Claude Debussy
Piano Trio in G major. L.5
I.           Andantino con moto allegro
II.          Scherzo intermezzo
III.         Andante espressivo
IV.         Finale: Appassionato

The piano trio was one of Debussy’s earliest work, written in 1880 by the 18 years old French composer.
The autograph of the work was thought to be lost until 1970s when it was discovered in the legacy of Debussy’s student, classical pianist Maurice Dumesnil.

Debussy eventually became one of the musical revolutionaries, exploring alternative forms and sound. In oppose to the German romantic forms and dramas, Debussy took a huge part in creating the “French sound”- sensitive, colourful and exotic rhythms.

However, the piano trio was written way before the change of musical atmosphere in Europe in the last decade of 19th century.
In the piece, we can see young Debussy was already experimenting on new harmonies and rhythm, while maintained a prevailing salon style. The almost always-lyrical movements are filled with charming sensibility.


Fazil Say 
Space jump op.46

I Andantino meditativo
II Allegro maestoso
III Maestoso

Space jump was written by Turkish pianist-composer Fazil Say in 2013.
The work was inspired by the extreme sportsmen Felix Baumgartner’s attempt to sky dive from the stratosphere (30+km from the earth) in 2012. Baumgartner flew up with a helium balloon, and dive down with a record distance of 36,402.6 metre, he took a 4 minutes 19 second free fall,  and broke the sound barrier (without using a vehicle). Baumgartner deployed his parachute in the last 2600m of his jump and landed safely back on Earth.

The composer had written detailed description on the music, depicting the surrounding of Baumgartner and his emotional state.

The three movements are played in attacca (without breaks), the first movement is slow and contemplative, portraying Baumgartner at the rim of the planet, pondering to jump or not. The second movement is fuelled with imbalance rhythm and phrases, with the almost chaotic and uncontrolled energy, as our athlete jumped out of his balloon and free falling in extreme speed. when he deployed his parachute at the end of the second movement, the music comes to a grand finale in the third movement as Baumgartner stood alive on the earth.



Franz Schubert
Piano trio in B-flat, D. 898, Op. 99

I.  Allegro moderato
II.  Andante un poco mosso
III.  Scherzo. Allegro — Trio
IV.  Rondo. Allegro vivace

19th century composer Franz Schubert  had composed a huge amount of work in his short life. Including seven complete symphonies, around 600 vocal pieces, large amount of piano works and also great volume of chamber music.

The two piano trios(op.99 and op.100) were composed in 1827, when Schubert’s health was declining significantly from illness.
The doctor told Schubert his Illness is beyond cure, and he was convinced he’s dying very soon. During his final years, Schubert had created many of his greatest works, including Winterreise, Schwanengesang, his last piano sonatas, and the last set of string quartets.

Although his body is deteriorating and death is already around the corner, the piano trio in b-flat does not sound gloomy and melancholic at all. It is lively, elegant, buoyant, intimate and light-hearted.

The large scale piano trio(op.99) is expansive and grand in every possible way.  Schubert exploited the romantic harmony changes in all four movements, with extensive developments and intertwining themes, the music often falls into unexpected keys before turning back to the home key.

Schubert died less than a year after completing the two piano trios.

Years later, German composer Robert Schumann described “One glance at Schubert's Trio (Op. 99) and the troubles of our human existence disappear and all the world is fresh and bright again.”