Rooted: Trios by Smetana, Suk, Coleridge-Taylor, and Martin—Neave Trio (Chandos 20272)
This July 5 release by the Grammy-nominated Neave Trio explores four works by composers who were grappling with how their roots affected who they were. The disc opens with Bedrich Smetana’s haunting Op. 15 Trio written in response to the death of his four-year old daughter. The music and esthetic of Franz Liszt lay at the roots of this piece. Samuel Coleridge-Taylor explored his heritage through his Twenty-four Negro Melodies for piano, five of which he arranged for piano trio. Dvorák’s influence is clear in not only Coleridge-Taylor’s music but also in that of his pupil (and son-in-law), Josef Suk. Suk’s Petit Trio shows him seeking out his own distinctive voice as a Czech composer. The disc closes with Frank Martin’s Trio on Popular Irish Melodies. Martin’s compositions from this time show him searching for his own authentic musical voice. His fascination with a plurality of folk music and its various rhythms are part of his musical roots which were part of his identity as he matured. This latest recording from the Neave Trio further cements their reputation as one of the finest trios of their generation.
Bedrich Smetana: Piano Trio in g Op 15
Samuel Coleridge Taylor: Five Negro Melodies
Josef Suk: Petit Trio in c Op 2
Frank Martin: Trio on Popular Irish Melodies