Sergei Rachmaninov’s two Elegiac Trios became the pinnacle of Russian musical symbolism, forming an epigraph to the revolutionary upheavals that split Russian civilisation and Rachmaninov’s life in two. The moods of nostalgia and echoes of soulful longing found in these works are infused with ideas of death. The beautiful theme of the Trio élégiaque no.1 in G minor transforms into a funeral march in the epilogue, while the complex Trio élégiaque no.2 in D minor is a memorial to Tchaikovsky filled with powerfully prophetic symbols, most notably the Dies irae motif.

The first part of our History of the Russian Piano Trio edition concluded with a fifth volume (Naxos 8574116) released in July 2021, resulting in a highly collectable anthology which was the first of its kind to be released on disc, with Gramophone concluding that ‘this top-class ensemble restores their magic… this “History of the Russian Piano Trio” is a set to treasure’.

Now The Brahms Trio returns with its follow-up; a second part devoted to the Silver Age and Russian Art Nouveau. Rachmaninov’s two Elegiac Trios are core elements of the piano trio repertoire and of pre-revolutionary Russian music, and while there are numerous recordings that pair them together there will be few enthusiasts not wanting to add The Brahms Trio’s recording to their collections, especially given the superlative quality of their previous Naxos recordings.