Carl GOLDMARK (1830-1915)
Trio for Piano, Violin and Cello, Op.33 [29:39]
Hans GÁL (1890-1987)
Trio for Piano, Violin and Cello, Op.49b [11:29]
Alexander ZEMLINSKY (1871-1942)
Trio for Piano, Violin and Cello, Op.3 [27:52]
Thomas Albertus Irnberger (violin), Attilia Kiyoko Cernitori
(cello), Evgueni Sinaiski (piano)
rec. Brodman Hall, Anif, Austria, 20-22 February 2011
GRAMOLA 98933 [70:01]
This disc was another learning experience for me for, though
I knew the composers’ names, I knew nothing more apart
from Goldmark’s Violin Concerto and his Rustic Wedding
Symphony (Symphony No.1). What I learned, first of all from
the booklet notes, was that as Jews each of the three composers
suffered, as was so often the case in our intolerant world.
Their works were banned under the Nazis and Gál and Zemlinsky
were forced to flee abroad. Dying in 1915 Goldmark was at least
spared the upheavals caused by the Second World War.
Born in Keszthely on Lake Balaton, Hungary, Goldmark was one
of over twenty children of a cantor. With twelve of the children
surviving, life was extremely poor for the family. It is surprising
that somehow Goldmark was able to study music, first in Sopron
then in Vienna. To make ends meet he became a music journalist
who was renowned for his even-handed treatment of Wagner and
Brahms in a world that was divided into two opposing camps,
each viewing the other with suspicion. Goldmark became friendly
with Brahms though Goldmark kept him at arm’s length due
to Brahms’ prickly personality. Goldmark’s reputation
hangs mainly on the above-mentioned Violin Concerto and Symphony,
his chamber music still remaining relatively unknown. On the
evidence of this piano trio, Amicably dedicated to Pablo
de Sarasate, this situation is undeserved. It is to be hoped
that this disc will help rectify it. The work was written in
1879 at the height of his career following the great success
of his opera Die Kőnigin von Saba (The Queen
of Sheba). Cast in four movements the piano trio is a joyous
work with some very beautiful tunes, a feature that distinguishes
all three of these trios. It opens with a clearly stated and
memorable tune introduced on the piano before the other two
instruments join in. It is passed from one to the other to be
worked on and the whole is an exemplary demonstration of the
sort of chamber music interplay that characterises the best
compositions of the genre. Each movement has at its centre an
achingly heartfelt tune, including the scherzo that is otherwise
lighter in tone than its surrounding movements. I’ve read
that Goldmark had little sympathy with the piano. This is surprising
when the piano writing in the trio is taken into consideration
as it is excellent, as is the writing for the violin and cello.
That said, just as there are only a few solo piano pieces and
no piano concertos there is but a single string quartet.
Hans Gál’s Piano Trio dates from 1949 though you’d
be hard pressed to guess it from the writing. It is as unashamedly
romantic as are the other two. Again, as with Goldmark’s
work, this is joyful music that exudes light-heartedness at
every turn. Though it lasts a mere eleven and a half minutes
it incorporates an extremely successful set of musical statements
that are clearly expressed and well developed. This short work
is chock full of the most beguiling tunes and is as charming
and enjoyable a piano trio as you’re ever likely to hear.
Knowing nothing about Gál I looked on the internet and
discovered a really interesting and informative Personal
tribute and memoir by Margaret Moncrieff Kelly
from 2003 and an article by Guy Rickards entitled Three
emigrés: Gál, Gerhard and Goldschmidt,
originally written in 2001, and subsequently updated at various
times - both of these are to be found on MusicWeb International.
These two pieces are fascinating and highly informative. They
also reveal that little was known of Gál’s music
here in the UK his adoptive country - he lived almost half his
life in the UK, in Scotland - at the time, which was a scandal.
In the 2001 article Rickards informed us that only three works
were available on record - how shameful! Looking at the situation
now there are over forty discs on which you can find works by
Gál, a vast improvement and one that will inspire me
to discover more. The present recording of the Piano Trio is
not the first so things are definitely looking up, thank goodness.
Alexander Zemlinsky’s Piano Trio dates from 1896 and is
another discovery for me. This is late romantic music on a grand
scale, full of rich and gorgeously melodic tunes. The title
of the booklet’s article is A Leitmotif called Brahms
because it is Brahms who is, in a sense, the linking figure
in these three trios. As noted at the start, Goldmark knew Brahms
and admired him as did both Gál and Zemlinsky. Gál
was responsible, along with his teacher Eusebius Mandyczewski,
for editing ten volumes of Brahms works. This has become a standard
reference resource for scholars. On one website people who regret
that Brahms didn’t write enough piano trios are directed
to hearing the trio on this disc. Zemlinsky, interestingly,
actually had his trio performed in a competition at which Brahms
was one of the judges. He received third prize though the works
that came first and second are no longer known or performed.
Another interesting fact about that trio is that it was originally
written for the unusual combination of piano, clarinet and cello,
an obvious link to Brahms’ Trio, Op.114, written only
five years previously and only otherwise used by Beethoven in
his Trio, Op.11 (Gassenhauer Trio). I read on another website
that the Zemlinsky piano trio doesn’t particularly sounds
Brahmsian. I beg to differ - just listen to the opening bars
with its main theme that recurs again at the trio’s close,
and see what you think.
While I don’t believe that any of the three composers
were in any way attempting to sound like Brahms it is perhaps
inevitable that admirers of a composer to the extent that these
three admired Brahms were bound to sound something like their
idol. Even if they were unaware of it, the trios are all certainly
closer in musical terms to Brahms than they are to Wagner of
whom they also thought highly. In the end the only valid argument
is in the ear of the listener; I for one loved all three. The
music is played with huge passion by these three musicians.
I hope that they will record more by other less well known composers
who like the Goldmark, Gál and Zemlinsky deserve wider
exposure. This is a disc of wonderfully passionate and beautifully
melodic music. It does great service to these three great composers
whose works are slowly becoming better known … and not
before time!
Steve Arloff
Wonderfully passionate and beautifully melodic.