Update Title: DB41D91E-E0C0-4E7C-A354-2EE1F1270965

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When I was approached by Charles Castleman of the Raphael Trio to compose a work for them it was soon after I had heard this ensemble in a recital of Beethoven's trios, and that wonderful performance of those remarkable pieces coaxed me through the composing of my own work.  My Trio is a piece in three movements, which follows the tempo scheme of fast-slow-fast; it often groups the two string instruments as a thematic unit which is contrasted with the piano writing, as is found in Beethoven's trios; each movement develops from a short and motivic  musical statement heard at the beginning; and the second movement, which is marked Tempo di Sarabanda, uses the rhythmical style of an old dance form--the sarabande.  Both of the faster movements feature repeating rhythms that build intensity--not something new to music from Beethoven's period, but in this piece, I think, a bit different from it.  The opening movement progresses from an initial melody in the piano that is just a little bit out of rhythmical balance, lasting four and one-half beats with a pick-up note.  The third movement, somewhat like a rondo, is lean in texture and a bit hard-edged, with a great deal of unison doubling and imitation.  A swirling waltz appears in the middle of the movement.  The slow second movement reflects the sarabande characteristics through a contemporary prism.
The Trio was first performed on December 2, 1990, in Taplin Auditorium at Princeton University on a concert sponsored by the Friends of Music.  The Performers were Catherine Tait, violin; Steven Doane, cello; and the pianist was myself.  The Raphael Trio, for whom the piece was written, performed the work in several recitals during their 1992 season.

-David Liptak

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