Ferdinand: Complete Piano Trios Vol 2 / Trio Parnassus
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LOUIS FERDINAND Trio in E?, op. 3. Piano Quartet in f, op. 6 • Tr Parnassus; Thomas Selditz (va) • MDG 303 1361 (69:35) This...
LOUIS FERDINAND Trio in E?, op. 3. Piano Quartet in f, op. 6 • Tr Parnassus; Thomas Selditz (va) • MDG 303 1361 (69:35)
This excellent trio has made an important contribution to the classical music discography in seeking out forgotten and neglected works from the rich treasury of 19th-century music. Among the most polished and innovative composers early in the century is Louis Ferdinand, the gifted Prussian prince who died on the battlefield in 1806 at the age of 34. Under the tutelage of Jan Ladislav Dussek, who was in his royal entourage, Louis Ferdinand composed a small body of works, almost entirely for chamber ensembles including piano; all were published during his lifetime. Volume 1, containing two of the trios, was reviewed in Fanfare 29:3. Since there are only three trios all told, the Parnassus players extended the scope of this integral set to include one of Louis Ferdinand’s two piano quartets.
The Parnassus now has a new violinist, Yamei Yu, who recently replaced the original violinist of the trio, Wolfgang Schröder. She appears to share their excellent qualities as chamber musicians—precise ensemble and intonation—but her sound is not very intense, and lacks nuance. The writing for the cello does not appear to be very challenging, and the cello part blends nicely but lacks a real profile. As in so much chamber music of that period, the piano is the dominant instrument, and although pianist Chia Chou modulates his brilliant playing in the true spirit of a considerate ensemble player, he is the true leader of the group, with a flexible command over expressive fluctuations in tempo and dynamics. The finale of the op. 6 quartet presents some tricky ensemble problems, which are solved pleasingly in the pianist’s capable hands.
As noted in the review of Volume 1, Louis Ferdinand’s music is amazingly forward-looking, anticipating the harmonic and structural freedom of the early Romantics such as Mendelssohn and Schumann. But above all, we hear Schubert in his style—harmonic surprises, expressive melodies, rich but lucid textures. The Quartet, on the other hand, shows some Beethoven influence, for example, in the terse, abrupt style of the Menuetto movement. The op. 6 Quartet, incidentally, was well known to the Romantics; Schumann composed some variations for piano four hands on a theme from the quartet; Archduke Rudolph used another theme for a set of violin variations; and Liszt published an Elégie sur des motifs du Prince Louis Ferdinand de Prusse in 1847.
The Parnassus Trio has little competition in its Louis Ferdinand project; the trios recorded several years ago by the Horst Göbel Trio on Thorofon are no longer available. Zephyr Records has a two-CD project titled “The Poet and the Prince,” pairing chamber works by Schumann and Louis Ferdinand, but I have not heard either of the CDs.
Simply on the basis of their polished, tasteful music-making, the Parnassus Trio is strongly recommended.
MDG boasts—and rightly so—about their “sound ideal,” produced in the natural acoustics of concert halls without the use of any “sound-modifying manipulation.” Their success is evident on this recording; the sound is vivid and natural, the balance among the trio members just as one would expect it to be in a concert hall.
FANFARE: Susan Kagan
Product Description:
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Release Date: October 01, 2006
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UPC: 760623136127
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Catalog Number: 3031361-2
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Label: MDG
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Number of Discs: 1
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Composer: Louis Ferdinand
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Orchestra/Ensemble: Parnassus Trio
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Performer: Thomas Selditz