An Introduction, Analysis, and Performance Evaluation of Selected Piano Trio Literature of the Twentieth Century

“…will be a valuable resource book for libraries and performing groups, especially independent piano trios and those from university music faculties. They have included forty-one piano trios that are representative of many different 20th century styles and over thirty different composers. Also helpful was their extensive list in the Appendix of over seventy other trios they examined, but did not write about….Especially helpful is the extensive inclusion of musical examples that give a snapshot of the style and difficulty of each piece….Dr. Starr and Ms. Edwards have included a subjective ‘Performers’ Evaluation and Commentary’ after their analytical description of each piece. This distinctive aid is one of the most helpful aspects of the book…authors of such an extensive compendium would have enough discernment to make trustworthy judgments of the repertoire they studied, especially because they are also active performers of this genre. The authors are not afraid to make value judgments, even negative ones, on the repertoire…..Especially helpful is their judgment of the technical proficiency needed to learn and perform each work, that is, whether a piece could be studied by a student trio or only by a professional trio.” – David Littrell, University Distinguished Professor of Music, Kansas State University; President, American Strings Teachers Association

“I am particularly impressed with the quality of the description analysis for each movement of each composition, and the thoughtful performers’ evaluation and commentary on each piece. These provide extremely helpful and useful information for performers and teachers who are choosing concert and recital repertoire….Proper application of the information therein will inform and aid music teachers of all kinds (teachers of performance, theory, musicology, composition or music education) with new ideas to enhance the teaching of 20th century music to their students and community alike….Insights gained from this book can also play an important role in providing information about composers and their music that is not currently available to the public at this time or in previously published books. I strongly believe the use of this book will prove to be a most valuable, practical and useful teaching instrument for teachers, performers and students alike.” – Dr. David H. Sargent, Professor of Composition/Theory, Brigham Young University

“This present book is one to read, to study, to mark up, to order from, to refer to, and to be grateful for. Elaine Edwards and James Starr, both seasoned professional players of trios and other chamber music, have in effect turned us loose in a section of their library, and have enriched our discoveries-in-waiting by giving them context through bibliographical data, analysis, and subjective insights….it contains piece after piece that will be new and appealing to many players….Starr and Edwards discuss 41 piano trios in alphabetical order, and, with gratifying uniformity, they give us full composer and publication data, basic statistics of form, length, and difficulty, descriptive analysis of each work with a generous selection of musical examples, and, finally, a ‘Performers’ Evaluation and Commentary,’ subjective and practical shoptalk about each piece. Thanks to this orderly and stimulating presentation, the reader can hardly wait to find the score and hear the work just discussed, or, at the least, to plunge into the discussion of the next trio!” – Bradford Gowan, Piano Faculty, School of Music, University of Maryland

Table of Contents:
Preface; Foreword
Compositions, Descriptions, and Evaluations:
1. Samuel Adler: Trio for Violin, Cello, and Piano
2. Mrs. H. H. A. Beach: Trio, Opus 150, for Piano, Violin and Violoncello
3. Paul Ben-Haim: Variations on a Hebrew Melody, Trio for Violin, Violoncello, and Pianoforte
4. Ernest Bloch: Three Nocturnes for Piano Trio
5. Alfredo Casella: Siciliana e Burlesca per Pianoforte, Violino e Violoncello
6. Rebecca Clarke: Trio for Violin, Violoncello and Piano
7. Aaron Copland: Vitebsk: Study on a Jewish Theme, Trio for Piano, Violin, and Violoncello
8. Henry Cowell: Trio in Nine short Movements for Violin, Violoncello and Piano
9. Claude Debussy: Trio in G for Piano, Violin, and Violoncello
10. George Dreyfuss: Ein Kaffeekonzert for Violin, Cello, Piano, and Soprano
11. Ference Farkas: Trio per Violino. Violoncello e PIanoforte
12. Ross Lee Finney: Piano Trio No. 2 for Piano, Violin, and Violoncello
13. Harald Genzmer: Trio for Piano, Violin and Violoncello
14. Oswald Gerstel: The Nightingale and the Rose for Violin, Violoncello, and Piano
15. Donald Grantham: Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano
16. Peter Herrmann: Trio No. 2 for Violin, Violoncello and Piano
17. John Ireland: Phantasie in A Minor (Piano Trio No. 1) for Pianoforte, Violin & Violoncello
18. Knud Jeppesen: Lille Sommer-Trio (Little Summer Trio) for Fluye (or Violin), Cello, and Piano
19. Karel Boleslav Jirák: Trio per Violino, Violoncello e Pianoforte, Op. 89
20. Fernando Limenta: Presso una Fonte Solitaria (Near a Lonely Spring). Romanticheria per Violino, Viloncello e Pianoforte
21. Frank Martin: Trio pour piano, violon et violoncello, sur des melodies populaires irlandaises (Trio for Piano, Violin and Violoncello based on Popular Irish Folksongs)
22. Bohuslav Martin?: Bergerettes for Violin, ‘Cello and Piano
23. Bohuslav Martin?: Trio (5 Pièces brèves) pour Violon, Violoncello et Piano
24. Douglas Moore: Trio for Violin, Cello, and Piano
25. Joseph Ott: Concerto for Piano Trio and Chamber Orchestra
26. Joseph Ott: Piano Trio No. 3 for Violin, Cello, and Piano
27. Joseph Ott (arranger): ‘Suite from the Great Plains’ and ‘Kansas City Rag’
28. Walter Piston: Trio (No. 1) for Violin, Violoncello, and Piano
29. Primož Ramovš:Contrasts for Violin, Violoncello and Piano
30. Alan Rawsthorne: Trio for Piano, Violin, and Cello
31. Jerzy Sapieyevski: Trio for an Italian Journey for Violin, Cello, and Piano
32. Florence Schmitt: Sonatine en Trio, Op. 85 bis, pour Piano, Violon et Violoncelle
33. Dmitry Shostakovich: Trio in E minor, Opus 67 (Piano Trio No. 2) for Violin, Cello and Piano
34. Julia Smith: Trio-Cornwall for Violin, Cello and Piano
35. Germaine Tailleferre: Trio pour Piano, Violon, et Violoncelle
36. Alexandre Tcherepnine: Trio pour Violon, Violoncello, et Piano, Op. 334
37. Joaquín Turina: 1er Trio pour Piano, Violon et Violoncelle, Op. 35
38. Joaquín Turina: 2me Trio en si mineur pour piano, violon et violoncello, Op. 76
39. David Ashley White: Air and Burlesque for Violin, Cello, and Piano
40. David Ashley White: Elegy and Exaltation for Violin, Cello, and Piano
41. David Ashley White: Six Miniatures for Three Players for Violin, Cello, and Piano
Final Summary and Conclusions
Works Cited
Other Twentieth Century Trios Examined
General References: Index