Piano Trio No. 3 (Dvořák)

Piano Trio
No. 3
by Antonín Dvořák
Dvořák in 1882
Key	F minor
Catalogue	B. 130
Opus	65
Composed	1883 (1883)
Performed	27 October 1883 (1883-10-27): Mladá Boleslav
Published	1883 (1883)
Publisher	Simrock
Duration	39 minutes
Movements	4

The Piano Trio No. 3 in F minor, Op. 65 (B. 130), is a piano trio by Antonín Dvořák. As with the Scherzo capriccioso, the Hussite Overture, the Ballade in D minor, and the Seventh Symphony, composed in the same period, the work is written in a more dramatic, dark and aggressive style that supersedes the carefree folk style of Dvořák's "Slavonic period".

Structure

The composition consists of four movements in the classical tradition:

1. Allegro ma non troppo (F minor)
2. Allegretto grazioso – Meno mosso (C♯ minor)
3. Poco adagio (A♭ major)
4. Finale. Allegro con brio (F minor)

A typical performance takes approximately 39 minutes.

History

Dvořák began writing out the piano trio in February 1883 and completed it on 31 March. The premiere was held on 27 October 1883 at a concert in Mladá Boleslav; Dvořák himself played the piano part. The piece was published shortly after by Simrock.

Reception

Eduard Hanslick wrote in the Neue Freie Presse on 13 February 1884: "The most valuable gem brought to us amid the plethora of concerts in recent weeks is undeniably Dvorak’s new Piano Trio in F minor. It demonstrates that the composer finds himself at the pinnacle of his career."

Discography

• Dvořák: Piano Trios Nos. 3 & 4. Christian Tetzlaff (vn), Tanja Tetzlaff (vc), Lars Vogt (pf). Ondine (2018)

External links

• Piano Trio No. 3 (Dvořák): Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
• Piano Trio No. 3 on YouTube, performed by the Beaux Arts Trio