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{{Short description|Musical group of piano and two other instruments}}
A '''piano trio''' is a group of [[piano]] and two other instruments, usually a [[violin]] and a [[cello]], or a piece of [[music]] written for such a group. It is one of the most common forms found in [[European classical music|classical]] [[chamber music]]. The term can also refer to a group of musicians who regularly play this repertoire together; for a number of well-known piano trios, see below.
A '''piano trio''' is a group of [[piano]] and two other instruments, usually a [[violin]] and a [[cello]], or a piece of [[music]] written for such a group. It is one of the most common forms found in [[European classical music|classical]] [[chamber music]]. The term can also refer to a group of musicians who regularly play this repertoire together; for a number of well-known piano trios, see below.


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==The role of the three instruments==
==The role of the three instruments==


The piano trios of the Classical era, notably those of [[Haydn]], are dominated by the piano part.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Wheelock|first1=Gretchen|year=1999|page=115|article=The classical repertory revisited: instruments, players, and styles (pp.109–131)|title=Piano roles: Three hundred years of life with the piano|editor=Parakilas, James|location=New Haven, CT|publisher=Yale University Press}}</ref> The violin plays the melody only a certain amount of the time, and when it does, is often doubled by the piano. The cello part is very much subordinated, usually just doubling the bass line in the piano. It is thought that this practice was quite intentional on Haydn's part and was related to the sonority of the instruments of Haydn's day: the piano was fairly weak and "tinkling" in tone, and benefited from the tonal strengthening of other instruments.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Rosen|first1=Charles|year=1997|title=The Classical Style: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven|url=https://archive.org/details/classicalstyleha00rose|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/classicalstyleha00rose/page/353 353]|chapter=VI.2|publisher=Norton|location=New York}}</ref> Mozart's [[List of compositions by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart#Piano trios|five late]] ([[Köchel catalogue|K.]] [[Piano Trio No. 2 (Mozart)|496]] and later) trios are generally felt to mark the assured arrival of the form, attentive to balanced voices and three-part dialogue.
The piano trios of the Classical era, notably those of [[Haydn]], are dominated by the piano part.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Wheelock|first1=Gretchen|year=1999|page=115|article=The classical repertory revisited: instruments, players, and styles (pp.109–131)|title=Piano roles: Three hundred years of life with the piano|editor=Parakilas, James|location=New Haven, CT|publisher=Yale University Press}}</ref> The violin plays the melody only a certain amount of the time, and when it does, is often doubled by the piano. The cello part is very much subordinated, usually just doubling the bass line in the piano. It is thought that this practice was related to the sonority of the instruments of Haydn's day: the piano was fairly weak and "tinkling" in tone, and benefited from the tonal strengthening of other instruments.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Rosen|first1=Charles|year=1997|title=The Classical Style: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven|url=https://archive.org/details/classicalstyleha00rose|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/classicalstyleha00rose/page/353 353]|chapter=VI.2|publisher=Norton|location=New York}}</ref> Mozart's [[List of compositions by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart#Piano trios|five late]] ([[Köchel catalogue|K.]] [[Piano Trio No. 2 (Mozart)|496]] and later) trios are generally felt to mark the assured arrival of the form, attentive to balanced voices and three-part dialogue.


[[Beethoven]]'s trios continued the compositional objectives inaugurated by Mozart. The new idea of equality was never implemented completely; the extent to which it is realized varies from one composition to the next, as well as among movements within a single composition. Certainly, by the mid-nineteenth century, all three instruments had been modified to have a very powerful sound,{{cn|date=January 2022}} and each can hold its own in a modern ensemble.
[[Beethoven]]'s trios continued the compositional objectives inaugurated by Mozart. The new idea of equality was never implemented completely; the extent to which it is realized varies from one composition to the next, as well as among movements within a single composition. Certainly, by the mid-nineteenth century, all three instruments had been modified to have a very powerful sound,{{cn|date=January 2022}} and each can hold its own in a modern ensemble.
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Some rather rare combinations of instruments have nonetheless inspired a few outstanding works.
Some rather rare combinations of instruments have nonetheless inspired a few outstanding works.


