Piano Trio in G Minor

Clara Schumann’s compositions have long been overshadowed by those of her husband, Robert Schumann. But her polished, perfectly conceived and balanced Piano Trio is a masterpiece that bears comparison with any of the three subsequently produced by Robert. It's a textbook example of mid-19th-century Romanticism in the Classical clothing of two fast outer movements surrounding a playful "Scherzo" and lyrical "Andante". A celebrated pianist with a busy concert life, Clara had limited opportunities to compose—and this piece was written in 1846 while she was pregnant and forced to rest. Sadly, she miscarried. But the Trio flourished, destined as it largely was for domestic musicmaking in times when there was a ready market for chamber works within the reach of amateurs. Much of the writing is therefore not too demanding, but as Clara also intended it for her personal use in concerts, she took care to provide the piano at least with some challenge. And it certainly gets the most interesting music—although concern for balance ensures that the violin and cello have spotlit moments of their own. An opening “Allegro moderato” in conventional sonata form leads into a “Scherzo” where the violin tends to get the melody, followed by the wistful “Andante". The “Allegretto'' finale, with its fugal elements and high drama, rounds the Trio off in serious terms: a message to the listener, perhaps, that this is music not to be dismissed as merely for the salon.