Presents
Robert Radecke
Piano Trio No.2 in b minor, Op.33
"Robert Radecke, himself a chamber music performer, has written two piano trios. His Piano Trio No.2 in b minor, Op.33 dates from 1868 and was published the year after. It is written on a broad scale. It is a work which will certainly make friends among home music makers as all of the parts are grateful to play. The work shows the influence of Schubert, especially in the slow movement and in the lyrical theme of the finale. However, rhythmically speaking there are many original touches to be found here. One hears it immediately in the opening movement, Allegro appassionato, with its fresh, wistful and effective main theme. The beautiful slow movement, Andante espressivo, is a set of variations based on a folk melody. A piquant Scherzo, allegro molto vivace, is full of fire. The finale, Allegro non troppo, stands out for its march-like rhythm.”—–the famous chamber music critic Wilhelm Altmann, writing in his Handbook for Piano Trio Players.
Robert Radecke (1830-1911) was born in the village of Dittmannsdorf bei Waldenburg in the Prussian province of Silesia. He first music lessons were from his father, a church musician. He entered the Leipzig Conservatory not long after it was founded by Mendelssohn and studied violin with Ferdinand David, piano with Ignaz Moscheles and composition with Julius Rietz and Moritz Hauptmann. An all round musician, for his graduation examination, he performed as violinist in the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto and as pianist in the Schumann Piano Concerto as well as conducting the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra in a performance of his own symphony. During his life, he held many prestigious posts, including serving as director of the Berlin Opera Theater and Imperial Prussian Court Music Director of the Royal Orchestra (precursor of the Berlin Philharmonic). He was widely considered one of the finest conductors in Europe and routinely turned down many prestigious offers which came his way including that of conductor and director of the New York Philharmonic. Besides conducting, this multi-faceted musician was one of Berlin's leading pianists, served as a violinist in the famous Ferdinand Laub String Quartet and worked as a teacher at the prestigious Stern Conservatory in Berlin where Bruno Walter and Camillo Schumann were among his many students.
Parts: $29.95
