Peteris Vasks

Works for piano trio

Trio Palladio
Eva Bindere, violin
Kristina Blaumane, cello
Reinis Zarins, piano

ODE 1343-2 · CD · February 2020

Chamber

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Track listing

10 tracks · 64:35

Listen to samples on selected tracks.

Peteris Vasks

1 Lonely Angel (2019) 15:13
Episodi e canto perpetuo (1985) 28:22
2 I. Crescendo 2:44
3 II. Misterioso 4:41
4 III. Unisono 4:41
5 IV. Burlesca I: Allegro assai 3:21
6 V. Monologhi: Espressivo 2:26
7 VI. Burlesca II 3:29
8 VII. Canto perpetuo: Dolcissimo ma molto espressivo 6:20
9 VIII. Apogeo e Coda 3:32
10 Plainscapes for piano trio (2011) 18:08

Product details

Format: CD
Release date: February 2020
Catalogue no.: ODE 1343-2
EAN / UPC: 0761195134320
Total duration: 64:35

Performers

Latvian composer Pēteris Vasks (b. 1946) has earned much international acclaim through his deeply spiritual works of choral music, symphonies and concertos. Vasks’ list of works also includes several pieces of chamber music. This album by Trio Palladio from Latvia includes Vasks’ works for the piano trio.

Episodi e Canto perpetuo dating from 1985 is one of Vasks’ key works in chamber music. The work is dedicated to Olivier Messiaen and was written during time when Latvia was still experiencing the Soviet times. The work has eight movements which are played consecutively. The work was inspired by Messiaen’s Quartet for the End of Time, which was used as a kind of a template when writing the work, but contain no musical references to Messiaen’s music.

Plainscapes (2011) was a work originally written for the choir, violin and cello. This deeply atmospheric piece was inspired by the Latvian nature as many other works by the composer: “In the Zemgale plains, you see the starry sky right span to the horizon. It is past comprehension, but I almost want to embrace the unembraceable,“ composer tells.

Lonely Angel (2019) is a new adaption specially created by Vasks for this album of the 5th movement of his String Quartet No. 4. Previously the composer had also written an arrangement of the piece for violin and strings premiered by Gidon Kremer and the Kremerata Baltica.

Trio Palladio is a chamber music ensemble of three established Latvian soloists, avid chamber musicians and acclaimed recording artists Eva Bindere, Kristīna Blaumane and Reinis Zariņš. Each of them is the laureate of the Grand Music Award of Latvia, and in 2019 they were nominated for this prestigious award as a trio. Recently the trio had its debut recital at the London Wigmore Hall and the trio’s interpretations have been broadcast live on the BBC Radio 3, as well as the Polish and Latvian radio. Trio Palladio creates conceptual programmes with rich variety of classical, romantic and contemporary chamber music, with particular focus on works by Latvian and Baltic composers.

Sleeve notes in English

Trio Palladio

TRIO PALLADIO are three established Latvian soloists, avid chamber musicians and acclaimed recording artists Eva Bindere, Kristīna Blaumane and Reinis Zariņš. Each of them is the laureate of the Grand Music Award of Latvia, and in 2019 they were nominated for this prestigious award as a trio. Recent highlights include their artistic residency in the Concert Hall Cēsis, debut recitals at the London Wigmore Hall and Lutosławski Concert Studio in Warsaw, and performances of Beethoven’s Triple concerto with the Latvian National Symphony orchestra.

Full biography

Eva Bindere

Eva BINDERE (a member of Trio Palladio) was Concertmaster of the Kremerata Baltica chamber orchestra for fifteen years, as well as a regular duo and chamber music partner of Gidon Kremer (also on the Grammy-winning album After Mozart), performing at such venues as Carnegie Hall, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Suntory Hall Tokyo, Salzburg Mozarteum, Musikverein Wien, Royal Albert Hall, and many more. Eva has a special affinity for chamber music and has collaborated with many artists including Yo-Yo Ma, Pierre Amoyal, Renaud and Gautier Capucon, Hagen Quartet, Mario Brunello, Thomas Demenga, Leif Ove Andsnes, and Martin Helmchen. Teaching is an important part of Eva’s life; she is Professor at the Jāzeps Vītols Latvian Academy of Music in Rīga and the Accademia Perosi in Biella, Italy. Eva gives regular masterclasses, and collaborates with a variety of orchestras and educational projects. She has also given Latvian premieres of the Magnus Lindberg and Kurt Weill violin concertos, as well as lesser known Latvian music.

Full biography

Kristina Blaumane

Kristīna BLAUMANE (a member of Trio Palladio) is one of Latvia’s top cellists – soloist, chamber musician, principal cellist. As a soloist she has performed with London Philharmonic Orchestra, Amsterdam Sinfonietta, MDR Symphony Orchestra, Britten Sinfonia, Kremerata Baltica, Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, Netherlands Wind Ensemble as well as all main orchestras in her native Latvia. Kristīna has been invited to perform at many festivals such as Lockenhaus, Salzburg, Amsterdam Cello Biennale, Gstaad, Verbier, Basel, Jerusalem among others. She has recorded for BMG, Onyx, BIS and ECM labels. She is a two-time winner of the Latvia’s Grand Music Award. Since 2007 Kristīna combines her busy career with the principal cello position in London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Full biography