Song of the Reeds

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Trio in E flat major, K498 – “Kegelstatt”

by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

• Andante
• Menuetto – Trio
• Allegretto

From the eighteenth century to today, people have been delighted and amazed by the stories of Mozart’s genius: how he was an astounding child prodigy; how he could notate complicated music on a single hearing; how he would write down his music without the least revision while chatting with friends. Though disputed, legend has it that he composed his Trio K498 while playing Kegeln, a form of outdoor bowling. The trio was given the enduring nickname “Kegelstatt.” Published in 1788, it was scored originally for clarinet, viola and piano; other combinations ensued. The Andante is based on one short motive that unfolds in a myriad of beautiful transformations. The Menuetto is a graceful, folksy dance with a more mysterious trio section. The work concludes with a spirited Allegretto in rondo form.

Schilflieder (Song of the Reeds), Op.28

by August Klughardt (1847-1902)
on poems by Nikolaus Lenau (1802-1850), read by Heather Duff

• Langsam, träumerisch
• Leidenschaftlich erregt
• Zart, in ruhiger Bewegung
• Feurig
• Sehr ruhig

August Klughardt was a distinguished and prolific German composer and conductor. While working in Weimar, he formed a significant friendship with Franz Liszt. Though Liszt and others such as Wagner provided much creative inspiration, Klughardt resisted the excesses of these late Romantic composers and his style remained conservative. He wrote his Song of the Reeds Op.28 in 1872 with the dedication, “To Franz Liszt in deepest admiration,” though the writing seems more closely allied with Schumann than Liszt. He based Song of the Reeds on a set of poems by the same name, written by Nikolaus Lenau in 1832. The poetry is of love lost and a man’s wanderings amid forest and pond. Though these poems have been set as songs by other composers, Klughardt’s version is set uniquely for chamber music and for the unusual combination of oboe, viola and piano. The music is intimate, beautifully mirroring the many mood shifts of the poetry: tenderness, fire, passion, restlessness and resignation.

Hungarian Dances No.5 & 6

by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

In 1879, Brahms wrote his set of 21 Hungarian Dances based on European folk music and inspired by Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsodies. Originally written for piano duet, they have been arranged for numerous combinations, including full orchestra. These popular dances proved to be his most lucrative work!

Trio for Clarinet, Viola and Piano in A major, Op.264

by Carl Reinecke (1824-1910)

• Moderato – Allegro
• Intermezzo – Moderato
• Legende – Andante
• Finale – Allegro moderato

Unjustly, Carl Reinecke has been all but forgotten by history. Yet in his day, he was deeply respected and very accomplished. He was one of the finest pianists of the age, a teacher who influenced a generation of musicians, a highly sought-after conductor (he served as music director at Leipzig Conservatory for thirty years), and a composer who wrote over three hundred works. Reinecke, in 1904, was the earliest-born composer to record on piano rolls! His style is romantic and offers intense lyricism, rich harmonies and appealing clarity. In 1903, just before his eightieth birthday, he wrote his Trio, Op.264 for Clarinet, Viola and Piano, a finely crafted work with perfect balance among the three instruments. The dark colouring at the outset of the Moderato – Allegro soon spills into brightness and high energy. The Intermezzo offers a sweet pastoral character, while the Legende is a sad, slow folksong. The Finale is all liveliness and joy.