Piano Trio

This piece was written in 1993 and is part of a large body of chamber music for a variety of instrumental combinations composed over a period of twenty years. It shows something of the earlier development towards my own more individual palindromic style of writing.

The first movement makes use of two palindromic figures which are heard separately and integrated into developing material with points of recapitulation. An interesting feature is the cadenza for the string duo.

The second, pensive, slow movement expands further new motifs derived from the first movement, pitched against tense, dissonant keyboard harmonies.

The third movement [Homage to Beethoven], plays out some of the typically famous rhythmic figures in several of his symphonies, but treated with much imitation between the instruments.

The somewhat romatically inclined Finale has basically two ideas: a motif figure heard at the outset on the piano and a more melodic idea to follow later, again in the piano line.

1. Brisk - urgent
2. Slow - tranquil - ponderous - fervent
3. Alla Scherzo (Homage a Beethoven) - Very Nippy
4. Spritely, yet with wentiment