*Haydn wrote three trios for [[Flute-cello-piano trio|flute, cello and piano]] ([[Hoboken catalog|H.]] 15/15-17), a combination for which [[Carl Maria von Weber]] also wrote [[Trio for Piano, Flute and Cello (Weber)|one work (op. 63)]].
*Haydn wrote three trios for flute, cello and piano ([[Hoboken catalog|H.]] 15/15-17), a combination for which [[Carl Maria von Weber]] also wrote [[Trio for Piano, Flute and Cello (Weber)|one work (op. 63)]].
*Beethoven wrote his [[Trio for Piano, Flute and Bassoon (Beethoven)|Trio in G major, WoO 37]] (1786) for [[Flute-bassoon-piano trio|flute, bassoon and piano]].
*Beethoven wrote his [[Trio for Piano, Flute and Bassoon (Beethoven)|Trio in G major, WoO 37]] (1786) for flute, bassoon and piano.
*[[Mikhail Glinka]] wrote his Trio pathétique in D minor for Clarinet, Bassoon and Piano, although is also performed with a Violin or Cello substituting the Clarinet or the Bassoon, respectively.
*[[Mikhail Glinka]] wrote his ''Trio pathétique'' in D minor for clarinet, bassoon and piano, although is also performed with a violin or cello substituting the clarinet or the bassoon, respectively.
*[[Francis Poulenc]]'s [[Trio for oboe, bassoon and piano]] op. 43 (1926).
*[[Francis Poulenc]]'s [[Trio for oboe, bassoon and piano]] op. 43 (1926).
*The [[horn trio#Horn, violin and piano|Horn-violin-piano trio]] is exemplified by Brahms' [[Horn Trio (Brahms)|Trio Op. 40 in E flat]] and [[György Ligeti]]'s 1982 [[Trio for Violin, Horn and Piano (Ligeti)|Trio for Violin, Horn and Piano]].
*The [[horn trio#Horn, violin and piano|Horn-violin-piano trio]] is exemplified by Brahms' [[Horn Trio (Brahms)|Trio Op. 40 in E flat]] and [[György Ligeti]]'s 1982 [[Trio for Violin, Horn and Piano (Ligeti)|Trio for Violin, Horn and Piano]].
*Trios with clarinet include masterpieces such as Mozart's [[Kegelstatt Trio]] and works by Beethoven, Brahms and Bartók; many more works are listed in [[Clarinet-violin-piano trio]], [[Clarinet-viola-piano trio]] and [[Clarinet-cello-piano trio]].
*Trios with clarinet include masterpieces such as Mozart's ''[[Kegelstatt Trio]]'' and works by Beethoven, Brahms and Bartók; many more works are listed in [[Clarinet-violin-piano trio]], [[Clarinet-viola-piano trio]] and [[Clarinet-cello-piano trio]].
*[[Ignaz Lachner]] wrote all of his six piano trios for violin, viola and piano.
*[[Ignaz Lachner]] wrote all of his six piano trios for violin, viola and piano.
*The jazz trio formation of saxophone, piano and percussion has been taken up as an alternative "piano trio" in the field of [[contemporary classical music]], initially by [[Trio Accanto]] who since 1994 have commissioned more than 100 works for this combination. Several other trios have been formed to perform this repertoire.
*The jazz trio formation of saxophone, piano and percussion has been taken up as an alternative "piano trio" in the field of [[contemporary classical music]], initially by [[Trio Accanto]] who since 1994 have commissioned more than 100 works for this combination. Several other trios have been formed to perform this repertoire.
*Neo-classical composer Frederic Bernard published a one-movement piano trio, called "''A Murderous Romance";'' with the very rare setup of one Piano and two Cellos.<ref>{{Citation|title=Frederic Bernard - A Murderous Romance - Feat. Steven Schumann (Sheet Music Video)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-kHWAOFhHk|language=en|access-date=2021-12-27}}</ref>


