Paul Lacombe Piano Trios 1, 2 & 3

[Alan Howe]

New from Dutton:
https://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=CDLX7388

[Mark Thomas]

Yet another über-Unsung.

[Alan Howe]

Never heard of him.

[Mark Thomas]

Me neither. There's a not very persuasive recording of the Third Piano Trio on YouTube here, and of a Piano Quartet here.

[Alan Howe]

It's on order.

[Alan Howe]

He wrote a lot!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Lacombe_(composer)#Selected_works

[Mark Thomas]

Didn't he, though?

[Alan Howe]

Immediately obvious is Lacombe's penchant for interesting harmonic progressions. More when I've had a proper listen, but this is really good stuff. I can see why Dutton thought this was worth recording.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Would be interested to find out more about his concertante works. BNF appears to have ms. scores of a Suite for piano and orchestra and a Divertissement for the same. Can find only the 1st movement of the piano concerto alas - ms copy. I would like to see these scores as what I have heard of his music sounds very interesting.

[semloh]

How exciting! I'm looking forward to your assessment of the CD, Alan. As it stands, it looks like another one to add to my enormous 'wants list'. I wonder what/who led Dutton to this composer. Would it be the performers?

Just as an aside, on the same Dutton webpage I note the issue of a 2 CD set of world premiere recordings of a light opera by Gilbert & Cellier, and Cellier's Suite Symphonique. Interesting!

[eschiss1]

btw the first and third piano trios (in G, and in A minor) were scanned (by ?? and Sibley respectively) and uploaded to IMSLP; the 2nd trio's score and parts can be found in various libraries, I gather. (The first is dedicated to Alkan's pupil and perhaps son Elie Miriam Delaborde.)

[4candles]

I've been aware of the Lacombe concertante pieces for a number of years, but I am certainly glad more of his music is being recorded - the Trios sound like very worthwhile music.

Incidentally Gareth, you may now have found Lacombe's Suite at IMSLP (it is also digitized at the BnF, along with a good deal other music by the composer, including symphonic and other orchestral works).

[Alan Howe]

This is a really worthwhile release. The music is often stunning in its beauty (try the slow movement of No.3) and it is simply breathtakingly done here - the string playing is both lustrous and accurate and the recording has that magic combination of intimacy and 'space' around the instruments.

Unpretentious, melodious music, superbly crafted and performed. If these piano trios were by, say, Saint-Saëns, they'd be candidates for a major award.

[Mark Thomas]

Thanks, Alan. Looks like I'd better invest.

[musiclover]

Having now spent some time listening to this Paul Lacombe piano trios disc from Dutton, I'm of the opinion that Lacombe was a composer really to be considered as quite exceptional.
Clearly staying in the south west of France and not moving to Paris as Saint-Saëns suggested stifled public awareness of his music but did not hinder his creativity.
The three trios on this brilliantly played recording chart three periods in his life and you can hear the changes he makes as he goes from the first to the second and finally to the third trio. The second trio is in my opinion the most adventurous but I love the way in the third he has started to embrace the more modern sounds and harmonies more akin to Debussy.
I have just noticed that the same players who play on this recording are going to perform the second trio in a concert of theirs at King's Place on Sunday February 6 at 18.30.
As many of us who can should support them in their endeavour to get this really wonderful music out there.  Once again Dutton has a winner.