Seraphim Trio

Wednesday, 31 August 2022 at 8pm

Anna Goldsworthy (piano) Helen Ayres (violin) and Tim Nankervis (cello) with Kristian Winther (guest violin) and Jacqui Cronin (guest viola).

An unforgettable performance..It’s what art is supposed to be for but does not always achieve. - Limelight 

Programme

HAYDN - Piano trio in C major, HOB.XV 27

BEETHOVEN - Piano trio in B-flat major, Op 97, Archduke

INTERVAL

SCHUMANN - Piano quintet in E-flat major, Op.44

 

About the Artists

The Seraphim Trio is one of Australia’s pre-eminent piano trios. Over their twenty six years together, the members of the Seraphim Trio - Helen Ayres (violin), Anna Goldsworthy (piano) and Timothy Nankervis (‘cello) - have established a reputation for performing with finesse and impeccable quality.  They are well known to Australian audiences through their concert series, radio broadcasts, recordings and solo appearances.

Read more about the artists.

Programme Notes

The Seraphim Trio's concert features three of the most accomplished and popular Classical chamber works beginning with Haydn's sparkling C major trio from the Classical style's glory days and Beethoven's heroic, lyrical Archduke trio, which contains some of his most movingly beautiful music.  They are joined by Kristian Winther (guest violin) and Jacqui Cronin (guest viola) for one of Schumann's finest chamber works, an epic, exuberant piano quintet.

HAYDN   Piano trio in C major,HOB.XV 27

Programme notes for this work will be available nearer to the concert date.

BEETHOVEN   Piano Trio in B- flat major Op 97, Archduke

Allegro moderato/Scherzo (Allegro)/Andante cantabile, ma però con moto – Poco più adagio/ Allegro moderato

Beethoven composed the ‘Archduke’ Trio during 1810-11. It was a period of his life when, at the age of 40 a proposal of marriage to the niece of his physician had been rejected and his deafness was becoming an increasingly devastating impediment.  The Trio was given its first public performance in 1814 at a charity concert in Vienna, with Beethoven himself as the pianist. It was evident that his performance ability was in decline and after a repeat of the performance a few weeks later Beethoven did not appear in public again as a pianist.

As Grove’s Dictionary observes, Beethoven’s new concern in the sonatas and chamber works of his middle period was lyricism which inspired such major works of a different character as the Piano Sonata in F sharp Op. 78, the ‘Archduke’ Trio and the Violin Sonata Op. 96. Beethoven had never written such beautiful slow movements as he now wrote for the ‘Harp’ Quartet, the ‘Archduke’ Trio and the Fifth Piano Concerto, completed in 1809.

The first movement of the Trio is an expansive sonata form of majestic proportions. R.H. Schauffer considers the second movement, a witty scherzo, “one of the master’s foremost contributions to this form of his invention”. The slow movement (andante cantabile) contains some of Beethoven’s most movingly beautiful and otherworldly music.  The movement is a set of four variations, with the theme, one of Beethoven’s noblest melodies, containing deep organ harmonies. The movement’s coda is characterised by an ecstatic recitative. The slow movement leads straight into the ebullient finale, a sonata rondo with an extended Presto coda.

Rudolph Johann Joseph Rainer, Archduke of Austria (1788 – 1831) was the youngest son of Emperor Leopold II of Austria. Rudolph inherited an interest in the arts from his Hapsburg ancestors and  completed serious music studies.  He had piano and later composition lessons from Beethoven. He was originally intended for a military career but, perhaps because of his ill health, went into the Church and became a Cardinal and Archbishop.  Rudolph assisted with Beethoven’s financial needs from 1809, which continued to Beethoven’s death in 1827 and a sincere friendship developed between the two over many years.  Beethoven dedicated a total of fourteen works to him including the Fourth and Fifth Piano Concertos, ‘Fidelio’ and the Missa Solemnis. It is a fitting legacy that one of Beethoven’s greatest works should bear the Archduke’s name.

                                                                                                                             R. C.

SCHUMANN  Piano quintet in E-flat major, Op.44

Programme notes for his work will be available nearer to the concert date.