I ought to take advantage of my workplace’s promxity to the local conservatory.  It offers a respectable selection of solo instrumental and chamber works not usually heard at major concert venues.  And most of these concerts are free!

I heard Tchaikovsky’s Piano Trio in A minor at the Yong Siew Toh conservatory yesterday and have since grown to like the piece.  The night’s performance was supposed to be a farewell one of the faculty members, who was also the principle cellist of the local national orchestra.  The violinist is from the same orchestra while the pianist, by profession, is involved in the development of a private equity fund.

It sounded like a dialogue between the violinist and cellist most of the time, with the pianist playing a background role.  The violinist and cellist had complemented each other well, while the pianist seemed to lack direction and awareness.  It sounded awkward whenever both the violin and cello had rests, which left the pianist naked with his shaky tempo and edgy melodic lines.  It was particularly telling in the closing bars of the trio, when the piano had to conclude the piece after the strings each made their final statements.  In spite of that, it was an admirable effort on the part of the pianist, who is not a musician by profession.  The piece is perhaps one of the most demanding work Tchaikovsky had written for the piano.

I wonder if the seats  assignment was done by a human.  There were plenty of empty seats in my row, but I had to be put next to another lady.  Was this another not so subtle attempt at social engineering?

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