Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884), Piano Trio in G-Minor, Op. 15 (1855), 3 Movements for Piano, Violin and Cello

[The Hersch]

I'm probably not alone in having dis-favorite musical compositions, i.e., pieces of music that regardless of their quality I'd really rather never hear again. Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. Ravel's Bolero. Roy Orbison's "Pretty Woman". The Canon in D by the fellow whose name reminds me of Taco Bell. Vivaldi's Four Seasons. Smetana's Moldau. In fact, I used to think of Smetana as "the Moldau guy".

Then one day, about three years ago, I stumbled across Smetana's piano trio, and was so stunned by it I quickly bought four or five different performances on CD, and for a while there I was listening to it at least once a day. One of the key characteristics of dis-favorite pieces is over-exposure, and yet after hearing Smetana's piano trio more than a hundred times (I figure), I find it as thoroughly ravishing and emotionally satisfying as I did after two or three hearings.

As I've mentioned before, I love Romantic chamber music, and this piece is perhaps as extravagantly Romantic as anything ever written.

The late, lamented Beaux Arts Trio:

1st movement:

2nd movement:

3rd movement: