“Ignaz Brüll’s only Piano Trio, his Op.14 in E flat Major, appeared in 1876. It is in four concise, good-sounding movements which are sure to please chamber music lovers. Particularly pleasing is the main, march-like theme of the opening movement, Allegro moderato. The main part of the second movement, Andante, is deeply felt and given contrast by two lighter and livelier interludes. A spirited Scherzo with a brief contrasting trio comes next. The effective finale resembles the opening movement in its use of a march-like subject for the main theme.”—the famous chamber music scholar Wilhelm Altmann, writing in his Handbook for Piano Trio Players.
Ignaz Brüll (1846-1907) was born in the Moravian town of Prossnitz, then part of the Austrian Empire, now in the Czech Republic. At an early age, his family moved to Vienna. He began to play the piano as a child, studying with his mother. His talent was recognized quite early on, and soon he entered the Vienna Conservatory, where he studied piano with Julius Epstein and composition with Johann Rufinatscha and Otto Dessoff. Anton Rubinstein, after hearing Brüll perform, encouraged him to pursue a career in music, which he did. Brüll enjoyed a successful dual career as a concert pianist and composer. He wrote several operas, a few of which enjoyed considerable success. Most of his other compositions were for piano, although he also left some very effective instrumental sonatas, as well as this piano trio
The piano trio has been unavailable for nearly a century. We have reprinted the one and only edition and have added rehearsal letters to make the performance easier.