A complete collection of Brahms’s work for trio, illuminating the span of his career in new, Italian-made recordings. Over the course of almost 40 years, the greater span of his career, Brahms composed five trios in different instrumentations. Whereas he wrote piano sonatas and later symphonies within specific periods of his life, Brahms always returned to songs and to chamber music. The piano is the central, unifying presence in the trios, and often the dynamic engine driving their material forward.
Thus, this new collection takes the listener from the energy and passion coursing through Op.8, to the confident and allusive lyricism of Opp. 40 and 87, leading finally to a ‘late style’, exemplified by Op. 101 and 114, in which the music’s argument is more refined than ever, embodying a spirit of objective detachment.
At the heart of this recording is the Gustav Trio, which programmes the classics of the repertoire in concert alongside less familiar repertoire from the Italian chambermusic tradition, featuring composes such as Busoni, Martucci and Wolf-Ferrari. Most of these late-Romantic names were decisively influenced by Brahms in their chamber-music output, and so in this sense the Gustav Trio is ‘coming home’ with this new recording.
The musicians of the Gustav Trio are joined here by colleagues Lorenzo Guzzoni (for the Clarinet Trio) and Boštjan Lipovšek (in the Horn Trio). Both musicians have worked with distinguished orchestras such as the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam and La Scala in Milan.
As a quintet, they are also drawing on a rich Italian heritage of Brahms performance – from the Quartetto Italiano to Maurizio Pollini, Claudio Abbado and beyond.
There is something ‘authentic’ about Italian Brahms which translates itself not merely into a sensitivity to lyricism but also a careful handling of form – the larger span of works – to which the composer himself devoted his energy in search of art which conceals art.
- Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) composed three piano trios: Piano Trio No. 1 in B major, Op. 8, Piano Trio No. 2 in C major, Op. 87, and Piano Trio No. 3 in C minor, Op. 101. The first trio, originally written in 1854 and revised in 1889, balances youthful lyricism with mature refinement. Its heartfelt melodies and introspective passages reflect Brahms’ early Romantic inclinations. The second trio, composed in 1882, exudes warmth and structural clarity, featuring some attractive folk-inspired themes. The third trio, from 1886, is darker and more compact, epitomizing his later, more concentrated style.
- The Horn Trio in E-flat major, Op. 40 (1865) is a singular gem in Brahms’ output, blending the rich timbre of the natural horn with piano and violin. Written in memory of his mother, the work expresses both poignant lamentation and pastoral serenity, culminating in a jubilant finale.
- The Clarinet Trio in A minor, Op. 114 (1891), one of Brahms’ late works, arose from his collaboration with clarinetist Richard Mühlfeld. Its autumnal character, marked by wistful beauty and intimate dialogue between clarinet, cello, and piano, reflects Brahms’ contemplations on mortality.
- Played by the Italian Gustav Trio, consisting of Francesco Comisso (violin), Dario Destefano (cello) and Olaf John Laneri (piano), with Lorenzo Guzzoni (clarinet) and Boštjan Lipovšek (horn)
