Schubert Piano Trios

Both the Piano Trio No 1 in B-flat major, D 898 and the Piano Trio in E-flat major, D 929 are pieces that Franz Schubert composed between 1827 and 1828, when he was already seriously ill, just a few months, in fact, before his death. Despite some touches of darkness, in general the first trio does not reflect the harshness of the composer’s personal situation. Robert Schumann said that, when we listen to Schubert’s Piano Trio in E-flat major, "the problems of our human existence disappear and the whole world is fresh and bright again”. The second trio, which is one of the few late works that Schubert actually heard performed, has a darker character, but contains passages of great lyricism and intensity. The influence of Beethoven's piano trios is palpable; nevertheless, Schubert’s style stands out. Unlike most piano trios of the time, these two works are considerably longer, lasting more than forty minutes.