The Abegg Trio was a German

piano trio A piano trio is a group of piano and two other instruments, usually a violin and a cello, or a piece of music written for such a group. It is one of the most common forms found in European classical music, classical chamber music. The term can also ...

. Since its foundation in 1976, it played in the original line-up. In 2017 the ensemble disbanded after its 41st birthday.

History

The Abegg Trio was founded in 1976 at the

Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hannover ' (, plural: ') is the generic term in German for institutions of higher education, corresponding to ''universities'' and ''colleges'' in English. The term ''Universität'' (plural: ''Universitäten'') is reserved for institutions with the right to ...

. In 1977 it received awards at the International Chamber Music Competition Colmar and the

Geneva International Music Competition The Geneva International Music Competition () is one of the world's leading international music competitions, founded in 1939. In 1957, it was one of the founding members of the World Federation of International Music Competition (WFIMC), whose he ...

, in 1979 at the German Music Competition in Bonn, in 1981 in Bordeaux, in 1986 the Bernhard-Sprengel-Prize in Hannover and in 1992 the

Robert Schumann Prize of the City of Zwickau The Robert Schumann Prize of the City of Zwickau is a classical music award. Since 1964 it has been awarded by the Lord Mayor of Zwickau. Robert Schumann was born in Zwickau. Between 1964 and 2002 the prize was awarded annually, since 2003 bienni ...

. The ensemble's name refers to

Robert Schumann Robert Schumann (; ; 8 June 181029 July 1856) was a German composer, pianist, and music critic of the early Romantic music, Romantic era. He composed in all the main musical genres of the time, writing for solo piano, voice and piano, chamber ...

's first published composition the Variations on the name "Abegg" as a tribute to him. The ensemble has made concert tours to 50 countries in Europe, North and South America, Asia, Australia and Africa and has appeared at the

Schubertiade Vorarlberg The Schubertiade Vorarlberg is a music festival in Vorarlberg (Austria). A Schubertiade is an event dedicated to the life and works of the Austrian composer Franz Schubert. The Schubertiade Vorarlberg is one the most known Schubertiades in the wor ...

, the Rheingau- and the

Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival The Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival (SHMF) is a classical music festival held each summer throughout the state of Schleswig-Holstein in Northern Germany. History The festival was founded in 1986 by German concert pianist and conductor Justus Fr ...

, the

Ludwigsburg Festival The Ludwigsburg Festival (''Ludwigsburger Schlossfestspiele'', also ''Internationale Festspiele Baden-Württemberg'') is a culture festival with programs in music, dance, theatre and literature. The festival is held in Ludwigsburg annually between ...

, the Vienna Musiksommer, the

Styriarte Styriarte (also written styriarte) is an annual summer festival of classical music in Graz and Styria, Austria, established in 1985. It is focused on Early music, Baroque music and music of the Classical period. Intended to showcase the work of Ni ...

Graz, the

Bregenzer Festspiele Bregenzer Festspiele (; Bregenz Festival) is a performing arts festival which is held every July and August in Bregenz in Vorarlberg (Austria). It features a large floating stage which is situated on Lake Constance. History The Festival becam ...

, the Braunwald Music Weeks, the

Engadin The Engadin or Engadine (;This is the name in the two Romansh idioms that are spoken in the Engadin, Vallader and Puter, as well as in Sursilvan and Rumantsch Grischun. In Surmiran, the name is ''Nagiadegna'', and in Sutsilvan, it is ''Gidegna'' ...

Concert Weeks, the Janáček-Festival Ostrava, the

Mozart Festival Würzburg The Mozart Festival Würzburg is an annual four-week festival of classic music in the city of Würzburg. It is the oldest festival dedicated to Mozart's music in Germany. The Festival is held in the building and the gardens of UNESCO World Herit ...

, the Heidelberg Mozart Festival Weeks, the , the Kassel Music Days and the Walkenrieder Kreuzgangkonzerte. Abegg trio 2

Since 1982 the Abegg Trio has released 30 recordings on Harmonia mundi, Intercord, EMI and Tacet. Besides works by

Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( ; ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions ...

Louise Farrenc Louise Farrenc (; 31 May 1804 – 15 September 1875) was a French composer, virtuoso pianist and teacher of the Romantic music, Romantic period. Her compositions include three symphonies, a few choral works, numerous chamber music, chamber piec ...

Clara Schumann Clara Josephine Schumann (; ; née Wieck; 13 September 1819 – 20 May 1896) was a German pianist, composer, and piano teacher. Regarded as one of the most distinguished pianists of the Romantic music, Romantic era, she exerted her influence o ...

