Various Composers - History of the Russian Piano Trio, Vol. 3 (The Brahms Trio)

Information

• Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov - Piano Trio in C minor (completed M. Steinberg)
• César Cui - À argenteau, Op. 40: No. 2, Farniente
• Alexander Borodin - Piano Trio in D major

The Brahms Trio

    Nikolai Sachenko, violin

    Kirill Rodin, cello

    Natalia Rubinstein, piano

Date: 2021

Label: Naxos

-----------------------------------------------------------

Review

None of the great Russian piano trios features here – Tchaikovsky’s was on the Brahms Trio’s second volume, Taneyev’s and Shostakovich’s are presumably yet to come – and the major offerings here don’t show the true personalities of Rimsky-Korsakov and Borodin. But there’s abundant charm, craftsmanship and – in the case of Korsakov’s C minor epic completed in 1939 by his son-in-law Maximilian Steinberg – ambition. The finale, with its abundant counterpoint, feels long-winded despite the jolly third theme; but the rest flies thanks to the Russian players’ deftness – the patter and especially the triplet figures of the A major Adagioare always companionable.

César Cui’s miniature provides a pretty intermezzo, and what’s not to like about Borodin’s incomplete (finale-less) early trio of 1860? It’s pure bottled sunshine, like his later and more individual string quartets, and if Mendelssohn is the obvious model, especially in the ‘Romance’, that’s no bad thing. The biggest surprise comes last: what sounds like a genially heavy Austrian Ländler, the last completed movement is more reminiscent of a young Gustav Mahler. If the three players don’t always pull out the brilliant stops possible in the Rimsky-Korsakov, we get them throughout the Borodin.

-- David Nice

-----------------------------------------------------------

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (18 March 1844 – 21 June 1908) was a prominent Russian composer and a key figure in the development of Russian classical music. He was a member of the group of composers known as "The Five" which dedicated to creating a distinctively Russian sound. Rimsky-Korsakov is best known for his orchestral works, including Scheherazade, Capriccio Espagnol, and Russian Easter Overture. His compositions often feature vibrant orchestration, exotic themes, and rich harmonic textures. He also contributed to the development of Russian opera, with notable works such as The Snow Maiden and Sadko. 

***

César Cui (18 January 1835 – 26 March 1918) was a Russian composer and music critic. He was one of the prominent members of "The Five", a group of Russian nationalist composers who sought to create a distinct Russian musical identity. Cui was known for his operas, chamber works, and art songs. He composed fifteen operas in total, including four fairytale operas for children. Although his music was initially well-regarded, his reputation declined over time. Apart from composing, Cui was also an active music critic. Despite his contributions, he is often overshadowed by his contemporaries in the Russian nationalist movement.

***

Alexander Borodin (12 November 1833 – 27 February 1887) was a Romantic composer and chemist of Georgian-Russian extraction. A member of "The Five," a group of composers dedicated to creating a distinctly Russian style of music, Borodin is known best for his symphonies, string quartets, In the Steppes of Central Asia and his opera Prince Igor. Although Borodin was a highly talented composer, he worked as a chemist for most of his life, being particularly noted for his work on aldehydes. His music, rich in folk melodies and emotional depth, has endured as a key part of the Russian classical tradition.

***

The Brahms Trio is one of the leading chamber ensembles of Russia, a piano trio that unites violinist Nikolai Sachenko – Gold Medal at the XI Tchaikovsky Competition, cellist Kirill Rodin – Gold Medal at the VIII Tchaikovsky Competition, and pianist Natalia Rubinstein – First Prize at the Joseph Joachim Chamber Music Competition. Founded in Moscow in 1988, the Brahms Trio has performed worldwide and has recorded much of Russian piano trio repertoire. The Trio made a contribution to enlarging the chamber repertoire by rediscovering unknown piano trios of Russian composers of the late-19th and early-20th century.

-----------------------------------------------------------