Alexander Gretchaninoff

Piano Trio No. 2 G Major Op. 128

Grechaninov (1864-1956), mostly known for his piano pieces, songs and operas for children, had his first successes within the circle of the St. Petersburg publisher and patron M. P. Belaieff who awarded him the special award for his String Quartet No. 1 in 1894. Personal, yet distinctly Russian - sometimes cheerful and festive, sometimes contemplative and eloquent - this is how the mood of his music is generally described. Piano Trio No. 2, on the other hand, composed in 1930 during a particularly pleasant stay in California, is characterised by an extraordinary effortlessness and playfulness. Its character is sometimes song-like and dance-like, sometimes grotesque and humorous, sometimes childlike and innocent, yet always with a Russian folk touch.