Presents
René de Boisdeffre
Piano Trio No.1 in E flat Major, Op.10
Boisdeffre's Piano Trio No.1 in E flat Major, Op.10 was composed over a three year period and completed in 1872 and dedicated to one James Wittering aka Jacobus Wittering of Amsterdam, who was also the dedicatee of Henry Litolff’s First Piano Trio of 1850. Wittering was a prominent and wealthy supporter of the arts. The opening Allegro shows Boisdeffre’s familiarity with the German composers of the Romantic movement. One can hear the influence of Beethoven and perhaps Mendelssohn in the opening theme. The second subject is borrowed from Schumann’s Op.54 Piano Concerto in a minor. However, he presents the theme in the major. The second movement, Andante, is a very lyrical song without words which is leads attacca to the upbeat Scherzo that comes next. The finale, Allegro ma non troppo, seems to hark back to the toccatas of Bach but with a Beethovian fugal treatment.
René de Boisdeffre (1838-1906) was born in the French village of Vesoul. He came from a distinguished military family and moved to Paris at the age of four when his father, at that time a captain in the army, was transferred. His parents did not allow him to enter the Paris Conservatory but he received private piano and composition lessons from Charles Wagner and later from the respected French composer and professor at the Conservatory Auguste Barbereau. These came to an end when Saint Saens warned him away from Barbereau and briefly took the aspiring composer under his wings. Of independent means, he was able to devote himself to composition. He was especially fond of the genre of chamber music writing several trios, quartets and quintets, all with piano, as well as a number of instrumental pieces.
Parts: $29.95
