Ravel, Arensky and Schubert

Ravel Sonata for Violin and Cello; Arensky Piano Trio in D minor, Op. 32; Schubert Piano Quintet in A major, D. 667, "The Trout" ; Jonathan Crow, violin; Marcus Thompson, viola; Ronald Thomas, cello; Edwin Barker, double bass; Mihae Lee, piano; Dedicated to Debussy, Ravel's Sonata for Violin and Cello is a fascinating showpiece for the two instruments, each of which carries half the burden of the piece, employing the thinner texture popular with the younger postwar composers. Arensky's most famous work, the melodious Piano Trio in D minor, inherited Tchaikovsky's classical outlook with emphasis on craftsmanship, and his sense of symmetry and balance. The "Trout" Quintet gets its name from its best-known fourth movement, a series of six variations on Schubert's earlier lied Die Forelle ("The Trout"), and is comprised of numerous carefree and spirited tunes.