Music from two of the 19th century's greatest musical prodigies
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One of Franz Schubert’s lesser-known masterpieces was performed at a lunchtime concert in Rickmansworth on Wednesday, December 5.
Schubert was fantastically prolific and composed more than 600 pieces of music before dying at the age of 31. He wrote operas, symphonies, masses, string quartets and hundreds of songs. |
But his Piano Trio No 2 in E flat, which was written towards the end of his short life, is among his most astonishing achievements. It is rarely performed in concert halls but has featured on the soundtracks of some memorable films, such as The Piano Teacher, starring Isabelle Huppert, and Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon.
TRMS's December lunchtime concert was given by the Midlands-based Jayne Walker Piano Trio, which has played for the society on two previous occasions.
The trio – Jayne Walker (violin), David Butterworth (piano and organ) and Steven Halls (cello) -- performed variations from another seldom-heard work, Josef Rheinberger’s Suite in C minor for organ, violin and cello. This highly original composition is one of very few pieces written for this unusual combination of instruments.
Although little known today, Rheinberger displayed his musical precocity at an even younger age than Schubert. He was only seven when he became the parish church organist in Vaduz, the capital of Liechtenstein, and he caused a sensation by composing a Mass one year later.
Rheinberger went on to become a music professor in Munich and taught some of the most famous German musicians of the late 19th and early 20th century, including the conductor Wilhelm Furtwangler.
The concert took place on Wednesday 5 December 1.00 - 2.00 pm
Franz Schubert (1797-1828) Piano Trio No.2 in E flat op.100 D929-
1. Allegro; 2. Andante con moto; 3. Scherzando: Allegro moderato; 4. Allegro moderato
Joseph Rheinberger (1839-1901) Variations from Suite in C minor op.149, for organ, violin and cello
Concert poster
Concert notes
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