Onslow’s Piano Trio No.6 in D Major, Op.14, No.3 is the last of a set of three which appeared in 1818. Critics hailed the works as elegant and exhibiting a great diversity of invention. The opening Allegro vivace begins with a jaunty, song-like tune played in a canon. The second theme bursts forth with tremendous forward energy An Andante non troppo lento follows. This is a simple country melody which Onslow elegantly embellishes. The Minuetto Allegretto is a scherzo par excellence, of the sort for which Mendelssohn became famous. The catchy, syncopated first theme is developed with military modulations. The dazzling conclusion to this outstanding movement is the equal of the most famous scherzos. The light, buoyant Finale, Presto is yet another gem which strikes just the right touch.
George Onslow (1784-1853) was was held to be in the front rank of composers by such experts as Mendelssohn and Schumann, who freely compared his music that of Mozart and Beethoven and found them not to be wanting. Perhaps no composer more than George Onslow illustrates the fickleness of fame. Onslow was born and lived his entire life in France, the son of an English father and French mother. His string quartets, string quintets and piano trios were a constant feature of concert programs throughout the 19th century. Onslow’s writing was unique in that he was successfully able to merge the drama of the opera into the chamber music idiom perfected by the Vienna masters.
Onslow's works were published in different countries by different publishers and the editions were sometimes different. Our new edition is based the Steiner edition which appeared in Vienna in 1820. This is a very enjoyable trio to play and to hear. It would do well in concert as well as on the stands of amateurs.
