NEAVE TRIO

A Room of Her Own

Works by Chaminade, Smyth, Tailleferre, and Boulanger Chandos CHAN 20238, CD (reviewed as 24/96). 2024. Jonathan Cooper, prod. & eng.

PERFORMANCE

SONICS

Despite the preponderance of classical orchestral blockbusters overplayed at audio shows, a goodly number of us enjoy nothing more than basking in the refined beauties of smaller-scaled chamber music. If you would like to spread your wings beyond the giant guys of the literature, the Neave Trio’s exploration of trios composed early in the lives of Cécile Chaminade (1857–1944), Lili Boulanger (1893–1918), Germaine Tailleferre (1892–1983), and Dame Ethel Smyth (1858–1944)—the only non-French woman of the pack—is a must.

Chaminade’s Trio No.1 mixes romantic sentiments with a delicacy and beauty all their own. The andante is extremely beautiful, the presto leggiero an exuberant, darting delight, and the virtuosic piano writing is equally challenging and enrapturing.

All of Boulanger’s compositions were early, alas. The sister of famed teacher Nadia Boulanger (who counted Aaron Copland, Astor Piazzolla, David Del Tredici, and Philip Glass amongst her students) suffered from ill health most of her life. While that didn’t stop her from winning the Prix de Rome at age 19, she died five years later. The album’s two trios by Boulanger are markedly different, the first a standout for its original voice and lively, foot-tapping chromaticism, the second distinguished by its rare beauty and profound sadness.

Tailleferre is a master at expanding lovely, simple, songlike melodies into rhapsodic journeys. In the first movement of her Trio, which she revised 61 years after it was composed, it’s hard not to fall in love with the gorgeous tone violinist Anna Williams and cellist Mikhail Veselov bring to their lovely interplay. The great Smyth’s early Trio in D minor packs passion, joy, lyrical beauty, and delight into delectable tunes, then ends with enough heartfelt lyricism to earn it a place in many a concert program and many a heart.