Trio Céleste

I was privileged to attend a performance of the Trio Celeste at the library yesterday. They are the Chamber ensemble in residence at the Claire Trevor School of the Arts at UC Irvine. It was delightful although the acoustics in the room are not optimal for strings.

The show was put on by the Fallbrook Music Society, now in its 41st concert season. Bill Olson and his wife Meredith are sponsors and he was kind enough to tell me about the performance.

I was a pretty lousy third chair cellist in my youth but have always loved this music.

Yesterday they played Tchaikovsky's Piano Trio in A minor, Opus 50. Sort of funereal, the composer wrote it in honor of his late friend, the violinist Nikolai Rubinstein. It was followed by selections from Piazzolla's Four Seasons in Buenos Aires.

What knocked me out was the Dvorak piece they ended the show with, not sure of the title. All three instruments wove together so beautifully, it was a masterpiece.

Afterwards I bought a CD. They did a Beethoven piece, Constellations and asked 10 performers and composers to write alternate variations. These include Pierre Jalbert and Peter Erskine. Haven't listened yet.  Had a person walk up to me after the show and sniff, wondering if I was out looking for a little culture?

Could be.