Schönberg, Zemlinsky, Mahler / Vienna Piano Trio
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Three hothouse plants bloom lushly in these passionate performances. Mahler?s Piano Quartet was written in 1876, but the 16-year-old was already near the point his...
Three hothouse plants bloom lushly in these passionate performances. Mahler?s Piano Quartet was written in 1876, but the 16-year-old was already near the point his discmates would reach two decades later, the late-Romantic apex of turn-of-the-century-Vienna. This is all young men?s music. Zemlinsky and Schoenberg were each 25 when their pieces were written; their works are more polished than Mahler?s, as neither was a tyro composer. Schoenberg had written his D-Minor String Quartet, a variety of lesser chamber pieces and movements, plus a whole raft of Lieder; Zemlinsky?s op. 3 Trio followed two symphonies and a gorgeous opera, Sarema , and is no less than 40th on the chronological list of his works in Antony Beaumont?s biography, Zemlinsky .
Zemlinsky?s Trio was written for clarinet, cello, and piano; it was closely modeled after Brahms?s op. 114 and has been criticized as being a clone thereof. I prefer the clarinet original, especially as heard in an Apollonian performance by Trio Paideia on a gorgeous Tacet recording ( Fanfare 22:6, p. 138). The Vienna Piano Trio (Wolfgang Redik, violin; Matthias Gredler, cello; Stefan Mendl, piano) plays this alternate scoring with Dionysian intensity. One hears a blend of youthful fire?Brahms?s or Zemlinsky?s?with the mature reflection of the master?s late music; this could be the senior Viennese composer passing the torch to his junior. The Paideia makes the work sound both more original and more elegant, but I am bowled over by this Vienna account, too, which soars and roars. The violin version has never been so powerfully served.
These players find a dark, brooding intensity in the opening phrase of Mahler?s student exercise, and they never let up, powering their way through its single movement at a ferocious clip?the timing of 9:16 is far less than any of the 20 recordings cataloged in Peter Fülöp?s 1995 Mahler Discography . The little violin flourish just prior to the coda is pure wild gypsy. The unorthodox interpretation works beautifully; for the first time I feel the early Mahler piece to be music of substance, not merely an interesting historical footnote.
This recording at least nudges my views about Eduard Steuermann?s transcription of Verklärte Nacht for piano trio. In previous performances on and off records, the instrumental combination seemed to blunt the churning emotions which are so central to the work. The Vienna Trio gives another powerful performance, which brings the Steuermann to life, proving it a viable piano trio. Perhaps I am more receptive to a change after hearing those strings-only versions (1899, 1917, and 1943) too often. Verklärte Nach t has always been a surprisingly successful piece of program music?it is easy to visualize the couple walking by the water in the moonlight. That doesn?t come across in the piano trio, even in this performance.
MDG?s recorded sound is intimate, even a bit claustrophobic at the big moments. That suits the music, perhaps even better than would a bright, open sound. The instruments are always well balanced, the piano never overpowering the strings. Fully 15-second pauses between works are much appreciated. The booklet contains intelligent commentary, and Gustav Klimt?s Approaching Storm on the cover could not be more fitting. This fine disc is recommended with much enthusiasm, although?for the reasons discussed above?not as one?s primary versions of the Zemlinsky and Schoenberg.
FANFARE: James H. North
Product Description:
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Release Date: November 01, 2005
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UPC: 760623135427
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Catalog Number: 3421354-2
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Label: MDG
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Number of Discs: 1
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Composer: Alexander von Zemlinsky, Arnold Schoenberg, Gustav Mahler
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Orchestra/Ensemble: Vienna Piano Trio
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Performer: Wiener Klaviertrio