On The Subject of Piano Trios...

On the Subeject of Piano Trios....which is your favorite?

My two favorites, HANDS DOWN are the Ravel Piano Trio, and the Shostakovich Piano Trio no. 2.

Both are pretty much some of the most amazing pieces ever written.

Haven't heard the Shostakovich, but I'm sure it would be amazing, lol.

I, too, love the Ravel. My piano teacher said it's one of the harder things she's ever had to play.

I love the Beethoven piano trio in c minor. As well as Walter Piston's 2nd piano trio.

I'm fond the of Mozart one in E major, but I haven't heard enough of the repertoire to make a balanced judgement.

For me, it's either Mendelssohn's 1st (in D minor) or Brahms's 1st (in B major).

My favorite - Carl van Beethoven, Piano Trio in D, Anh.3.

So delightful and charming, so simple and satisfying, yet so unknown to the classical world.

I'm admittedly not very knowledgeable about piano trios, but I like Beethoven's Ghost Trio a lot.

All of you, go listen to the first movement of Shostakovich's. The whole thing. Don't be cheap and stop after 5 seconds.

I've heard that Ravel was considering making a REDUCTION of the piano trio for full orchestra......

that piece is SO damned hard to play it's not funny.

My favorite - Carl van Beethoven, Piano Trio in D, Anh.3.

So delightful and charming, so simple and satisfying, yet so unknown to the classical world.

??? are you serious? He wrote music? (I assume you are talking about Beethoven's nephew...?)

Oh, yes, but I thought Casper Carl was Beethoven's brother. The piano trio is supposedly by Carl, and it is said that Carl also wrote the twelve minuets for orchestra. I found all this on the Unheard Beethoven site, here are direct links to the appropriate pages ( with midis ) :

The Piano Trio -> Unheard Beethoven Search

12 Minuets for Orchestra -> Unheard Beethoven Search

Oooh *zing*, you meant the brother. And it seems like his nephew's name is spelled ''Karl''

Anyway, an interesting piece of history! Thanks! (I love that site, by the way)

Love the site, but I listened to the Carl van Beethoven trio, didn't like it.

Coincidentally I got a CD with both the Ravel and Shostakovich trios (no.2) and have been enjoying both like crazy.

Could anyone not really pick up the rhythm of the first mvt. of the Ravel? The first few times it genuinely sounded like Ravel was swinging 8ths... :happy: obviously at that point I realized I had the wrong rhythm in my head.

The Shostakovich is amazing.

Anything by Brahms or Dvorak.

Brahms, I disagree. Dvorak, ehh maybe.

I also love the finale of Mozart's Bb trio. I think it's K.502 - certainly it's a later one.

Bethoven-Piano trio in b Flat "archduke

I can think of a second one