==Example piano trios, extant and defunct==
==Example piano trios, extant and defunct==
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*[[Altenberg Trio]] (Austria)
*[[Altenberg Trio]] (Austria)
*[[Amatis Trio]] (the Netherlands)
*{{interlanguage link|ATOS Trio|de|ATOS-Trio}} (Berlin, Germany)
*{{interlanguage link|ATOS Trio|de|ATOS-Trio}} (Berlin, Germany)
*[[Maria Baptist]] Trio (Berlin, Germany)
*[[Maria Baptist]] [jazz] Trio (Berlin, Germany)
*[[Istomin-Stern-Rose Trio]], consisting of [[Eugene Istomin]], [[Isaac Stern]] and [[Leonard Rose]]. (United States)
*[[Istomin-Stern-Rose Trio]], consisting of [[Eugene Istomin]], [[Isaac Stern]] and [[Leonard Rose]]. (United States)
*One consisting of [[Alfred Cortot]], [[Jacques Thibaud]] and [[Pablo Casals]], earlier in the 20th century
*One consisting of [[Alfred Cortot]], [[Jacques Thibaud]] and [[Pablo Casals]], earlier in the 20th century
*The Spivakovsky Trio, consisting of [[Jascha Spivakovsky]], [[Tossy Spivakovsky]] and Edmnd Kurtz, earlier in the 20th century
*The Spivakovsky Trio, consisting of [[Jascha Spivakovsky]], [[Tossy Spivakovsky]] and [[Edmund Kurtz]], earlier in the 20th century
* The [[Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio]] (United States)
* The [[Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio]] (United States)
*The [[Beaux Arts Trio]] (United States), whose commitment to using the same players in every concert pioneered a new generation of similarly committed groups; defunct
*The [[Beaux Arts Trio]] (United States), whose commitment to using the same players in every concert pioneered a new generation of similarly committed groups; defunct
*The [[Sitkovetsky Trio]] (United Kingdom) consisting of [[Alexander Sitkovetsky]], [[Wu Qian (pianist)|Wu Qian]] and [[Isang Enders]]
*The [[Sitkovetsky Trio]] (United Kingdom) consisting of [[Alexander Sitkovetsky]], [[Wu Qian (pianist)|Wu Qian]] and [[Isang Enders]]
*[[Trio di Trieste]] (Italy) consisting of [[Dario De Rosa]], [[Renato Zanettovich]], and [[Libero Lana]]/[[Amedeo Baldovino]]; defunct
*[[Trio di Trieste]] (Italy) consisting of [[Dario De Rosa]], [[Renato Zanettovich]], and [[Libero Lana]]/[[Amedeo Baldovino]]; defunct
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*The [[Alma Trio]] (United States)
*The [[Alma Trio]] (United States)
*[[Trio Vega]] (Spain)
*[[Trio Vega]] (Spain)
*The [[Kandinsky Trio]] (United States)
*[[Trio Kandinsky]] (United States)
*[[Trio Wanderer]] (France)
*[[Trio Wanderer]] (France)
*[[Haydn Trio Eisenstadt]] (Austria): [[Harald Kosik]], [[Hannes Gradwohl]], [[Bernd Gradwohl]]/[[Verena Stourzh]].
*[[Haydn Trio Eisenstadt]] (Austria): [[Harald Kosik]], [[Hannes Gradwohl]], [[Bernd Gradwohl]]/[[Verena Stourzh]].
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*[[Ludwig van Beethoven]]'s trios, especially [[Piano Trio No. 7 (Beethoven)|Piano Trio No. 7 in B-flat major "Archduke", Op. 97]]
*[[Ludwig van Beethoven]]'s trios, especially [[Piano Trio No. 7 (Beethoven)|Piano Trio No. 7 in B-flat major "Archduke", Op. 97]]
