Presents
Jean Sibelius
Piano Trio in C Major "Lovisa"
Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) is well-known for his symphonies, violin concerto and tone poems, but outside of his string quartet "Voces Intimae", none of his many chamber works has received the attention of the public. Yet many of these works are well worth performing. The Lovisa Trio is one such work.
Sibelius was born into a Swedish-speaking family in Hämeenlinna in the Russian Grand Duchy of Finland. Although known as "Janne" to his family, during his student years he began using the French form of his name, "Jean", inspired by the business card of his seafaring uncle. With the rise of Finnish Nationalism, his family decided to send him to a Finnish language school. Nationalism was to become a crucial element in Sibelius' artistic output and his politics. Known for his symphonies and tone poems, perhaps the most famous is his Finlandia, the stirring national anthem of Finland. After he graduated from high school in 1885, he began to study law, however, became more interested in music. From 1885 to 1889, he studied music in the Helsinki Music Academy. It was during this period that the Piano Trio in C Major, composed in the summer of 1888, was composed. It has no opus number but has become known as the Lovisa Trio as it was composed at the family country home near the village of Lovisa.
Although Sibelius was only 23 when he composed the trio, it is surprising mature. Up to this point his earlier works were based on classical models, but in the Lovisa trio, he has moved into the territory of full-blooded Romanticism. The opening movement of the trio, Allegro, begins with a buoyant melody full of élan and warmth. The middle movement, Andante, is quiet and tinged with melancholy. The mood is further heightened when the strings enter. The restless main theme of the finale, Allegro con brio, with its striking tonalities and downward-plunging rapid passages leaves a strong impression.
Our edition, made by R.H.R. Silvertrust, is based on a copy of the original manuscript. To the best of our knowledge, it is the only one that has rehearsal numbers and page turns which allow for performance. Usually difficult to obtain and quite expensive, we have made it available at a price we believe both amateurs and professionals will find attractive.
Parts: $29.95
