In its debut, the youthful Swedish piano trio with the unusual (and regrettably unexplained) name
Trio Poseidon demonstrates from the beginning not only that it possesses musical and technical skills in abundance, but that it also has a knack for creating very enjoyable programs. It opens with a piano trio of Haydn, an often overlooked genre compared to the symphonies and string quartets. Written around 1794, the Trio No. 32 in A major represents the beginning of the last set of piano trios Haydn composed and a milestone in the genre as the strings emerge as more equal partners with the piano rather than merely accompanimental figures.
Trio Poseidon's approach to Haydn is powerful while still maintaining a great deal of dignity, refinement, and elegance. Balance between the instruments is especially nice, allowing the strings to relish their new, more independent role. A jump of more than 100 years brings listeners to John Ireland's 1906 Phantasie in A minor, one of the composer's first significant works.
Trio Poseidon completely changes its sound quality for this much more romantic work, clearly showing a rather impressive spectrum of tone colors. Although Ireland's Phantasie is infrequently performed, the intensity and vigor with which it is performed here will make listeners wonder why. Concluding the program is another youthful composition, this time the B major Trio of Johannes Brahms, which he began composing at only 20 years of age. Despite its extensive revisions much later in Brahms' life, the trio still maintains its unabashed joy and romance, which perfectly suits the talents of
Trio Poseidon.