A very boisterous programme of music from Czechoslovakia, Germany and Hungary.  Martinu’s Madrigals are some of the finest of all repertoire for string duo.  It’s rousing, beautiful melodies are flanked in the outer movements by rhythmic drive and a huge, sonorous sound.  You’ll be surprised how just two players can fill a hall with sound!  Brahms’ Trio is a sumptuous labyrinth of melodies, with the final two movements taken by a Viennese-style waltz and an exciting gypsy-esque Rondo finale.  Dohnányi’s Sextet is, we muse, is the Endymion piece.  A lively, colourful mix of timbres and tunes, with a truly emphatic ending.

We have recorded the Dohnányi.  Classic CD magazine gave the disc 5 stars, and said this: “…Both these works break the mould of conventional piano chamber music with scoring that mixes string and wind instruments. The resultant colouring is so beautiful and distinctive that one wonders why so few other composers explored such possibilities…This really is an outstanding chamber music disc and a truly worthy addition to the catalogue.”

Martinu – Three Madrigals for violin and viola, “Duo No. 1”, H313.
Brahms – Trio for clarinet, cello and piano in A minor, Op. 114.
Dohnányi – Sextet in C major for clarinet, horn, piano and string trio, Op.37

Total time: 83 minutes, 6 players.