Arensky: Piano Trios

Arensky’s Piano Trios represent a fine example of the Russian romantic piano trio, a form ‘invented’ by Tchaikovsky, Arensky’s close friend and influence.

Piano Trio No 1 is the more popular of the two, dedicated to the cellist Karl Davidoff. Davidoff is regarded as the founder of the Russian school of cello-playing, and Arensky’s dedication accounts for the fact that the cello plays such a prominent role, having most of the principal themes and often seeming to eclipse the violin in importance. Piano Trio No 2 is one composer’s last works, and marks a considerable advance in Arensky’s compositional techniques.

Hyperion is delighted to present the Leonore Piano Trio (Tim Horton, Benjamin Nabarro and Gemma Rosefield, who features as soloist on Hyperion’s Romantic Cello Concerto series Volume 3: Stanford Cello Concertos) in its debut recording.

CDA68015  73 minutes 1 seconds
‘An all-Russian fountain of melodic charm, embroidered with an alternating full and delicate tracery … the Leonores play with truly glorious affection and security, and it is hard to imagine play ...
‘The Leonore Trio do much to persuade us to listen anew to Arensky—too often dismissed as a lightweight Tchaikovsky—playing with sumptuous breadth and beguiling warmth in the first trio, and with appr ...