Trio élégiaque No 1 in G minor
Two Pieces for cello and piano Op 2
Two Pieces for violin and piano Op 6
Trio élégiaque No 2 in D minor Op 9

With the exception of the Cello Sonata, which was written in 1901 following his Second Suite fortwo pianos and Second Piano Concerto, all ofRachmaninov’s chamber music comes from the earliest part of his career. This body of work comprises the four compositions on this disc, together with two un?nished string quartets and also two Romances.

The early completed chamber works ofRachmaninov make a fascinating group. They were composed in the two years up to December 1893.All of this music, therefore, was written before the composer was twenty-one, yet it is wholly characteristic and by no means immature.

The Moscow Rachmaninov Trio show great insight into the composer and their performances bring depth to the works. This recording includes Trio élégiaque No 2 whichRachmaninov started to write on the evening of Tchaikovsky’s death on 25 October 1893 and completed on 15 December.Rachmaninov was deeply shocked and distressed at the news of Tchaikovsky’s death and the piece was written to the memory of him.

‘Uniformly ?ne, sensitive and idiomatic playing and sound that alternately caresses and thunders as the music requires, this disc is a bargain …of all these ?ne works it would be impossible to imagine more satisfying performances than these …altogether a feast forthe ears’ (Fanfare, USA)

‘Performances characterised by admirable technical ?uency and innate musical quality’ (The Strad)

‘Recommended’ (BBC Music Magazine)

‘Strongly recommended’ (The Penguin GuidetoCompact Discs)

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Dawniej CDA 67178