Description

Hans Schauer (1928-2006)

Trio for Bb clarinet, violoncello and piano

This trio was composed in 1988. Originally conceived as a piano trio with violin, the piece was reworked in 1989 for clarinet for practical reasons. In doing so, Schauer sought to make use of the characteristic possibilities of the woodwind instrument and extended the Adagio to its current length. The piano part remained unchanged from the original version.

The composer writes about his work: “The piece feels like a gentle introduction to contemporary music: the beginning is almost impressionistic, with a pensive melody followed by a cheeky second theme; the scherzo is strongly rhythm-driven, featuring a contrasting trio section. Harmonically, the Adagio is probably the boldest movement: at first, a sustained piano tone is encircled by the other two players in an almost heterophonic manner. Eventually, the cello breaks free and sings a conciliatory melody, accompanied by the piano’s shimmering whole-tone scales. The cheerful finale serves as a summary of what has come before and provides a convincing conclusion.”