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Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809 – 1847)

00:00:00 Piano Trio No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 49 I. Molto allegro ed agitato
00:08:53 Piano Trio No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 49 II. Andante con moto tranquillo
00:15:30 Piano Trio No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 49 III. Scherzo. Leggiero e vivace - Trio
00:19:16 Piano Trio No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 49 IV. Finale. Allegro assai appassionato
00:28:08 Piano Trio No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 66 I. Allegro energico e con fuoco
00:38:39 Piano Trio No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 66 II. Andante espressivo
00:44:47 Piano Trio No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 66 III. Scherzo. Molto allegro quasi presto - Trio
00:48:20 Piano Trio No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 66 IV. Finale. Allegro appassionato

Recorded in Prague, Domovina Studio, December 8-10, 2000


Mendelssohn’s chamber music is sometimes underestimated, although the composer nevertheless shone in this field, as Schumann himself testifies about the Trio Op. 49: “He is the master of our time, like those of Beethoven and Schubert were in their own” and thus qualify Mendelssohn as “Mozart of the 19th century, the most brilliant of musicians”. After an early work abandoned in 1831/32, Mendelssohn finally succeeded in establishing himself with his Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor from 1839, which would be followed six years later by the Trio in C minor Op. 66. Clever mixtures of classical and romantic stylistic elements, the atmosphere of the two works is at first dark and progresses towards a luminous vitality. A dramatic journey that the three musicians of the Guarneri Trio Prague recreate with an intensity that testifies to a strong artistic character. Nothing less was needed to sublimate these two works born from the inspired imagination of a precocious composer.

Awards: Choc by Le Monde de la Musique, Recommended by Classica, 9 by Répertoire, Gramophone Editor’s Choice

released May 1, 2001