Trio in B flat, Op 97 ("Archduke") - Beethoven
Trio in A minor - Tchaikovsky
The Moscow Piano Trio began an 11-concert tour of Ireland at the Irish Museum of Modern Art yesterday afternoon.
It was rewarding to hear musicians whose unanimity betokened their 30 years together and whose playing was so certain in interpretation. The veiled piano sound at the beginning of Beethoven's Arch- duke Trio and the differ entiation of the variations in Tchaikovsky's Trio in A minor typified a wonderful diversity of colour. Each event seemed purposeful.
However, despite strong linear shaping, momentum was often cramped by a held-back rhythmic style, and relishing of detail was sometimes disproportionate. Thus the Beethoven was less convincing than the sectional second movement of the Tchaikovsky, which seemed ideal for a playing style which was a bit idiosyncratic, but nonetheless utterly absorbing.
The Moscow Piano Trio plays at IMMA again on No- vember 15th and 22nd (both concerts begin at 3 p.m.). Also at Athy (Wednesday 11th), Cork (Thursday 12th), Limerick (Friday 13th), Castlepollard (Saturday 14th), Galway (Tuesday 17th), Graiguenamanagh (Wednesday 18th), Waterford (Thursday 19th) and Wexford (Friday 20th), all at 8 p.m.