Classical Music | Music for Trio

Recorded on 01/27/2010, uploaded on 08/12/2010

Musician's or Publisher's Notes

Trio No. 2 in F Major for Violin, Cello and Piano, Op. 80    Robert Schumann

I.   Sehr lebhaft; II.  Mit innigem Ausdruck; III. In mäßiger Bewegung;     IV. Nicht zu rasch

Work on the first two of Robert Schumann's piano trios, Op. 63 in D minor and Op. 80 in F Major, began during a flurry of activity in 1847. Schumann's wife, Clara, was a primary influence on the piano trios; her own trio had been written the previous year. Schumann's works are both tributes to Clara's own lyrical ideas and technical achievements. They exhibit a youthful verve along with Schumann's vivid sense of tonal colors.

Marked "Sehr lebhaft" (Very lively), the first movement is in a frothy 6/8 meter and presented in a three-part form. Unusual harmonic adventures characterize the movement. The melodic role of the piano increases before giving way to an expansive closing theme in the violin over a light accompaniment in the piano.

Contrapuntal layering occurs at the beginning of the second movement, "Mit innigem Ausdruck" (With intimate expression). Dotted rhythms in the string melody contrast with the constant triplets in the piano part, the left hand of which provides yet another layer of melody. A central, "Lively" section introduces new material before a return to the opening in highly modified form.

The third movement is a scherzo marked "In mässiger Bewegung" (In a moderate movement).   Brief canons appear between the violin and cello at the beginning of the movement and in the contrasting scherzo theme. In the sparse middle section, the imitative passages are between the piano and cello, just before a transformation of the main scherzo theme. A coda brings the movement to a quiet close.

Marked "Nicht zu rasch" (Not too fast), the dense piano part of the Finale dominates the movement as each appearance of the opening idea is further transformed.       Alon Goldstein