, Fanny Hensel, Chopin, Berwald,

Kiel Kiel ( ; ) is the capital and most populous city in the northern Germany, German state of Schleswig-Holstein. With a population of around 250,000, it is Germany's largest city on the Baltic Sea. It is located on the Kieler Förde inlet of the Ba ...

, Goetz, Smetana,

Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer during the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music made a lasting impression internationally. Tchaikovsky wrote some of the most popular ...

Rachmaninoff Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff; in Russian pre-revolutionary script. (28 March 1943) was a Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, one of ...

, Janáček,

Debussy Achille Claude Debussy (; 22 August 1862 – 25 March 1918) was a French composer. He is sometimes seen as the first Impressionism in music, Impressionist composer, although he vigorously rejected the term. He was among the most influe ...

Ravel Joseph Maurice Ravel (7 March 1875 – 28 December 1937) was a French composer, pianist and conductor. He is often associated with Impressionism in music, Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composer ...

, Henze,

Acker Acker is a surname from German or Old English, meaning "field". It is related to the word "acre" and is the root of the surname Ackerman. People with this surname include: * Alex Acker (born 1983), American basketball player * Amy Acker (bor ...

, Killmayer, Rihm and

Erdmann Erdmann is a first name and surname, and may refer to: Surname *Carl Erdmann (1898—1945), German historian *Eduard Erdmann (1896—1958), Baltic German pianist and composer * Hans Otto Erdmann (1896–1944), member of the German resistance *Hugo ...

lie the complete cycles of the piano trios by

Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition and proficiency from an early age ...

Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire ...

Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; ; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical period (music), Classical and early Romantic music, Romantic eras. Despite his short life, Schubert left behind a List of compositions ...

Mendelssohn Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 18094 November 1847), widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositions include symphonie ...

Gade Gade may refer to: * Gade - Gade people * Gade (surname) * Gadê County, in Qinghai, China * River Gade, in southern England *"Gade", a song by Croatian singer Severina Vučković * Gade language, a language of Nigeria See also * Gades (dis ...

Schumann Robert Schumann (; ; 8 June 181029 July 1856) was a German composer, pianist, and music critic of the early Romantic music, Romantic era. He composed in all the main musical genres of the time, writing for solo piano, voice and piano, chamber ...

Brahms Johannes Brahms (; ; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor of the mid- Romantic period. His music is noted for its rhythmic vitality and freer treatment of dissonance, often set within studied ye ...

, Dvořák and

Shostakovich Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich, group=n (9 August 1975) was a Soviet-era Russian composer and pianist who became internationally known after the premiere of his Symphony No. 1 (Shostakovich), First Symphony in 1926 and thereafter was regarded ...

. Recordings with trios by Beethoven, Fanny and Felix Mendelssohn, Smetana, Janáček, Debussy and Ravel were five times awarded at the

Preis der deutschen Schallplattenkritik Preis is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Alfred Preis (1911–1993), Austrian architect * Ellen Preis (Ellen Müller-Preis) (1912–2007), German-born Austrian Olympic champion foil fencer * Mary Louise Preis (born 1941), ...

, CDs were chosen as reference recordings (''stereoplay'': Mozart, ''classics today'' USA: Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Brahms and Dvořák), in ''Klassik heute'' the second Dvořák CD became "Klassik-Tipp des Monats", ''Audio'' chose the Brahms recording as "CD of the Month", in the '' Neue Musikzeitung'' the Haydn CD appeared on the "Top List of the Year 1993", in the highscore list of the ''

Süddeutsche Zeitung The ''Süddeutsche Zeitung'' (; ), published in Munich, Bavaria, is one of the largest and most influential daily newspapers in Germany. The tone of ''SZ'' is mainly described as centre-left, liberal, social-liberal, progressive-liberal, and ...

Joachim Kaiser Joachim Kaiser (18 December 1928 – 11 May 2017) was a German musicologist, critic, and journalist. He worked as a senior editor and cultural critic for the ''Süddeutsche Zeitung'' from 1959, contributing reviews and articles on music, literatur ...

rated the first Schubert CD as his "record of the year", the second Schubert CD was awarded ''stereoplay'' "Audiophile CD-Tip of the Month". The Abegg Trio also played concerts on historical instruments. Works by Haydn, Mozart, Kraus, Beethoven, Schubert, Donizetti, Mendelssohn and Brahms have been performed. The strings play original instruments with gut strings (violins by F. Antonius Luppo 1729 and by

Nicolas Lupot 'Nicolas Lupot'' (4 December 1758 – 14 August 1824) was one of the most illustrious French luthiers (violin makers) of his time. Lupot was born in Stuttgart. He was apprenticed to his father and worked in Orléans until 1794. Soon after, he ...

