Vienna Piano Trio presents 'An Evening of Romantic Elegance'

The internationally renowned Vienna Piano Trio will perform two masterpieces of the chamber music repertoire in "An Evening of Romantic Elegance" Friday, March 3, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church.

Part of the St. Paul's Artist Series, the concert will feature Johannes Brahms' Piano Trio No. 1 in B Major, Op. 8, and Franz Schubert's Piano Trio No. 2 in E-Flat Major, Op. 100 (D. 929).

Keith Reas, director of music at St. Paul's, says the concert offers "a rare treat - the opportunity to hear Brahms' Piano Trio No. 1 in its original, rarely performed incarnation."

Reas describes the piece, which was written in 1854, when the composer was 21, as "a youthful Romantic work tinged with tragic overtones." For the second half, Reas says, the trio will perform one of Schubert's last works, his Piano Trio No. 2, "which shows his gift for melodic invention, as well as his masterful use of harmonic colors."

The second movement's soulful theme has been heard in many film scores, Reas says, including Stanley Kubrick's 1975 period piece "Barry Lyndon" and HBO's 2008 miniseries "John Adams."

Specializing in the music of Austrian composers, the ensemble is currently artist-in-residence at the Konzerthaus in Vienna and London's Wigmore Hall. Members are David McCarroll (violin), Matthias Gredler (cello) and Stefan Mendl (piano).

Founded in 1988, the ensemble has long been hailed as one of the "world's leading ensembles of piano, violin and cello" (The Washington Post) and celebrated for the musicians' finesse, infectious exuberance, tonal allure and irresistible panache. They have won numerous international awards and performed in venues throughout Europe, North and South America and the Far East.