Klaviertrio Nr. 7 B-Dur op. 97

The “Archduke Trio”, op. 97, was dedicated to and named after the Archduke Rudolph. Its first performance took place in 1814 at the hotel “Zum römischen Kaiser”, which was frequently used as a concert venue in the early 19th century. The audio sample encompasses the beginning of the unusually long Scherzo, with its characteristic counterpoint woven into an almost folk-like theme. The trio’s initial fugato theme is contrasted with a second theme in the quintessential style of a Viennese waltz, intended as an ironic commentary on a fashionable dance of the period.

This 1941 recording was made by the influential trio of Artur Rubinstein (1887–1982), Jascha Heifetz (1901–1987) and Emanuel Feuermann (1902–1932). All three musicians were of Jewish descent. Following their early success in Europe, they emigrated to the United States, where they continued to set benchmarks for future generations of performers. Rubinstein, who was born in Poland, was an exceptionally talented pianist whose bright sound has often been described as “golden tone.” Russian-American violinist Jascha Heifetz played on numerous recordings of chamber music, and was highly influential in the development of violin technique. Finally, Austro-German cellist Feuermann made a significant contribution to securing the cello’s place as a solo instrument, along with Pablo Casals.
(Constanze Köhn)