1821, cellos by J. Baptist Salomon 1756 and by Andrea Castagneri 1747), the pianist used various fortepianos, (originals and copies) according to the time of origin of the works. These new experiences were also documented on some CDs: Works by Mozart (piano trios KV 10 - 15, Divertimento KV 254) were recorded with a Silbermann-

fortepiano A fortepiano is an early piano. In principle, the word "fortepiano" can designate any piano dating from the invention of the instrument by Bartolomeo Cristofori in 1700 up to the early 19th century. Most typically, however, it is used to ref ...

replica of a 1749 Silbermann and a

tangent piano The tangent piano is a very rare keyboard instrument that resembles a harpsichord and early pianos in design. It normally features five octaves of keys and the strings are acted upon by narrow wooden or metal slips when the keys are depressed. ...

, works by Johannes Brahms (piano trios A major Op. posth., G major Op. 36 after the sextet, horn trio Op. 40, clarinet trio Op. 114) were recorded with original grand pianos by

Johann Baptist Streicher Johann Baptist Streicher (3 January 1796 in Vienna – 28 March 1871 in Vienna) was an Austrian piano maker that comes from a dynasty piano builders. The tradition began with Johann Streicher's grandfather, Johann Andreas Stein, who was a centr ...

. The Abegg Trio performed the piano trios by Haydn played with an original of

John Broadwood John Broadwood (6 October 1732 – 17 July 1812) was the Scottish founder of the piano manufacturer Broadwood and Sons. Life Broadwood was born 6 October 1732 and christened 15 Oct 1732 at St Helens, Cockburnspath in Berwickshire, and grew up ...

(1808). In addition to their concert activities, the three musicians taught at the music academies in

Münster Münster (; ) is an independent city#Germany, independent city (''Kreisfreie Stadt'') in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also a ...

and

Hannover Hanover ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Lower Saxony. Its population of 535,932 (2021) makes it the List of cities in Germany by population, 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-l ...

.. Together, the Abegg Trio passed on their experience in international

master class ''Master Class'' is a 1995 play by American playwright Terrence McNally, presented as a fictional master class by opera singer Maria Callas near the end of her life, in the 1970s. The play features incidental vocal music by Giuseppe Verdi, Giac ...

es. The Abegg Trio dissolved at the end of 2017. From 1976 to 2017 it performed over 40 years in the original line-up, a very rare case of continuity in a

chamber music Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of Musical instrument, instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a Great chamber, palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music ...

ensemble.Biographie: 1976–2017, 41 Jahre Abegg Trio
/ref>

Members

* Ulrich Beetz (violin) * Birgit Erichson (cello) * (piano)

Discography

Joseph Haydn Franz Joseph Haydn ( ; ; 31 March 173231 May 1809) was an Austrian composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. He was instrumental in the development of chamber music such as the string quartet and piano trio. His contributions ...

: Klaviertrios G-Dur, C-Dur, Es-Dur, es-Moll (modern), A-Dur, d-Moll, E-Dur (historisch), Quintett mit 2 Hörnern (historisch) *

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (27 January 1756 – 5 December 1791) was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical period (music), Classical period. Despite his short life, his rapid pace of composition and proficiency from an early age ...

: Sämtliche Klaviertrios KV 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 254 (historisch), 254, 442, 496, 502, 542, 548, 564 (modern) *

Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire ...

: Sämtliche Klaviertrios op. 1, 1–3, op. 70, 1–2, op. 97, op. 44, op. 121a, WoO 38, WoO 39, Hess 48 *

Franz Schubert Franz Peter Schubert (; ; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical period (music), Classical and early Romantic music, Romantic eras. Despite his short life, Schubert left behind a List of compositions ...

: Sämtliche Klaviertrios op. 99, op. 100 (zwei Versionen), op. post. und andere *

Frédéric Chopin Frédéric François Chopin (born Fryderyk Franciszek Chopin; 1 March 181017 October 1849) was a Polish composer and virtuoso pianist of the Romantic period who wrote primarily for Piano solo, solo piano. He has maintained worldwide renown ...

: Klaviertrio op. 8 *

Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (3 February 18094 November 1847), widely known as Felix Mendelssohn, was a German composer, pianist, organist and conductor of the early Romantic period. Mendelssohn's compositions include symphonie ...

: sämtliche Klaviertrios op. 49, op. 66 * Fanny Hensel: Klaviertrio op. 11 *

: Sämtliche Klaviertrios op. 63, op. 80, op. 88, op. 110, u. a. *

: Klaviertrio op. 17 *

Johannes Brahms Johannes Brahms (; ; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor of the mid-Romantic period (music), Romantic period. His music is noted for its rhythmic vitality and freer treatment of dissonance, oft ...

