Francis Thomé (1850-1909) Piano Trio etc.

[Alan Howe]

...forthcoming from Azur Classical:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00M3QJC2Q/musicwebuk
MusicWeb review here:
http://musicweb-international.com/classrev/2017/Apr/Thome_trio_AZC118.htm

The Piano Trio is a 42-minute monster!

[kolaboy]

Another "must have." Ironically, the samples evoke (for me) of the paintings of Giuseppe De Nittis. Irony being that Nittis was Italian..

[eschiss1]

Not quite sure what the reviewer means by "first" major instrumental work, though. Worldcat turns up several incidental music pieces, for instance, without voice (hence instrumental, which just means non-vocal), composed pre-1892 by Thomé, that seem sizable and for small-orchestra, even. (Eg this one.) Also a set of 24 preludes for piano Op.96 (Lemoine, ca.1882) may not have been tossed-off. Or the piano sonata Op.95 (published 1889 and partially available @IMSLP. That at least could have been checked.)

[Mark Thomas]

Persuaded by the very positive MusicWeb International review and the sound bites available at amazon.co.uk, I downloaded this recording. Unfortunately I'm not quite so enthusiastic as Stephen Greenbank was in his review. The big Piano Trio turns out to be, of course, way too big. The work has a certain affable charm, is unfailingly melodic in an undistiguished way and always (except in the slow movement) rather "busy", but it's utterly anonymous and lacks the depth needed to sustain its length. Thomé is certainly inventive in thinking up different ways to present his material but, as we know from many examples in Rubinstein's music, that's not the same as genuine development. I was reminded of Wagner's jibe about Meyerbeer's operas being heavy on "effects without causes". Cutting each movement by around 25-30% would certainly have countered Thomé's prolixity, but one would still be left with his humdrum thematic material and the lack of real musical development. In contrast, he's at his best in the shorter works, which are all charming examples of well-crafted salon music, and much more effective for being unashamedly modest in their ambition. I shall probably return to them much more often than I will to the Trio.