Philharmonic Chamber Music Concert

»Haydn’s piano trios still breathe the air of music for courtly gatherings: the violin dominates the proceedings, often in a dialogue with the piano, while the cello generally serves only as bass reinforcement. Beethoven broke new ground here, emancipating the string parts, particularly the cello, to create equal participation of all three instruments; this is shown to impressive effect in his Piano Trio in D, Op. 70. The ghostly character of the Largo, once described as »one of the finest examples of Beethovenian melancholy«, gave the work its nickname »Ghost Trio«, which did not originate with the composer. Ralph Vaughan Williams added a viola and double bass to the mix for his 1903 Piano Quintet in C minor, which enchants with its colourful, almost orchestral instrumentation, with dreamy Romantic melodies and brilliance of expression.«

(Olivia Jeremias)