Tchaikovsky Piano Trio in A Minor Alexandra Troussova, Kirill Troussov, Benedict Kloeckner

• Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893): I. Pezzo elegiaco:
• 1 Tchaikovsky: I. Pezzo elegiaco 18:59
• II. Tema con variazioni:
• 2 Tchaikovsky: II. Tema con variazioni: Tema (Andante con moto) 00:59
• II. Variation:
• 3 Tchaikovsky: II. Variation 1 00:52
• 4 Tchaikovsky: II. Variation 2 00:32
• 5 Tchaikovsky: II. Variation 3 00:56
• 6 Tchaikovsky: II. Variation 4 01:06
• 7 Tchaikovsky: II. Variation 5 00:27
• 8 Tchaikovsky: II. Variation 6 02:41
• 9 Tchaikovsky: II. Variation 7 01:17
• 10 Tchaikovsky: II. Variation 8 02:40
• 11 Tchaikovsky: II. Variation 9 03:04
• 12 Tchaikovsky: II. Variation 10 01:43
• 13 Tchaikovsky: II. Variation 11 02:20
• II. Variazioni Finale e coda:
• 14 Tchaikovsky: II. Variazioni Finale e coda 07:09
• Total Runtime 44:45

Info for Tchaikovsky Piano Trio in A Minor

The music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ranks among the most popular and beloved in the classical tradition. Known primarily for his orchestral and ballet music (as well as two favorite operas), he possessed a brilliant gift for winning lyricism, passionate expressivity, brilliant color and a blend of classic European sensibility with an unmistakable Russian character. Hardly a formalist, Tchaikovsky's music seems to flow from instinct and inspiration that follows its own natural shape without worrying about precise classical schematics. All these traits characterize his small but quite worthy oeuvre for chamber music comprising three string quartets, a string sextet (Souvenir de Florence) and the epic Piano Trio in A minor.

A truly one-of-a-kind work, the piano trio occupies its own unique niche apart from the standard repertoire of 19th century European trios. With its thick, rich textures, wonderful melodies, effulgent emotionality and novel form, it is perfectly characteristic of the composer, exactly what we would want Tchaikovsky to compose.

The idea for writing a piano trio came from Tchaikovsky's generous and strange patron Nadezhda von Meck who stipulated that they never meet each other in person. She had retained a young Claude Debussy as a teacher and domestic music maker and was thrilled with a piano trio he penned while in her employ. She passed the suggestion to Tchaikovsky who reluctantly took the idea, waited for inspiration and subsequently produced a gigantic work, one of the longest piano trios in the repertoire. Tchaikovsky dedicated the trio "To the memory of a great artist", referring to his friend and teacher Nicholas Rubinstein, the founder of the Moscow Conservatory whose death in 1881 consumed Tchaikovsky with grief. It has been said that the central theme and variations programmatically describes memories of times they spent together, though Tchaikovsky denied this idea with tremendous sarcasm. But there are at least two important aspects of the trio that represent a tribute to Rubinstein. The piano part is virtuosic throughout, at times assuming important solos and occasionally resembling a chamber concerto. Rubinstein was a fabulous pianist and would likely have adored performing the trio. Second, the elegiac character of the work is unmistakable. The initial theme is drenched in despair and it recurs in the finale with greater force and the stark finality of the familiar funeral march. (Kai Christiansen)

Alexandra Troussova, piano
Kirill Troussov, violin
Benedict Kloeckner, cello

Kirill Troussov
Supported and guided by Sir Yehudi Menuhin at a young age, Kirill Troussov is now widely recognised as one of the leading violinists of his generation. The international press describes his playing as "...impressive elegance, irreproachable technique, an exceptional musical sensitivity and sonorities of immaculate beauty...". Kirill Troussov is a regular guest at prestigious concert halls and renowned international music festivals, all over the world.

His collaboration with celebrated conductors such as Sir Neville Marriner, Vladimir Fedoseyev, Daniele Gatti, Lawrence Foster, Jiri Belohlàvek, Michail Jurowski, David Stern, Christoph Poppen, Vladimir Spivakov, Mikko Frank and Louis Langrée as well as with major orchestras such as the Staatskapelle Berlin, Leipzig Gewandhaus, Orchestre de Paris, Orchestre National de Lyon, Orchestre National de France, Radio Orchestra of Hessischer Rundfunk, Radio Symphony Orchestra of Baden-Baden, Munich Philharmonic Orchestra and Bamberg Symphony Orchestra has brought him, among others, to Tonhalle Zürich, Berliner Philharmonie, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Palais des Beaux Arts Brüssel, Théâtre du Châtelet, Théâtre des Champs Elysées, De Doelen, NCPA in Beijing, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Auditorio Nacional de Musica in Madrid, Verbier Festival, Schleswig-Holstein Festival and Menuhin Festival Gstaad.

