Rheinberger’s trios span the bulk of his
creative compositional life. They’re big, strong-boned works, crafted with
great skill and imagination and not with the whiff of academicism that’s often
a charge levelled against them and indeed against Rheinberger. That said the
earliest, his Op.34 which dates from 1862 (revised five years later), is shaped
in rather too formally four-square a fashion, each movement lasting a
symmetrical - give or take - nine minutes. The slow movement as so often with
him is wistful rather than mordant or truly expressive; there’s plenty of room
here for the glint and colour of the piano and for the Mendelssohnian influence
to percolate, notwithstanding the little episode of dancery that forms its
central panel. The Scherzo is fanciful, led by the piano, with a passage of
drone imitation. The finale is a Hungarian frolic, which the Trio Parnassus
relish – some pounding piano and rhythmic spice enliven it. The more compact
1878 trio, dedicated to Charles Hallé, is a more formally complete work that
ironically less characterful than the earlier work. The to and fro of lyricism
and stuttering that Rheinberger asks of his pianist in the opening movement is
amusing and warm and though the little Minuet (and at only three minutes this
is Lilliputian by his standards) is attractive and concise the trio as a whole
doesn’t readily imprint itself on the mind.
The Third comes from a couple of years later and is a strongly
Brahmsian affair exuding warmth and in the Romanza indulging in
some quixotic and welcome rhythms and earthy vitality. Rheinberger
was at his best when he discarded the antique gauze, the Mendelssohnian
sliver and even, at times, the granitic Brahmsian rhetoric and
just let himself go. Towards the end of his compositional life
– and the last trio is a late one, from 1898 – he managed to inject
more quickly humorous writing. There’s a deft throw away end to
the Minuet (and Rheinberger loved his Minuets) as well as burgeoning
romanticism in the slow movement which is generous without being
fulsome. His heart was seldom on his sleeve, more in his pocket
– but that’s no bad thing and his craftsmanship and ear for colour
and balance are always there to savour.
The performances are very acceptable indeed, the Trio Parnassus
proving worthy ambassadors. There were times when I wanted them
to etch things rather sharper and to cut rhythmic corners with
greater incision, especially in the First trio and in the long
opening movement of the last but there are benefits in their overview
as well.
Jonathan Woolf
Trio 
