Presents
René de Boisdeffre
Piano Trio No.2 in g minor, Op.32
Boisdeffre's Piano Trio No.2 in g minor, Op.32 was completed in 1884 and dedicated to Henri du Seuil, his publisher at Hamelle. Boisdeffe entered the trio in a competition held that year by the Society of French Composers and his trio took first prize. The opening movement, Prelude andante, makes a clear reference to the Prelude found in Bach's Well-Tempered Klavier. The piano alone gives out the somber main theme before the strings join in. Tension is created by the piano ostinato over the extended string lines. This tension is only relieved with the appearance of the second movement, a fleet-footed, bright Scherzo. The highly romantic main theme of the third movement, Andante, is given out at length by the cello. It approaches the nature of a love song. The finale, Allegro energico, is serious in mood but full of thrusting forward motion and energy.
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
