Shostakovich Piano Trios – Oslo Trio

Between the youthful and the mature Shostakovich

The renowned Oslo Trio performs three pieces by Shostakovich, two of which are youthful works. Rarely performed, the “Piano Trio no. 1 in C minor, Op. 8” is characterized by a frequently changing character, great variations in tempo, key and theme. It is almost rhapsodic, in spite of its use of the sonata form. In contrast, the “3 Fantastic Dances” are performed regularly all over the world, a charming set of piano pieces – performed only by Jens Harald Bratlie – reflecting a great deal of mature Shostakovich´s sense of irony and satire. Many years and a wealth of compositional and musical experience separate these two youthful works from the monumental “Piano Trio no. 2 in E minor, Op. 67”, a work steeped in grief, written as an epitaph of the composer´s friend, the late Ivan I. Sollertinsky. Loneliness, melancholy and profound, quiet grief sweeps throughout the piece, ending in a “danse macabre” threatening to end everything in total madness, before eventually concluding with resignation.

Oslo Trio was formed in 1974 by three of the most prominent instrumentalists in Norway: Stig Nilsson (violin), Aage Kvalbein (cello) and Jens Harald Bratlie (piano). After winning several prizes at international music competitions, their concert activities steadily grew, both in the Nordic countries and in the rest of Europe and America. They have done several recordings, both as individuals and as a trio.