Above, the artists of the Phaeton Piano Trio: pianist Florian Uhlig, violinist Friedemann Eichhorn, and cellist Peter Hörr
Author: Oberon
Sunday February 9th, 2020 - This evening's concert by the Phaeton Piano Trio at The Frick was perfect in every regard. The space, the program, the playing, and my companion: perfection. Making their New York debut today, the Trio offered masterpieces by Beethoven, Mendelssohn, and Dvořák to an appreciative audience.
The Music Room at The Frick (above) is one of the most appealing places to enjoy music in all of Gotham. The wonderfully immediate acoustic, the subdued lighting, and the feeling of intimacy are ideal. Today, we were hearing Beethoven's Trio in D-Major, Op 70, No. 1 (“Ghost”) live for the second time in the span of a week. The difference between hearing it in the big space of Carnegie Hall and hearing it at The Frick today was telling. And the playing by the Phaeton was everything one could hope for.
The three gentlemen seized our imagination with the urgency of their opening phrases. The flow of music from the keyboard underscores lambent sounds from the violin and cello; everything melds into a rich blend, which has the emotional pull of Olde World style and grace. My companion and I were soon swept into that world by the Phaeton's inspired - and inspiring - playing.
The mysterious start of the Largo heralds the movement which gives this trio its appellation: “Ghost.” A mournful theme from Mr. Hörr's cello is soon melded to the colorations of poignant regret summoned by Mr. Eichhorn's violin. At the Steinway, Mr. Uhlig's dynamic palette adds to the haunting atmosphere. The performance was profoundly moving, as Mr. Uhlig commence his long descending piano scale I was on the verge of tears.
The zestful opening of the concluding Presto snaps us out of our darkling reverie. The pianist interjects flashes of keyboard deftness as the music sweeps onward, in alternating currents of vitality and lyricism. The cumulative power of the Phaeton's Beethoven left me feeling euphoric and a bit dazed....but dazed in the best possible way.
Felix Mendelssohn's Trio in D-Minor, Op. 49 is a very special work for me. Many years ago, when opera was the only music I cared about, I was waiting for one of the Met's Saturday matinee broadcasts to start; the station played this Mendelssohn trio and I was awakened to the delight of chamber music. For years afterwards, opera continued to hold sway; but when I moved to New York City in 1998, I found the wondrous world of chamber music welcoming me. I am still exploring it now, some 22 years on. Performances like today's at The Frick offer consolation in this troubled world.
I realize now that this Mendelssohn trio's immediate lure is the heartfelt cello solo that sets the music on its way, and which Mr. Hörr played with of a dusky rose-tinted hue. His control of vibrato is so thoughtful and poetic, and in this he is perfectly matched by Mr. Eichhorn's violin.
Mr. Uhlig at the piano introduces the second m ovement, Andante con moto tranquilo, with the melody in the right hand and the accompanying figurations divided above. The theme is taken up by the violin, and beautifully harmonized by the cello.
The typically Mendelssohnian Scherzo is light and precise, and the finale features the piano prominently, sending forth arpeggios and chromatic octaves. The listeners are swept along, with the strings bringing cantabile passages to the mix.
Dvořák's Trio in E-Minor Op. 90 (“Dumky”) was the post-interval treat from these superb musicians. Dumky is the plural of dumka, a Ukrainian lament. Dvořák combined these slow, melancholy sections with faster Slavic dances; he chose six dumky, each in a different key. Thus his Opus 90 seems more like a suite than a traditional piano trio.
The first movement starts with a cello lamentation, in which the violin soon joins. Then the dancing starts. The second movement again brings the cello's meditation, followed by a lively vivace. Thus the work moves forward, with shifting moods and ample opportunities for each player to shine: their emotive performance is rich and wondrous. The "Dumky" trio ends on an exuberant note, upon which waves of applause filled the golden room.
A Beethoven adagio was the much-admired encore today, with the cello in prominence. Here, as throughout the evening, the silent communication between the players was so fascinating to observe at close range.
It was interesting to note in the players' brief bios that all three are professors at prominent music centers in Germany. Fortunate the students who work with such outstanding musicians.
~ Oberon