His passion for chamber music and friendship connect Kirill Troussov with artists like Sol Gabetta, Yuja Wang, Daniel Hope, Joshua Bell, Gautier und Renaud Capucon, Yuri Bashmet, Mischa Maisky, Elisabeth Leonskaja, Julian Rachlin, Christian Zacharias und Natalia Gutman.

His substitution for Gidon Kremer in Paris, the Asia Tour with the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra, his spectacular performance at the BBC Proms and his activity as jury member at international competitions — among others at the Schoenfeld International String Competition — are just some of numerous highlights of his past concert seasons.

His international awards include the European cultural award "Pro-Europa", the Davidoff-Prize of the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, the international Yamaha Prize and the Reuters-Prize of the Verbier Festival.

Kirill Troussov regularly gives master classes at the Mozarteum Salzburg, Colburn School Los Angeles, Beijing and Nanjing Central Conservatory, European Music Institute Vienna, in Cremona, Milan, Madrid, Dublin, Berlin, Munich, Oslo, Budapest, USA and Hong Kong.

Since 2023 Kirill Troussov is Artistic Director of the Carl Flesch Academy in Baden-Baden, and since 2021 he is Chairman and Artistic Director of the Hong Kong International Young Musicians Competition.

Kirill Troussov’s recordings — among others for EMI Classics, Warner Classics, Dabringhaus und Grimm, Naxos and Farao Classics — have been repeatedly awarded and highly praised by the international press. Furthermore he can be seen with Yuja Wang on her DVD with Kurt Masur. Since 2023 the Label Orchid Classics has begun releasing "Kirill Troussov Live", a series of over 40 live concerts, on all major audio-streaming platforms.

Kirill Troussov completed his studies with Zakhar Bron and Christoph Poppen. His mentors have been Igor Oistrach, Herman Krebbers und Sir Yehudi Menuhin.

Kirill Troussov plays the Antonio Stradivari violin "Brodsky" of 1702, on which violinist Adolph Brodsky performed the world premiere of Tchaikovsky's violin concerto, on December 4, 1881.

Alexandra Troussova
In the corse of her international career, Alexandra Troussova has worked with conductors such as Lorin Maazel, Sir Neville Marriner, Antoni Witt, Volker Schmidt-Gertenbach, Walter Weller, Gerd Albrecht, Joseph Suk, Kaspar Zendner, Arie van Beek, Wolfgang Gönnenwein and Michel Tilkin.

Her successful performances brought her to renowned concert halls, such as the Konzerthaus Berlin, Prinzregententheater München, Kurhaus Wiesbaden, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Théâtre du Châtelet, Théâtre des Champs Elysées, Auditorium du Louvre in Paris, Opéra de Lyon, Tonhalle Zürich, Gulbenkian Foundation Lissabon, Opéra de Monte Carlo, Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles and Auditorio Nacional de Musica in Madrid.

She is regularly invited to prestigious international music festivals, among others to the Verbier Festival, Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, Festival Carinthischer Sommer, Saint-Denis Festival, Festival La Folle Journée, Festival de musique de Sully, Festival Piano aux Jacobins, Festival Piano à Auxerre, Festival Saint-Riquier, Festival Septembre musical, Florilegio Musical Salmantino, Al Bustan Festival, Festival de Lanaudière, Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspielen and Klavierfestival Ruhr.

As a chamber musician she collaborates with a variety of artists including Frans Helmerson, Sarah Chang, Nils Mönkemeyer, Alexander Knjasev, David Guerrier and Benedict Kloeckner.

Alexandra Troussova is celebrating worldwide success in the Duo with her brother, the violinist Kirill Troussov. Both living in Munich, the siblings are recognized as one of the few Siblings-Duos of world class calibre.

Their common recordings — among others for EMI Classics — have been widely hailed by the international press and given many international awards.

The recent CDs "Emotions" (Dabringhaus und Grimm) and "Memories" (Dabringhaus und Grimm) of the Siblings-Duo, have been internationally praised, among others by "Süddeutsche Zeitung" in Germany and the French music magazine "Diapason".

She studied with James Tocco, Dimitri Bashkirov, Vadim Suchanov and Alfredo Perl.

Numerous radio recordings and television broadcasts, among others in Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Canada and USA show Alexandra Troussova’s pianistic versatility.

This album contains no booklet.