Presents
Johann Peter Pixis
Piano Trio No.3 in b minor, Op.95
Johann Peter Pixis (1788-1874) was born in Prague, which at that time had a majority German population. He studied piano with his father and was considered a prodigy. Along with his brother, an excellent violinist, the two boys were taken by their father, a la Leopold Mozart, touring throughout Europe for many years, eventually settling in Vienna around 1806, where Pixis studied composition with Albrechtsberger, one of Beethoven's teachers. Pixis stayed in Vienna for 15 years and while there was on friendly terms with Beethoven, Schubert and Meyebeer among others. Evenutally, he moved to Paris where he stayed for two decades, concertizing and was widely considered among the leading pianists in the city, along with Chopin and Liszt. Around 1840, Pixis moved to Baden Baden where he worked as a a private teacher. Besides his career as a concert pianist, Pixis was a prolific composer and chamber music was a prominent part of his ouevre. He wrote eight piano trios, a piano quartet, a piano quintet and six string quartets. One wonders why his chamber music disappeared, especially in view of the fact contempories had a high opinion of it. One example: when Liszt wished to give a piano trio concert in Paris, he chose one trio by Beethoven and the other by Pixis. Contemporary accounts relate that the audience far preferred the trio by Pixis.
Pixis’ Piano Trio No.3 in b minor, Op.95 dates from 1829 and was dedicated to the German pianist August Klengel. In four movements, the opening Allegro vivace, has a Beethovian flavor alternating dramatic fiery passages with more lyrical melodies in the strings. The second movement, Andante con moto al la marcia, is an engaging and original sounding playful march. Next comes an exciting Scherzo vivace, with a beautiful contrasting trio. The finale, Alla Mauresque, allegro, takes a page out of Vienna's fascination with the Turks. It is, a la Mozart, a westerner's rendition of Turkish music, very effectively done.
This is really a fine, first rate work and it is hard to understand why it disappeared. It is by turns beautiful and exciting with great part-writing. It deserves concert performance and can also be recommended to experienced amateur players. We have reprinted the original edition, which is clean and easy to read, although it should be pointed out that this is not a modern edition and the piano part is not a piano score.
Parts: $29.95
