Alfred Schnittke
Trio
Duration: 25'
Dedication: für Alexander Potapow, der mir zweimal das Leben rettete
Instrumentation details:
violin
violoncello
pno
Schnittke - Trio for violin, violoncello and piano
Translation, reprints and more
Alfred Schnittke
Schnittke: Trio for violin, cello and pianoOrchestration: for violin, cello and piano
Type: Partitur und Stimmen
Audio preview
Work introduction
The first version of the piece, composed in 1985 for the 100th anniversary of Alban Berg’s birth, was scored for violin, viola and violoncello. Schnittke wrote it for piano trio in 1992 and dedicated it to Alexander Popatov, the doctor who twice saved the composer’s life.
The composition is an excellent example of Schnittke’s polystylism. The spirit of Alban Berg is present, along with Schubert and Mahler and Schnittke’s own personality, with its pain, conjuring ghostly quiet and longing. Perhaps the piece is a warning from the composer to the effect that it is not necessary to classify the music unambiguously; the composer may let his imagination roam freely.