Presents
Carl Czerny
Piano Trio No.2 in A Major, Op.166
Carl Czerny (1791-1857) is remembered as one of the most famous piano teachers of all time. He was a child prodigy. When Beethoven heard Czerny play, he invited the boy to study with him, which Czerny did for three years. He also studied with Muzio Clementi and Johann Nepomuk Hummel. Besides being Liszt's only real teacher, Czerny taught a host of other famous pianists. Today, the only music of Czerny's which is ever played are his pedagogical works for pianists such as his etudes and his famous Art of Finger Dexterity and his School of Velocity. But Czerny composed over 1000 works in virtually every genre although most were for the piano. The bulk of his oeuvre---potpourris based on various opera arias and such which made his publishers rich, was composed at the their request. These salon pieces were incredibly popular throughout the 19th century but for this very reason Czerny was attacked by most critics as nothing more than a hack. Very few of his other works received more than a premiere and it is highly doubtful that his critics every heard his symphonies, lieder or chamber music. Had they done so, their opinion about Czerny and his music would certainly have been very different because Czerny was not only a master craftsman but also a composer with a gift for melody. This piano trio is an excellent example of his extraordinary talent
The Piano Trio in A Major dates from 1829 and begins with a Beethovian Allegro which has a short introduction, though not so marked, which builds tension before the opening theme is slowly revealed. The second movement, Scherzo, starts off sounding a bit like a quick step etude because of its rhythm, emphasizing the three beats to a measure, over which an appealing, lyrical melody is sung. Third is an Adagio, elegant and full of charm harking back to his teacher Clementi. The finale, Allegro agitato, is by turns turbulent, exciting, restless, dramatic and full of forward motion, a real tour de force.
We recommend this trio for concert performance but also to accomplished home music makers. Making this works acquaintance will be a rewarding experience
Parts: $29.95
