# Favorite Piano Trio Cycle



## neoshredder

Which Piano Trio Cycle is your favorite? Some of the big names includes Mozart, Beethoven, Schumann, Schubert, Brahms, Dvorak...


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## ptr

How many trios makes a cycle? Three? 

/ptr


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## neoshredder

Enough to make a full cd out of it would be enough. SO I'm guessing 2 or 1 really long one.


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## ptr

So Tchaikovsky's Op 50 of about 50 mins might be considered a cycle, but Shostakovich two that only slightly reach 40 mins might be to short for a cycle?

Just playing Devils Advocate here! 

/ptr


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## neoshredder

Alright. To make it simpler. Which is your favorite piano trio Composer? Even if only 1 work is a Piano Trio.


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## KenOC

neoshredder said:


> Even if only 1 work is a Piano Trio.


Well, at opposite ends, Shostakovich and Haydn. So I'll settle in the middle and say Beethoven.


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## ptr

Sorry to be such a PITA... 

I quite like; Alkan, Amirov, Chaminade (2), Eben, Franck (4), Juon (>5), Lekeu, Novak (2), Roslavets (4), Rubbra (2), Shebalin, Suk, Shostakovich (2), Schnittke, said Tchaikovsky, his compatriot Rachmaninoff (2), those of Schubert (>2), Weinberg in the traditional PVC setting, Poulenc's for Piano, Oboe and bassoon is quite lovely if it counts, love Ligeti's for Violin, Horn and Piano!

I think Schubert's two is the absolutely best pre 1900 and and Poulenc and Ligeti's those post!

/ptr


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## Kieran

I have to say, of all his works, Mozart's piano trios seem like the ones he just knocked out to make a few bob. Two of them were composed during that orgiastic 8-12 week period where he composed his last three symphonies (as well as a couple of sonatas for beginners). I like one or two of his six, but I don't sense that his heart was in them. They're slightly clinical, to me.

I only know Beethoven after this, and I like both the Archduke and Ghost trios.

So... :tiphat:


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## neoshredder

Really? Was hoping for more from Mozart's Piano Trios. I'll still listen anyways.


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## Kieran

neoshredder said:


> Really? Was hoping for more from Mozart's Piano Trios. I'll still listen anyways.


I would definitely recommend a listen, especially the ones in the K500's, i think, but to me they're lesser than his violin sonatas or piano quartets. They're good, but I don't get into them so well. Others tell me they love them, so it could be just me, I never warmed to them...


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## trazom

Well, Charles Rosen said Mozart's best piano trios were the E major and both G major trios and the E major trio is a masterpiece.


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## Kieran

I'll have to give them another spin. Maybe if I spend some time with them, they'll grow on me...


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## Klavierspieler

Schumann, Mendelssohn, Shostakovich, *Faure*, and Ives.


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## Quartetfore

I`m going with Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, and Dvorak. I think that Schumann`s are a cut below. I don`t care for the Mozart and Haydn trios. There are so many very fine Piano Trios It is hard to keep them off a list, but in this case I will limit myself to those composers who wrote at least two.


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## joen_cph

ptr said:


> Sorry to be such a PITA...
> 
> I quite like; Alkan, Amirov, Chaminade (2), Eben, Franck (4), Juon (>5), Lekeu, Novak (2), Roslavets (4), Rubbra (2), Shebalin, Suk, Shostakovich (2), Schnittke, said Tchaikovsky, his compatriot Rachmaninoff (2), those of Schubert (>2), Weinberg in the traditional PVC setting, Poulenc's for Piano, Oboe and bassoon is quite lovely if it counts, love Ligeti's for Violin, Horn and Piano!
> 
> I think Schubert's two is the absolutely best pre 1900 and and Poulenc and Ligeti's those post!
> 
> /ptr


Some nice names here; Paul Juon, of Russian origin, is indeed one of the unjustly forgotten chamber music composers, and Roslavets for instance is interesting too, stretching from high-voltage expression to mysterious misty murmurs in his style.

Wikipedia of course has a list of piano trios, in this case rather comprehensive:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piano_trio_repertoire

Concerning Mozart, my absolute favourite is K502, especially in the Beaux Art Trio´s 2nd recording (the DDD). But here´s another, lively recording with Previn & Mutter etc.


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## elgar's ghost

From the composers who wrote more than one I'll go for Schubert - both are examples of a composer supremely on top of his game, I'd say. I like any number of piano trios in isolation but especially those by Tchaikovsky, Ravel, Smetana, Shostakovich (2nd), Saint-Saens (2nd) and the one by Korngold - perhaps the most assured and mature chamber work I'm ever likely to hear from a lad of 12/13. I'm also warming to the piano trio by Ives after acquiring a recording not too long ago and also to Copland's 'Vitebsk' piece for the same forces.


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## trazom

joen_cph said:


> Concerning Mozart, my absolute favourite is K502, especially in the Beaux Art Trio´s 2nd recording (the DDD). But here´s another, lively recording with Previn & Mutter etc.