: Sämtliche Klaviertrios op. 8 (1853, 1889), op. 87, op. 101 (modern), op. 40, op. 114, op .posth., op. 36 (historisch) *

Hermann Goetz Hermann Gustav Goetz (7 December 1840 – 3 December 1876) was a German composer who spent much of his career in Switzerland. He is best known for his 1872 opera ''Der Widerspänstigen Zähmung'', based on Shakespeare's ''The Taming of the Shrew' ...

: Klaviertrio op. 1 *

Franz Berwald Franz Adolf Berwald (23 July 1796 – 3 April 1868) was a Swedish Romantic composer and violinist. He made his living as an orthopedist and later as the manager of a saw mill and glass factory, and became more appreciated as a composer after ...

: Klaviertrio d-Moll *

Friedrich Kiel Friedrich Kiel (8 October 182113 September 1885) was a German composer and music educator. Writing of the chamber music of Friedrich Kiel, the scholar and critic Wilhelm Altmann notes that it was Kiel’s extreme modesty which kept him and his ...

: Klaviertrio op. 34 *

Niels Wilhelm Gade Niels Wilhelm Gade (22 February 1817 – 21 December 1890) was a Danish composer, conductor, violinist, organist and teacher. Together with Johan Peter Emilius Hartmann, he was the leading Danish musician of his day, in the period known as t ...

: Sämtliche Klaviertrios op. 29, op. 42 *

Bedřich Smetana Bedřich Smetana ( ; ; 2 March 1824 – 12 May 1884) was a Czech composer who pioneered the development of a musical style that became closely identified with his people's aspirations to a cultural and political "revival". He has been regarded ...

: Klaviertrio op. 15 *

Antonín Dvořák Antonín Leopold Dvořák ( ; ; 8September 18411May 1904) was a Czech composer. He frequently employed rhythms and other aspects of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia, following the Romantic-era nationalist example of his predec ...

: sämtliche Klaviertrios op. 21, op. 26, op. 65, op. 90 *

Leoš Janáček Leoš Janáček (, 3 July 1854 – 12 August 1928) was a Czech composer, Music theory, music theorist, Folkloristics, folklorist, publicist, and teacher. He was inspired by Moravian folk music, Moravian and other Slavs, Slavic music, includin ...

: Klaviertrio „Kreutzer-Sonate“ * Pjotr Tschaikowski: Klaviertrio op. 50 *

Sergei Rachmaninoff Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff; in Russian pre-revolutionary script. (28 March 1943) was a Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, and Conducting, conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a compos ...

: Klaviertrio g-Moll *

Claude Debussy Achille Claude Debussy (; 22 August 1862 – 25 March 1918) was a French composer. He is sometimes seen as the first Impressionism in music, Impressionist composer, although he vigorously rejected the term. He was among the most influe ...

: Klaviertrio G-Dur *

Maurice Ravel Joseph Maurice Ravel (7 March 1875 – 28 December 1937) was a French composer, pianist and conductor. He is often associated with Impressionism in music, Impressionism along with his elder contemporary Claude Debussy, although both composer ...

: Klaviertrio a-Moll *

Dmitri Shostakovich Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich, group=n (9 August 1975) was a Soviet-era Russian composer and pianist who became internationally known after the premiere of his First Symphony in 1926 and thereafter was regarded as a major composer. Shostak ...

: sämtliche Klaviertrios op. 8, op. 67 *

Hans Werner Henze Hans Werner Henze (1 July 1926 – 27 October 2012) was a German composer. His large List of compositions by Hans Werner Henze, oeuvre is extremely varied in style, having been influenced by serialism, atonality, Igor Stravinsky, Stravinsky, Mu ...

: Klaviertrio Kammersonate * Dieter Acker: Klaviertrio Stigmen *

Wilhelm Killmayer Wilhelm Killmayer (21 August 1927 – 20 August 2017) was a German composer of classical music, a conductor and an academic teacher of composition at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München from 1973 to 1992. He composed symphonies and so ...

: Klaviertrio Brahmsbildnis * Dietrich Erdmann: Klaviertrio *

Wolfgang Rihm Wolfgang Rihm (; 13 March 1952 – 27 July 2024) was a German composer of contemporary classical music and an academic teacher based in Karlsruhe. He was an influential post-war European composer, as "one of the most original and independent mus ...

: Klaviertrio Fremde Szene II * Michael Obst: Klaviertrio Nr. II

References

External links

* * * {{Authority control Piano trios German performers of early music German music educators