*[[Johannes Brahms]]'s Piano Trios [[Piano Trio No. 1 (Brahms)|No. 1 in B major, Op. 8]], [[Piano Trio No. 2 (Brahms)|No. 2 in C major, Op. 87]] and [[Piano Trio No. 3 (Brahms)|No. 3 in C minor, Op. 101]]
*[[Johannes Brahms]]'s Piano Trios [[Piano Trio No. 1 (Brahms)|No. 1 in B major, Op. 8]], [[Piano Trio No. 2 (Brahms)|No. 2 in C major, Op. 87]] and [[Piano Trio No. 3 (Brahms)|No. 3 in C minor, Op. 101]]
*[[Elliott Carter]]'s Epigrams (2012)
*[[Frédéric Chopin]]'s [[Piano Trio (Chopin)|Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 8]]
*[[Frédéric Chopin]]'s [[Piano Trio (Chopin)|Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 8]]
*[[Antonín Dvořák]]'s [[Piano Trio No. 4 (Dvořák)|Piano Trio No. 4 in E minor ("Dumky"), Op. 90]]
*[[Antonín Dvořák]]'s [[Piano Trio No. 4 (Dvořák)|Piano Trio No. 4 in E minor ("Dumky"), Op. 90]]
*[[Gabriel Fauré]]'s piano trio, Op. 120
*[[Gabriel Fauré]]'s piano trio, Op. 120
*[[Joseph Haydn]]'s [[list of piano trios by Joseph Haydn|45 piano trios]], particularly those composed from the mid-1780s onwards
*[[Joseph Haydn]]'s [[list of piano trios by Joseph Haydn|45 piano trios]], particularly those composed from the mid-1780s onwards
*[[Charles Ives]]'s [[Piano Trio (Ives)|Piano Trio]], 1911
*[[Franz Liszt]]'s Hungarian Rhapsodies [[Hungarian Rhapsody No. 9|No. 9]] and [[Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12|No. 12]]
*[[Franz Liszt]]'s Hungarian Rhapsodies [[Hungarian Rhapsody No. 9|No. 9]] and [[Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12|No. 12]]
*[[Felix Mendelssohn]]'s two piano trios
*[[Felix Mendelssohn]]'s two piano trios
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*[[Sergei Rachmaninoff]]'s [[Trio élégiaque No. 1 (Rachmaninoff)|Elegiac Trios No. 1 in G minor]] and [[Trio élégiaque No. 2 (Rachmaninoff)|No. 2 in D minor]]
*[[Sergei Rachmaninoff]]'s [[Trio élégiaque No. 1 (Rachmaninoff)|Elegiac Trios No. 1 in G minor]] and [[Trio élégiaque No. 2 (Rachmaninoff)|No. 2 in D minor]]
*[[Maurice Ravel]]'s [[Piano Trio (Ravel)|Trio for Piano, Violin and Cello]]
*[[Maurice Ravel]]'s [[Piano Trio (Ravel)|Trio for Piano, Violin and Cello]]
*[[Camille Saint-Saëns]]'s [[Piano Trio No. 1 (Saint-Saëns)|Piano Trio No. 1]] and [[Piano Trio No. 2 (Saint-Saëns)|Piano Trio No. 2]]
*[[Franz Schubert]]'s [[Piano Trio No. 1 (Schubert)|Piano Trio No. 1]] and [[Piano Trio No. 2 (Schubert)|No. 2]]
*[[Franz Schubert]]'s [[Piano Trio No. 1 (Schubert)|Piano Trio No. 1]] and [[Piano Trio No. 2 (Schubert)|No. 2]]
*[[Clara Schumann]]'s [[Piano Trio (Clara Schumann)|Piano Trio]]
*[[Clara Schumann]]'s [[Piano Trio (Clara Schumann)|Piano Trio]]
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* [[Piano trio repertoire]]
* [[Piano trio repertoire]]
* [[Triple concerto for violin, cello, and piano]]
* [[Triple concerto for violin, cello, and piano]]
* [[Clarinet-violin-piano trio]]
* [[Clarinet–violin–piano trio]]
* [[Clarinet-viola-piano trio]]
* [[Clarinet–viola–piano trio]]
* [[Clarinet-cello-piano trio]]
* [[Clarinet–cello–piano trio]]
*[[Oboe-bassoon-piano trio]]
* [[Oboe–bassoon–piano trio]]
* [[Piano quartet]]
* [[Piano quartet]]
* [[Piano quintet]]
* [[Piano quintet]]

