Henry Litolff Piano Trios

[giles.enders]

There will be a very rare performance of Litolff's Piano trio No.1 in D minor on 21st November at St Pauls church Knightsbridge, London.  It is coupled with the Kakadu Variations, Beethoven and Brahms piano trio  Op.8.  Simon Callaghan,piano, Benjamin Roskams, violin and Ashok Klouda, cello.  This was composed in the period between Litolff's 3rd and 4th piano concertos.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Thank you, Giles. I am most grateful for your support in promoting this concert. Full details below:

ST LAZARUS CHAMBER CONCERT
St Paul's Church, Knightsbridge

A Concert in Aid of The St Lazarus Charitable Trust to raise money for the relief of Leprosy Sufferers throughout the world.

Thursday 21st November at 7.00pm

Includes a rare performance of the Piano Trio in D minor by the English-born composer, Henry Charles Litolff, who is mainly remembered today for the sparkling and light-hearted 'Scherzo' from his Concerto Symphonique No. 4, op. 102 for piano & orchestra (1852).

Programme
Ludwig van Beethoven: Variations on "Ich bin der Schneider Kakadu" in G Op. 121a (1803)
Henry Charles Litolff: Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor Op. 47 (ca. 1848)
Johannes Brahms: Piano Trio in B Op. 8 (1854/89)

Simon Callaghan – piano
Benjamin Roskams – violin
Ashok Klouda – cello

Steinway Artist Simon Callaghan performs internationally as a soloist and chamber musician. He has performed at all the UK's major concert halls, and his extensive repertoire has included complete cycles of Beethoven and Brahms chamber works.
In 2017 he released, to critical acclaim, his debut CD for Hyperion Records' "Romantic Piano Concerto" series: the first recordings of Roger Sacheverell Coke's piano concerti with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and Martyn Brabbins. As one half of The Parnassius Duo, with pianist Hiro Takenouchi, he has recorded, for the Lyrita label, works for two pianos by distinguished Victorians Percy Sherwood and Hubert Parry. Simon's first solo recording for Hyperion, world premières of piano works by Jean Louis Nicodé (1853-1919), was released this year. Website: https://www.simoncallaghan.com/

Benjamin Roskams currently holds the position of 1st violin with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. In addition, Benjamin has led the Dutch National Ballet as well as acting as guest deputy concertmaster of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and Holland Symfonia. In the UK he works regularly with the LSO, LPO and Philharmonia Orchestra. He began playing the violin at the age of nine in Cardiff where he studied with Harry Cawood before winning a scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music, later continuing at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and at the Amsterdam Conservatoire. He now seeks inspiration from Ivry Gitlis in Paris. Benjamin has collaborated with leading artists such as the Brodsky Quartet, Ivry Gitlis, Emanuel Hurwitz, Mats Lidstrom, Alexander Baillie, Priya Mitchell, David Cohen and Thomas Carroll. Benjamin plays a c.1720 Joseph filius Andrea Guarneri violin generously loaned by Albert Cooper's family.

Cellist Ashok Klouda made his solo Wigmore Hall debut in 2010 as a result of winning the Worshipful Company of Musicians/Concordia Foundation Young Artists Fund award. He has won many other awards and prizes, including 1st prize in the 2006 J. & A. Beare Solo Bach Competition, the 2007 Royal College of Music Cello Competition and the 2009 Tunnell Trust concert scheme.
Since 2010, Ashok has been on the Advisory Board for The London Cello Society.
He has performed many times on BBC Radio 3 and recorded for the Nimbus Alliance label with the Barbirolli Quartet and for Champs Hill Records as a member of the Artea Quartet. In 2016, Ashok was made an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music.

Tickets: £15; £25 & £60 (includes buffet supper afterwards – limited number)

Tickets may be purchased through Jonathan Prichard
Phone 01273 202497 or email: jonathan.prichard@btinternet.com

or online at the parish website: https://www.spkb.org/lazarusconcert-nov19/

[Mark Thomas]

Litolff's very attractive Trio was recorded by the Missouri Trio in the LP era on the old Genesis label and was transferred to CD, but it's no longer available since that company's demise (except on YouTube, of course).

[Santo Neuenwelt]

Was it not the Mirecourt Trio on Genesis LP #1058 with Robbins, King and Goldsmith...

Why is it we never hear the other two trios, are they no good.

We recently played through his String Quartet in C Major, Op.60. In our opinion, it was not worth reviving. Perhaps that is what piano trio groups have decided about the last two piano trios. Hard to believe that they never received at least a play through in practice.

[eschiss1]

well, if they were better scanned, I'd recommend the score and parts of #2 in Eb @IMSLP but some bars aren't legible enough so ... maybe a different scan or an editorial intervention typeset... (also, that may be the why of it. For example: there are 3 recordings, maybe 4 counting YouTube videos, of Draeseke's 2nd string quintet and 1 of his 1st. Why? No.2 is in public domain and free. No.1 costs upward of $150 (iirc?) from SMP just to buy the parts. You tell me!)

[Gareth Vaughan]

It was the Mirecourt Trio on Genesis. And Eric may be right about the scans with the other Litolff Trios. However, a little bird tells me that we may have commercially available recordings of all three before too long. I cannot say anymore just yet.

[Mark Thomas]

Yes, of course it was the Mirecourt Trio - heaven knows what I was thinking of typing "Missouri". Great news from your little bird, though Gareth.

[Sharkkb8]

However, a little bird tells me

Has Gareth's "little bird" landed?     (or at least, will be doing so at the end of January....?)

https://music.apple.com/us/album/litolff-piano-trios-nos-1-2/1482936734

[Mark Thomas]

What a welcome surprise, even if the relevance of the booklet cover art escapes me.

[Alan Howe]

An excerpt from the Hyperion CD containing nos.1 and 2 is available here:
https://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/ym.asp?ym=2020_02

[eschiss1]

I rather grumpily wish they'd started with nos. 2 & 3 - I've heard no.1 on the radio rather often and hope that Gareth is right (assuming etc.) that they intend no.3 - but. Thanks! (It being on Hyperion means that it won't show up in the "recordings" section @ its page at IMSLP , but can't have everything!)

[Gareth Vaughan]

All I can tell you, Eric, is that Simon Perry told me he was intending to record all three with the Leonore Trio, but was looking for a suitable companion for No. 3. I have suggested the Bronsart Trio which, besides being extremely good (IMHO) is roughly contemporaneous (I think) with No. 3.

[Alan Howe]

I for one won't be looking this particular gift horse in the mouth!