Went to the final concert in the 'Tchaikovsky in miniature' mini-series. Both pieces were enjoyable but didn't, for me, seem like very co-hesive works. I thought the Copland started off rather 'modern' - not at all my image of Copland - but then became rather 'jazzy'. With Tchaikovsky's Trio the two movements were both good listening but didn't seem to go together as a whole (the second movement, the variations, seemed to go on a bit ). Perhaps because Tchaikovsky was reluctant to write it, not liking the instrumental combination. It might also have been the performers; they only got together as a trio in 2012 & seemed a bit 'fidgety' together, not settled down as a group (unlike the Brodskies - you could see they were communicating with each other, but very smoothly).
Listening to it again later I was struck by the difference in the balance betwen the instruments. In the hall the piano was very dominant - it was like a performance for piano with accompanying strings, rather than the three instruments being equal partners (which is my interpretation of what a trio would be - perhaps I'm wrong). On the radio the piano was much less dominant.
Listening to it again later I was struck by the difference in the balance betwen the instruments. In the hall the piano was very dominant - it was like a performance for piano with accompanying strings, rather than the three instruments being equal partners (which is my interpretation of what a trio would be - perhaps I'm wrong). On the radio the piano was much less dominant.