Latest revision as of 03:33, 24 August 2024

A piano trio is a group of piano and two other instruments, usually a violin and a cello, or a piece of music written for such a group. It is one of the most common forms found in classical chamber music. The term can also refer to a group of musicians who regularly play this repertoire together; for a number of well-known piano trios, see below.

The term "piano trio" is also used for jazz trios, where it most commonly designates a pianist accompanied by bass and drums, though guitar or saxophone may figure as well.

Form

[edit]

Works titled "Piano Trio" tend to be in the same overall shape as a sonata. Initially this was in the three movement form, though some of Haydn's have two movements. Mozart, in five late works, is generally credited with transforming the accompanied keyboard sonata, in which the essentially optional cello doubles the bass of the keyboard left hand, into the balanced trio which has since been a central form of chamber music. With the early 19th century, particularly Beethoven, this genre was felt to be more appropriate to cast in the four movement form. Piano trios that are set in the Sonata tradition share the general concerns of such works for their era, and often are reflective directly of symphonic practice with individual movements laid out according to the composer's understanding of the sonata form.

In the Classical era, home music-making made the piano trio a very popular genre for arrangements of other works. For example, Beethoven transcribed his first two symphonies for piano trio. Thus a large number of works exist for the arrangement of piano, violin and violoncello which are not generally titled or numbered as piano trios, but which are nonetheless part of the overall genre. These include single movements as well as sets of variations such as Beethoven's Variations on 'Ich bin der Schneider Kakadu' Op. 121a and Variations in E flat major Op. 44.

After the Classical era, works for piano and two instruments continue to be written which are not presented as in the sonata tradition, or are arrangements of other works. Many of these individual works are popular on concert programs, for example Suk's Elegie.

For individual articles treating works for piano trio, see Category:Compositions for piano trio.

The role of the three instruments

[edit]

The piano trios of the Classical era, notably those of Haydn, are dominated by the piano part.[1] The violin plays the melody only a certain amount of the time, and when it does, is often doubled by the piano. The cello part is very much subordinated, usually just doubling the bass line in the piano. It is thought that this practice was related to the sonority of the instruments of Haydn's day: the piano was fairly weak and "tinkling" in tone, and benefited from the tonal strengthening of other instruments.[2] Mozart's five late (K. 496 and later) trios are generally felt to mark the assured arrival of the form, attentive to balanced voices and three-part dialogue.

Beethoven's trios continued the compositional objectives inaugurated by Mozart. The new idea of equality was never implemented completely; the extent to which it is realized varies from one composition to the next, as well as among movements within a single composition. Certainly, by the mid-nineteenth century, all three instruments had been modified to have a very powerful sound,[citation needed] and each can hold its own in a modern ensemble.

The earlier trios are now frequently performed and recorded using authentic instruments, of the kind for which they were originally written. Such performances restore the sonic balance the composer would have expected, and have proven popular.

Other combinations

[edit]

Some rather rare combinations of instruments have nonetheless inspired a few outstanding works.

Example piano trios, extant and defunct

[edit]
Istomin-Stern-Rose Trio playing at Caesarea theatre, 1961

Among the best known of such groups are or have been:

Famous works for piano trio

[edit]
See also: Piano trio repertoire

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Wheelock, Gretchen (1999). "The classical repertory revisited: instruments, players, and styles (pp.109–131)". In Parakilas, James (ed.). Piano roles: Three hundred years of life with the piano. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. p. 115.
  2. ^ Rosen, Charles (1997). "VI.2". The Classical Style: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven. New York: Norton. p. 353.
  3. ^ Foto: touring Southern Africa
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