Hans Huber’s Piano Trio No. 3 dates from 1890. The main theme to the first movement, Allegretto, is fluid, flowing and genial but not without dramatic episodes. The second movement, Adagio ma non troppo, begins is a quiet and reflective fashion but tension builds and leads to quicker and more agitated section before calming to conclude. Next comes an intermezzo, Allegretto molto grazioso. The the very effective finale, Allegro con fuoco, opens with a heroic melody proceeds with great energy.
Hans Huber (1852-1921) was born in the Swiss town of Eppenberg. Between 1870-74, he studied at the Leipzig Conservatory with Carl Reinecke and Ernst Richter. After graduating he held a number of positions before being appointed a professor at the Basel Conservatory, where he served as director between 1889-1917. Huber’s music was firmly rooted in the Romantic movement inspired at first by Schumann and Brahms and then later by Liszt and Richard Strauss. He was widely considered Switzerland’s leading composer during the last quarter of the 19th and first decade of the 20th century. He composed in virtually every genre and many of his works were for long years part of various repertoires and the only works by a Swiss composer that were regularly performed outside of Switzerland.
Long out of print, we are pleased to make it available once again. It is certainly a candidtate for the concert hall but in no way beyond amateur players.
