Presents
Johann Peter Pixis
Piano Trio No.1 in E flat Major, Op.75
Johann Peter Pixis (1788-1874) was born in Prague, which at that time had a majority German population. He studied piano with his father and was considered a prodigy. Along with his brother, an excellent violinist, the two boys were taken by their father, a la Leopold Mozart, touring throughout Europe for many years, eventually settling in Vienna around 1806, where Pixis studied composition with Albrechtsberger, one of Beethoven's teachers. Pixis stayed in Vienna for 15 years and while there was on friendly terms with Beethoven, Schubert and Meyebeer among others. Eventually, he moved to Paris where he stayed for two decades, concertizing and was widely considered among the leading pianists in the city, along with Chopin and Liszt. Around 1840, Pixis moved to Baden Baden where he worked as a a private teacher. Besides his career as a concert pianist, Pixis was a prolific composer and chamber music was a prominent part of his ouevre. He wrote eight piano trios, a piano quartet, a piano quintet and six string quartets. One wonders why his chamber music disappeared, especially in view of the fact contempories had a high opinion of it. One example: when Liszt wished to give a piano trio concert in Paris, he chose one trio by Beethoven and the other by Pixis. Contemporary accounts relate that the audience far preferred the trio by Pixis.
Piano Trio No.1 in E flat Major, Op.75 dates from 1825. It was dedicated to Johann Nepomuk Hummel, Mozart’s only full time student, who was considered the greatest living pianist at the time. To some extent, the piano writing resembles that of the dedicatee, which Hummel would certainly have noticed. The opening movement, Allegro con brio, begins with a catchy two bar theme, which comes to dominate the movement. It is at times playful, but at other times full of fiery excitement. It serves as a springboard to several other themes, one of which was reminiscent of the finale to Hummel’s Piano Quintet. The middle movement, Andante con moto, has for its main subject, a Schubertian folk like melody which was taken as Pixis wrote on the manuscript from his opera L’oracle. The finale begins with a slow introduction, al capriccio, poco adagio which leads to the main section, a very exciting and breath-taking Presto.
This is really a fine, first rate work and it is hard to understand why it disappeared. It is by turns beautiful and exciting with great part-writing. It deserves concert performance and can also be recommended to experienced amateur players. We have reprinted the original edition, which is clean and easy to read, although it should be pointed out that this is not a modern edition and the piano part is not a piano score.
Parts: $29.95