This one's nice, I'm listening to it now. Beethoven must've liked this one: There's a rising 16th note figure with a mordent over the first note that sounds like the one in the first movement of the Archduke trio, another masterpiece in the same key.


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## Novelette

Personal favorites:

Haydn: Piano Trio in F Minor, Hob. XV: F1
Mendelssohn: Piano Trio #2 in C Minor, Op. 66
Schumann: Piano Trio #1 in D Minor, Op. 63
Rachmaninoff: Trio Élégiaque #1 in G Minor
Tchaikovsky: Piano Trio in A Minor, Op. 50, "In Memory Of A Great Artist"


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## userfume

nothing surpasses Ravel


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## Weston

I'll go out on a limb and say the Joaquin Turina trios, especially the Piano trio in F (available on YouTube, but I'm on a mobile tablet thingy and can't figure out how to link to it).

After that the Beethoven Op. 1 set, and the Chaminade mentioned earlier. I find all her works satisfying and deserving of more attention.


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## Klavierspieler

joen_cph said:


> Roslavets for instance is interesting too, stretching from high-voltage expression to mysterious misty murmurs in his style.


Eeeee... Forgot Rosavlets. Add him to my list!


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## jurianbai

I happen to really enjoy Edoard Lalo Trio piano. The ensemble playing is Trio Parnassus which is also recorded a bulky repertoire on it. I think I hooked into them also. Their Hummel CD is also a gem. Considering Hummel is really good at piano this combo between string and piano is good one. Do not miss this.









http://amzn.to/12t8N10









http://amzn.to/141k8qb


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## MrCello

Rachmaninoff's two trios.

The first is so terrifyingly beautiful, and the second.... The second may be my favorite work of all time. The second is a piano trio on the scale of a full-fledged symphony. It is such a complex piece that I can't wrap my mind around it.


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## KenOC

What? No Haydn??? Get civilized, get elegant! Here's a great bargain, and you get 'em all. Excellent performances.

http://www.amazon.com/Haydn-J-Piano...=1366182356&sr=1-3&keywords=haydn+piano+trios


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## bejart

Ken OC ---
I'm with you on Haydn, but I prefer this rendition:

View attachment 16508


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## peeyaj

Schubert's trios are some of the most excellent on the genre. The Notturno is just divine..


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## Nevohteeb

Ohh! Peeyaj: You are so, so right. Schubert is sublime, especially his trios. I love them both. Have heard them many times at the Marlboro Music Festival, in Vermont.


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## Conor71

My favourites in this genre:

Shostakovich, Ravel, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Schubert, Martinu & Villa-Lobos


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## Nevohteeb

I'm going to do these composers, alphabetically, so I won't forget anyone. Beethoven, Op. 70, #1 & 2. I love the lovely 3rd movement, of the #2; & the "Archduke". Brahms, particularly, Op. 8; Dvorak, His F-, OP. 65, the poco adagio movement; Grieg, piano trio; Mendelssohn, Ohhh, I cannot say which one is more lovely, but I do get an adrenaline charge, out of that last movement of the C-; Mozart, K. 502; Rachmaninoff, Trio; Schubert's Bb, & Eb Trios; Shostakovich, Trio #2 in E-; Tchaikovsky, Piano Trio in A-. That's about it, right now.


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## jurianbai

Forget to mentioned this rarely heard piano Trio. Moscheles and Thalberg piano trio.










http://amzn.to/10ueFr1


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## PetrB

neoshredder said:


> Enough to make a full cd out of it would be enough. SO I'm guessing 2 or 1 really long one.


I don't think there are any true 'string trio _cycles_.' (Tricycles?) 
There are a lot of string trios, though 

[P.s. Beethoven (and others) have sometimes written genre works in series, as occasioned by a single commission, the Opus no's, for example, like 'Op 111; nos. 1, 2, 3,' but to consider them 'cycles' would not be accurate.]


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## Kieran

neoshredder said:


> Really? Was hoping for more from Mozart's Piano Trios. I'll still listen anyways.


Hey neo!

I hope you didn't give up on these trios, I've been living with them since trazom recommended them and I agree, they're great! I've yet to meet a dud. I rate them as highly as the violin sonatas and they're rich with changes and surprises. K548 is my favourite, but I'm so glad to have become better acquainted with them all, really...


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## Kari

Although he is by no means my absolute favourite, greatest or anything like that, I'd like to advertise Anton Arensky's two piano trios. They may not be very deep, but I like the nostalgic mood. I like Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov and Shostakovich, too. And Beethoven and Haydn. And Schubert and Brahms and Mendelssohn. And Saint-Saëns, Fauré, Debussy and Ravel...


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## Quartetfore

Kari, there are a lot a very fine Piano Trios that you did not mention or have heard, but you have a great number of the great ones.
QF





qf


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## unpocoscherzando

Alongside many of the above works, I think these are worthy of mention: the early cycle of four piano trios by Sibelius, the beautiful trio by Granados, the little miniature trio by Honegger (which is not included in the Wikipedia listing) and the fine piano trio of Chopin.


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