Presents
Hans Huber
Piano Trio No.1 in E flat Major, Op.20
Hans Huber’s Piano Trio No.1 in E flat Major dates from 1877. The opening movement, Nicht schnell, quasi Andante, begins with the piano alone giving out what is a somewhat diffident main subject for several bars. When the strings join in, it becomes a highly lyrical and romantic duet between the two. The second theme, though quicker in tempo, keeps the same sad and diffident mood. The exciting opening bars of the second movement, a downward whirling and chromatic passage, marked Nicht zu rasch, mit kräftig markirtem Rhythmus (not too fast, with strong, accented rhythm) is in the form of a scherzo. A pastoral interlude briefly interrupts. Later, a lovely trio section provides an excellent contrast. The third movement is simply marked, Nicht zu langsam (not too slow). It begins with the piano alone playing a series of dreamy chords before the strings enter, singing a very romantic kind of lovers' duet. The main theme to the finale, Sehr schnell (very quick), is characterized more by its hard-driving, pounding rhythm in 3/4 than by its melody. One might say it is a kind of traveling music with all of its forward motion. A contrasting second subject has a long-lined melody, but always in the background, albeit softly, is the pounding rhythm.
Hans Huber (1852-1921) was born in the Swiss town of Eppenberg. Between 1870-74, he studied at the Leipzig Conservatory with Carl Reinecke and Ernst Richter. After graduating he held a number of positions before being appointed a professor at the Basel Conservatory, where he served as director between 1889-1917. Huber’s music was firmly rooted in the Romantic movement inspired at first by Schumann and Brahms and then later by Liszt and Richard Strauss. He was widely considered Switzerland’s leading composer during the last quarter of the 19th and first decade of the 20th century. He composed in virtually every genre and many of his works were for long years part of various repertoires and the only works by a Swiss composer that were regularly performed outside of Switzerland.
This is a very fine work, by turns exciting and poetic. Long out of print, we are pleased to make it available once again and warmly recommend to professionals and amateurs alike.
Parts: $29.95
