the czech album ATOS Trio

• Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904): Trio in F minor, op. 65
• 1Allegro, ma non troppo13:54
• 2Allegretto grazioso - Meno mosso06:59
• 3Poco Adagio10:22
• 4Finale. Allegro con brio10:20
• Bedrich Smetana (1824-1884): Trio in G minor, op. 15
• 5Moderato assai12:19
• 6Allegro, ma non agitato08:51
• 7Finale. Presto09:11
• Total Runtime01:11:56

Info for the czech album

Russian music: „Our 'French Album' is being followed here by the 'Russian Album', which could barely be more contrasting in mood. The 'French Album' is springlike and bright, whereas the 'Russian Album' is sombre and melancholic for the most part. As a concert title for the 'Russian Album', we chose the name of Tolstoy‘s drama 'The Light Shines in the Darkness', as all three trios contain radiant moments full of hope alongside the gloom.

Arensky and Shostakovich both dedicated their trios to the memory of friends who had passed away. Rachmaninov called his first work in this genre 'Trio élégiaque' and closed it with a funeral march, even though there was no obvious reason for doing so. Shostakovich’s second trio is probably the best-known work on this CD. It was written in Leningrad in 1944, and no listener is likely to be able to overhear the despair that prevailed at this time against the background of the Second World War.

Because of this feeling, we only play this work at the end of a concert. After all the grief, desperation, cruelty and lamenting, the very last bars in E major are pervaded by a glimmer of hope – the light that shines in the darkness.'

'The repertoire for piano trio holds many surprises as well as treasures and great masterworks, and we get the chance to interprete these incredible pieces many times, again and again. In times of an ever-growing pace of life, of crossover arts and highspeed careers, the chance to repeatedly and steadily work together on these wonderful pieces has become a luxury and a necessity to us. We tremendously enjoy the freedom to form own ideas and concepts and to make our own decisions, as a piano trio – a freedom that is inate to the concept of chamber music.' (ATOS Trio)

Annette von Hehn, violin
Stefan Heinemeyer, cello
Thomas Hoppe, piano

The ATOS Trio (Anette - T(h)omas - Stefan)
was founded in 2003. It has now become one of the very few German chamber-music ensembles to have made its way into major concert series worldwide. Its aim is to go to the very limits of expression and dynamics, without shying from extremes. Outstanding characteristics of the ensemble are its warm, homogeneous trio sound, its variety of approaches depending on the style and epoch of the music being played, and above all the artistic communication between the players and their complete dedication to the music. For the musicians in the trio, playing in the ensemble has complete priority over any other musical activities.

Booklet for the czech album