KEY RELEASES | February 2022

RARELY RECORDED

The Aquinas Piano Trio

performs
EARLY HAYDN

Aquinas Piano Trio

© Alexa Kidd-May

© 2022 Naxos Rights (Europe) Ltd 1

 KEY RELEASES | February 2022

8.574361 Playing Time: 69:54

Price Code: NXP Release Date:
7 47313 43617 0 11 Feb 2022
Franz Joseph Haydn
© HNH International Ltd

Franz Joseph HAYDN (1732–1809) Click to listen to an extract from

Piano Trios, Vol. 5 Piano Trio No. 1 (Partita / Divertimento)
Nos. C1, f1, 1, 2 and 6 in G minor, Hob.XV:1: II. Menuetto – Trio
Aquinas Piano Trio – Ruth Rogers, Violin
Katherine Jenkinson, Cello • Martin Cousin, Piano

Haydn worked during a period that witnessed a great deal of stylistic change, including the evolution of
keyboard instruments from the harpsichord to the pianoforte with its hammer action and greater dynamic
flexibility. These rarely heard but influential early Piano Trios include music originally conceived for piano solo
or baryton trio. The Trio in F minor is unusual for its elaborate ornamentation and darker key, and is highly
attractive in its youthful freshness. The acclaimed Aquinas Piano Trio brings these unjustly neglected works
vividly to life.

Key Features:
• Our edition of Haydn’s Keyboard Trios has already established itself as a market leader, with acclaim for the first
three volumes with the Kungsbacka Trio indicating that they ‘need fear nothing in comparison’ (Gramophone)
with any competitors, and were ‘the Haydn of choice’ for Fanfare.
• With their first of two Haydn recordings for Naxos, the Aquinas Piano Trio has enthusiastically taken up the
challenge of Haydn’s rarely recorded early trios, including works originally written as sonatas and with a variety
of origins, including music arranged from earlier baryton trios or previously attributed to other composers.
• The Aquinas Piano Trio has previously appeared on the Naxos label in the chamber music of Rob Keeley
(8.579046), a disc that was an American Record Guide Critic’s Choice, and the trio’s playing summed up as
‘superlative in every parameter’ by Fanfare.

© 2022 Naxos Rights (Europe) Ltd 2

 KEY RELEASES | February 2022

Aquinas Piano Trio

© Alexa Kidd-May

‘ As a group we were very excited to have the opportunity to record these early Haydn
trios as we realised that very few recordings of these works existed. These were pieces
we wanted to explore as the piano trio repertoire has evolved so much since Haydn’s
time and so many composers have been influenced by these early works. Of course, it
is also interesting how instruments and styles of playing have changed since the 18th
century, most notably the piano which is far more powerful now than it ever would
have been then. One of the trios on the disc was originally written as a piano sonata.
Haydn then decided to add the violin and cello parts, remove the finale, and swap
the order of the middle two movements. The texture of a piano trio is very different
from that of a solo piano so we tried to be imaginative with colours and characters
to emphasise this point. We also loved playing the F minor trio (Hob.XV:f1) with its
elaborate use of ornamentation which would have been remarkable at the time. It has
a youthful freshness despite being written in a darker minor key – something that
Haydn did not do very often. We have been performing some of these neglected works

’
in concerts as we believe they are gems that have somehow been unjustly misplaced
and forgotten.

– Aquinas Piano Trio

About the Aquinas Piano Trio

The Aquinas Piano Trio has established itself as one of Britain’s most sought-after chamber groups. Career highlights
include a Schumann concert series at Kings Place, London, and performances at the Menton Music Festival in France,
the Chipping Campden Music Festival in the UK, and the Kirker Chopin Festival in Mallorca. The group’s growing list of
recordings includes the Saint-Saëns and Mendelssohn trios, which was The Strad’s Editor’s Choice in May 2015. Their
continuing support of contemporary music saw them premiere new works by Thomas Hyde and Rob Keeley and record
Rob Keeley’s Piano Trio No. 2 for Naxos.

© 2022 Naxos Rights (Europe) Ltd 3

 KEY RELEASES | February 2022

Previous releases in the series

‘There’s the right level of ‘The Kungsbacka’s playing
mystery in the Kungsbacka’s continues to demonstrate
playing here, and the right the highest level of technical
level of lyricism in the very achievement and interpretive
Schubertian opening melody of sensitivity to the style of the
the Piano Trio in F sharp minor, period.’ – Fanfare
Hob. 25/26. There’s a lot to like
8.572040

8.572063
in their playing here.’
RECORDING OF
– AllMusic.com THE MONTH

7 47313 20407 6 7 47313 20637 7

‘The playing here is just ‘Sparkling performances of early

beautiful – and you can hear it trios (Hob XV:8-12) that capture
for yourself [in] the Allegretto Haydn’s growing confidence in
of Trio No. 28, one of the most the medium and the increased
haunting movements in the technical and stylistic challenges
entire classical period.’ he throws his performers.’
– ClassicsToday.com – Classical Music
8.572062

8.573128

CD OF THE WEEK

7 47313 20627 8 7 47313 31287 0

Other releases of Haydn’s chamber music

‘The baryton enjoys star billing ‘This young German ensemble
in delightfully inventive Haydn … plays beautifully with a light
Matthew Baker has pride of place touch, fleet tempos, and no
as the player of Nikolaus’ disfiguring HIP mannerisms.
instrument... The trio prove The first two works shine
themselves a well attuned team, with this treatment.’
always alert to the music’s – American Record Guide
8.574188

8.573701

mercurial nature.’
– The Strad

7 47313 41887 9 2021 FAVORITE CLASSICAL 7 47313 37017 7

INSTRUMENTAL ALBUMS

‘Uwe Grodd, Martin Rummel ‘The Kodály Quartet [are] fully

and Christopher Hinterhuber… worthy of the composer’s
bring a sense of appropriate inexhaustible invention… Their
social occasion to this playing brings a joyful pleasure
unfailingly sunny and no- in Haydn’s inspiration and there
nonsense music.’ is not the slightest suspicion of
– The New Zealand Herald over-rehearsal or of routine.’
8.572667

8.550315

– The Penguin Guide

7 47313 26677 7 7 30099 53152 8

To see the full list of Franz Joseph Haydn titles on Naxos, please visit
www.naxos.com/composerinfo/Franz_Joseph_Haydn/24410.htm

© 2022 Naxos Rights (Europe) Ltd 4