HORN TRIOS from MOZART to PIAZZOLLA and beyond (Volume 1) is
the first installment of a 2-volume compendium of horn trios from
the 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st centuries - an amazing “anthology” of
original and arranged repertoire for the trio ensemble of horn, violin
and piano. This is not the kind of recording project consisting of the
obligatory Brahms Trio Op. 40 in the company of two or three other
much-recorded works. Presenting a 4-centuries double-disc album
with just this First Volume, the artists explore a strikingly-interesting collection of diverse styles and genres, where even the sheer number of different nationalities of the composers (from 12 different countries) brings instant awe. Yes, the Brahms Horn Trio is included, as well as works by Mozart and Piazzolla (as the album’s title proclaims), but we also hear trios by composers from the United States, Canada, England, France, Liechtenstein, Estonia, Romania, Bulgaria and Morocco. Presenting no less than 8 world-premiere recordings in just this Volume 1, the album brims with rarities and contrasts, showcasing many works written specifically for these artists. Hornist Howard Wall, whose storied career includes not just his legendary reputation as a long-time member of two of America’s most prestigious orchestras - The New York Philharmonic and The Philadelphia Orchestra, but has also produced an impressive discography of chamber and solo discs, brings a symphonic dimension to his own arrangement of Piazzolla’s “Oblivion”, and an excitingly-speedy rendition of the Brahms Trio, as well as breathtaking interpretations of all other works. Violinist Elmira Darvarova is equally “at home” in Mozart (as a former concertmaster of The Metropolitan Opera, where she accompanied the world’s greatest singers in a multitude of Mozart operas) and in Piazzolla (having attained a Grammy nomination for one of her many Piazzolla albums), as well as everywhere else, possessing not just an incredibly strong and full tone, but also a magnificent level of sensitivity which fascinates with the limitless range of dynamics and sophisticated phrasing. Pianist Thomas Weaver, whose own horn trio mesmerizes with atmospheric moods (and is narrated by himself, reading Edgar Allan Poe’s Stanzas) and whose translucently textured playing has been hailed for his recent album of Hungarian composers (recorded together with Elmira Darvarova), shines in each piece with sublime virtuosity and fierce artistic commitment. This is a “not to be missed” album release, anticipating the upcoming Volume 2 which will conclude this terrific project.
