Piano Trios by Babajanian, Smetana & Krenek Trio Contrasti

• Aṙno Harutyuni Babadjanian (1921 - 1983): Piano Trio (1952) in F Sharp Minor:
• 1 Babadjanian: Piano Trio (1952) in F Sharp Minor: I. Largo - Allegro espressivo 09:13
• 2 Babadjanian: Piano Trio (1952) in F Sharp Minor: II. Andante 06:44
• 3 Babadjanian: Piano Trio (1952) in F Sharp Minor: III. Allegro Vivace 06:06
• Bedřich Smetana (1824 - 1884): Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 15:
• 4 Smetana: Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 15: I. Moderato assai 11:11
• 5 Smetana: Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 15: II. Allegro, ma non agitato 07:44
• 6 Smetana: Piano Trio in G Minor, Op. 15: III. Finale. Presto 09:08
• Ernst Krenek (1900 - 1991): Trio Fantasy (1929), Op. 63:
• 7 Krenek: Trio Fantasy (1929), Op. 63 12:09
• Total Runtime 01:02:15

Info for Piano Trios by Babajanian, Smetana & Krenek

The debut album by the young Trio Contrasti takes us on a journey through time with a mosaic of sounds in which epochs and cultures enter into dialogue.

Romanticism gave the art world a new paradigm of thought. Music took the leading position among the arts; the freedom of formal design, initiated by the content, unfolded. The quest for national self-identification and the rapid development of national styles in art began. Romanticism opened the way for a dialogue between epochs and cultures that continued into the 20th century. Three works that have no direct connection to each other are nevertheless in a common context. When viewed through the prism of a Romantic paradigm, they can be seen as stages on the path through epochs and cultures.

Trio Contrasti:
Alla Kurdiumova, cello
Nora Shekyan, violina
Ma Xuezhao, piano

Trio Contrasti:
The piano trio Contrasti is a unique ensemble made up of three young musicians, from Armenia, Russia, and China. These extraordinary personalities bring not only the cultural traditions and mindsets of their home countries to the group, but also their contrasting temperaments, which blend into a fascinating musical style. Founded in the spring of 2021, the trio had already reached the final of the „hmt-Musikpreis“ competition by the summer. In autumn of 2021 they thrilled the audience at the final concert of the chamber music festival ‘Als die Stunden still Standen’ (As the Hours Stood Still) in Rostock.

Since April 2022 the trio ‘Contrasti’ has continued to hone their ability at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg, studying for a master’s degree in chamber music under the tutelage of Prof. Niklas Schmidt. Carefully selected repertoire and concert programmes make Contrasti an inspiring example of how musicians of varied cultures can bring music from different countries and eras to life with their performance ability.

Booklet for Piano Trios by Babajanian, Smetana & Krenek