This
is the second release on the independent
designer record label Onyx from the Nash Ensemble,
who are renowned as one of Britain’s finest chamber ensembles.
Their first Onyx release was Mark-Anthony Turnage’s Chamber
Works, with soprano Sally Matthews, on Onyx 4005.
The
London-based Nash Ensemble celebrated their fortieth anniversary
in the 2004-05 season and have gained an impressive reputation
for their consistently memorable performances. I especially
enjoy their performances of the classical repertoire and have
had the good fortune to see them perform the Mendelssohn Octet
at the Wigmore Hall earlier this year.
In
a six-year period between 1839 and 1845 Mendelssohn wrote
two of the finest piano trios in the repertoire. These two
can stand comparison with Beethoven’s finest: ‘The
Ghost’ and ‘Archduke’ written 1808-11; Schubert’s
B flat and E flat from 1828; Schumann’s
three composed 1847-51 and Brahms’s from 1854-86.
In
1832, when he was 23, Mendelssohn wrote to his sister Fanny,
“I should like to compose a couple of good trios.”
Not long after his marriage to Cécile Jeanrenaud, Mendelssohn
did finally compose these two, the first in 1839 and the second
in 1845.
The
Piano Trio No. 1 was composed in the cities of Leipzig
and Frankfurt. It was an immediate success and has proved to be one of his
most perennially popular scores. Mendelssohn’s friend Ferdinand
Hiller stated, “I was tremendously impressed with the fire
and spirit, the flow and, in short, the mastery to be heard
in every bar.” Cast in well balanced proportions
the joyous and exuberant four movement work is exquisite and
remains the most admired of the pair. It has an abundance
of charm and appeal that has maintained its eminent status
in the chamber music repertoire. The part for piano is more
prominent than the more discreet involvement of the violin
and cello.
In
the lengthy opening movement Molto allegro ed agitato
the players are thoughtful and secure, although a touch tentative,
especially in the early section. The second movement Andante,
a delightful Song Wit
The Nash Ensemble:
(Marianne Thorsen (violin); Paul Watkins (cello); Ian Brown (piano))