Piotr Illyitch TCHAIKOVSKI
Trio pour pour piano en la mineur, op. 50

Swiss Piano Trio

Angela Golubeva, violon
Sébastien Singer, violoncelle
Martin Lucas Staub, piano

Composé en mars 1881 à la mémoire de son défunt ami et mentor Nikolaï Rubinstein, ce Trio Op. 50 est marqué d’une forte dimension tragique. D’un lyrisme stupéfiant, les deux mouvements qui le composent sont hantés par la mémoire du proche défunt. Considérée comme l’œuvre la plus technique et la plus difficile à jouer de Tchaïkovski, ce trio s’ouvre dans un premier mouvement assez convenu par une remarquable ouverture au violoncelle qui évolue lentement vers une marche funèbre. Plus original, le second mouvement débute par un thème qui évoque les « Variations sur un thème Rococo » du compositeur russe avant d’atteindre son apogée dans une variation finale céleste, pour finalement revenir brusquement au thème du premier mouvement et se conclure par une nouvelle marche funèbre. Lauréat de nombreux prix internationaux, le Swiss Piano Trio relève le défi avec brio livrant une magnifique partition chargée d’émotions.

In March 1881 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky received the news of the death of his friend Nikolai Rubinstein whilst he was in Paris - a great blow for the composer who had been engaged to teach at the newly founded Moscow Conservatory thanks to Rubinstein. Tchaikovsky decided to dedicate a piece of music to his late friend - not a classical work for choir or orchestra but one for piano trio. The memory of Rubinstein evidently enraptured him to the extent that he burst all dimensions with his Trio Op. 50. Two monumental movements make up a memorial work which, however, also has optimistic moments. Following an "Elegiac piece" is a set of variations with a duration of nearly thirty minutes which comprises a slow movement, scherzo and finale, all under the roof of a simple Russian theme. Technically, this trio presents a challenge to every piano trio. The Swiss Piano Trio with Martin Lucas Staub (piano), Angela Golubeva (violin) and Sébastien Singer (cello) has won numerous prizes at international competitions, including the International Chamber Music Competition Caltanissetta in Italy and the Johannes Brahms Competition in Austria. Founded in 1998, the ensemble has a busy performing schedule and has played in over 40 countries on all continents. The Trio performs chamber music in great concert halls across the globe. As an ensemble of soloists, the three musicians regularly appear with renowned orchestras. Numerous recordings for radio, television and on disc document the artistic activities of the ensemble.