano Trio No. 44 in E major 
Schubert - Piano Trio No. 2 in E-flat major
Beethoven - Piano Trio No. 7 in B flat major "Archduke"


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## Andante Largo

Castelnuovo-Tedesco - Piano Trio No. 2 in G minor, Op. 70
Dobrzyński - Piano Trio in A minor, Op. 17
Rheinberger - Piano Trio No. 3 in B-flat major, Op. 121
Sibelius - Piano Trio in A minor, ‘Hafträsk’, JS 207
Żeleński - Piano Trio in E major, Op. 22


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## Mandryka

justekaia said:


> My favourite piano trios:
> -Bertrand: Treis
> -Martiniaitite: In Search of Beauty
> -Rihm: Fremde Szenen
> -Saariaho: Light and Matter
> -Vasks: Episodi e Canti Perpetuo
> That being said I also listen to: Haydn: All Piano Trios; Beethoven: Archiduke Trio, Schubert D 929, Dvorak: Dumky, Shosta: PT op 67.


I'm enjoying Fremde Szenen II a lot at the moment. And I've been enjoying thinking about what Rihm has said about Schumann here

Fixer la liberté ? - Trois essais sur le thème de… (une conférence) - Éditions Contrechamps (openedition.org)


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## justekaia

Mandryka said:


> I'm enjoying Fremde Szenen II a lot at the moment. And I've been enjoying thinking about what Rihm has said about Schumann here
> 
> Fixer la liberté ? - Trois essais sur le thème de… (une conférence) - Éditions Contrechamps (openedition.org)


you should try and enjoy the other pieces as well; i have posted absolute masterpieces; martinaityte' s in search of beauty is one of the greatest pieces composed in this century; it will be featured in my next thread which will be posted within a fortnight; make sure you do not miss it: 10 living composers talk to tc; bertrand is an absolute genius, plse listen to all his works; i have said that gf haas was the beethoven of our era, well i believe bertrand was the schubert of our era; i never compare music of different eras; i just compare the dominance, influence, creativity of composers in different eras and our members just need to consider these comparisons as points of direction or hints; some of us know that Rihm was very influenced by Schumann, G.F.Haas was also immensely influenced by Schumann and many other contemporary composers were because his music is so good; the conclusion is that Schumann was a major composer; i love his symphonies and his piano works (esp.Fantasie, Kinderszenen, Kreisleriana, Papillons)


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## Mandryka

I hope you’ve got the Bertrand recordings released on Bastille Musique. I understand fully why you say he is a modern Schubert! Tragic early death.


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