The Florestan Trio - Mendelssohn: The Piano Trios

The Florestan Trio is firmly established as one of Britain�s�indeed the world�s�most distinguished and remarkably talented ensembles, their Hyperion recordings of Schubert, Schumann and Brahms receiving universal praise. Here they turn their attention to Mendelssohn�s two late piano trios and the performances are fresh and exhilarating!Mendelssohn was without doubt the most precociously gifted composer the world has ever known: not even Mozart produced �mature� masterpieces while still in his teens. He was also double prodigy on the violin and piano (Clara Schumann described him as �the dearest pianist of all�), an exceptional athlete, a talented poet (Goethe was a childhood friend and confidant), multi-linguist, watercolorist and philosopher. He excelled at virtually anything which could hold his attention for long enough, although it was music above all which activated his creative imagination. The well-known Op 49 in D minor and Op 66 in C minor represent the peak of Mendelssohn�s achievement in his relatively small output of chamber music; both trios are similar in structure and mood, beginning with a sombre and intense first movement, followed by a lyrical and melodic slow movement; the third movement is a fleeting and magical scherzo and ending with an energetic finale.