Ludwig van Beethoven

Trio in E-flat, op. 1 no. 1

1. Allegro    2. Adagio Cantabile    3. Scherzo: allegro assai    4. Finale: Presto

This lively and witty trio, the first of three published and premiered together, was probably first performed in 1793. Beethoven had recently moved to Vienna (then the centre of European musical life) from Bonn, and had made contacts with the aristocratic musical patrons that were a composer’s only means of performances and solvency. The three trios were performed at the private salon of their dedicatee, Count von Lichnovsky, and made an immediate impact.

Beethoven was always keen to surprise and startle the audience, but his particular skill was in creating a long-term coherence and purpose to the surprises. The D-flat in bar 3, for instance, was startling so early in the piece, the speed and energy of the scherzo a shock to those used to the genteel minuet, and the witty, Haydnesque modulations in the finale were unusual and exciting.

The fire and energy of the trios must have announced the presence of a new voice with great force and, despite Beethoven’s social abruptness, he very quickly won a large circle of admirers. Haydn, his mentor for a time, was present at the premiere, and although he had some problems with the C minor trio (3rd of the set), the quality of Beethoven’s genius was obvious to him. These trios marked their composer’s arrival on the musical scene. He was already prominent as a pianist (the victor in improvisation contents against local and international ‘champions’) and his skill and virtuosity are obvious in the parts he wrote for himself to play.

Simon Parkin

First Trio (1987)

1: Tempo Rubato   2: Presto   3: Adagio

This trio was written in something of a romantic haze, and is therefore overtly emotional in places, particularly the outer movements. The harmonic language at the start is rather expressionist, but the style expands from there to encompass minimalism, heroic Americanism (in a scherzo partly inspired by the ‘A-team’—it was 1987, after all!), and Shostakovich during his more heart-on-the-sleeve moments.

There are, hopefully, enough unifying devices to bind the disparate styles together. There is a certain amount of 12-tone technique, for example, which is hopefully far enough below the surface not to spoil the piece, but to make it more coherent. The intervallic connections between the movements should be clear, and there are even some tunes!

 

Antonín Dvorák

Trio in B-flat, op. 21

1. Allegro Molto   2. Adagio Molto e Mesto   3. Allegretto scherzando   4. Finale: Allegro Vivace

Dvorak wrote six piano trios in all, of which the first two were destroyed and only the last two (including the famous ‘Dumky’ trio in E minor) are frequently performed.

The freshness and good nature of this earlier trio (written in 1875) indicate that the neglect is unjustified. The flow of ideas is spontaneous, the writing for instruments idiosyncratic but usually effective, and there is plenty of fizz and sparkle in the music.

The easy and natural assimilation of folk idioms is most obvious in the two middle movements, a wistful song and a flexible dance. The outer movements are more virtuosic, and sometimes, perhaps, threaten to outstay their welcome (the present version of the finale was considerably slimmed down by Dvorak after the first performance), but as a whole the trio is tuneful, entertaining, and well worth a more central place in the repertoire.

Programme notes © Simon Parkin

Hannah Roberts (’cello)

HANNAH ROBERTS is one of the outstanding 'cellists of the younger generation. She feels privileged to have worked closely with the late William Pleeth at the Yehudi Menuhin School, and with Ralph Kirshbaum at the Royal Northern College of Music.

Hannah has won many awards, including prizewinning finalist in the BBC TV Young Musician of the Year, and Silver medal for a performance of the Elgar Concerto with the LSO at the Barbican during the Shell/LSO Competition. She was also declared joint winner, with composer and pianist Simon Parkin, of the International Morley College Centenary Concerto prize, playing a concerto written for her by the composer. Prestigious awards have also included the Jacqueline du Pre memorial award and the Pierre Fournier award, as a result of which she gave a highly successful debut recital at the Wigmore Hall. Among her competition successes have been the Tunbridge Wells Young Concert Artists Competition, and the Radio 2 Young Musician of the Year.

Since making her concerto debut aged 16 at the Royal Festival Hall in London, Hannah has given numerous concerto performances with leading orchestras, including the London Mozart Players, LSO, BBC Concert Orchestra, and the Halle. She has also made frequent broadcasts for BBC radio. Festival appearances have included Chichester, Malvern, Beverley, and the recent 'Beethovenfest' in Manchester. In addition to her acclaimed duo partnership with husband Simon Parkin, Hannah has enjoyed working with the late Lord Menuhin, pianist Martin Roscoe and violinist Tasmin Little, with whom she has recorded for ASV.

She is much in demand as a teacher and is frequently invited to give masterclasses in addition to her posts at the Royal Northern College of Music and Chetham's School.

Hannah plays on a fine Grancino instrument of 1695.

Simon Parkin (piano)

Simon Parkin was born in Manchester and at the age of ten won a place at the Yehudi Menuhin School, where his teachers included Marcel Ciampi, Vlado Perlemuter and Nadia Boulanger.

Subsequent study was in Manchester, where he gained concurrent degrees at the University and the Royal Northern College of Music, where his composition teacher was Anthony Gilbert.

He secured a lectureship at the R.N.C.M. upon graduation, and has taught both composition and improvisation at the Menuhin School.

As a composer, Simon has had many broadcasts and performances in the U.K., on the continent and in the U.S.A. He has had pieces performed at the Park Lane Group series in the Purcell Room on three separate occasions, won an international prize with a 'cello concerto written for his wife, Hannah Roberts, and had a large-scale choral work broadcast twice on German radio.

He has also broadcast on BBC radios 1, 2, 3, and 4 as well as Classic FM, BBC TV, ITV and Channel 4, and has had articles published by BBC Music Magazine.

Concert experience started while still at school, and is now extensive, with a range of internationally-acclaimed partners. His duo with Hannah Roberts has been acclaimed in The Strad for its 'rare ensemble and musical intelligence.'

Andrew Long (violin)

Since completing his studies at the Royal Northern College of Music Andrew Long has built a career which is as interesting as it is diverse. Over the past ten years he has established himself as a busy recitalist undertaking concert tours in the UK as well as visiting Norway (twice) and Poland. This work has led to fruitful collaboration with the North West Composers Association, for whom he has recorded a CD on the ASC label. He is currently the founder-director of the Setzer Ensemble, Amethyst Light Orchestra and director of the English Baroque Ensemble, and has recently enjoyed a spell as guest leader with Sinfonia Viva. Future plans include a second CD of salon music and concerts in Portugal and Dubai. Andrew plays a fine violin by Giovanni Grancino of 1695 which was once owned by the great violinist Albert Sammons.