Upper Austrian David Trio Does Namesake Justice

First off, about the ensemble's name. "OÖ. David-Trio" is an abbreviation for the Oberösterreichisch (Upper Austrian) David Trio. As their name implies, this trio specializes in the music of Johann Nepomuk David.

They're equally at home with the music of other 20th Century composers, such as Webern and Schoenberg. And they perform the classic string trios of Beethoven, Brahms, and Schubert.

David is their jam, though. And that's apparent with this release. The trio performs the four trios of David's Op.33. They also play his String Trio in G major.

David's style had many inspirations -- Bach, Brahms, Schoenberg, Stravinsky, and Debussy. His mixture of those influences gives his music its unique character. And that's especially plain in this string trios.

The sound is pared down to three instruments -- violin, viola, and cello. For David, all three had equal standing. And that opened up a world of possibilities for combination and contrast. And it also meant the music was laid bare. Weak ideas couldn't be bolstered with fancy orchestrations.

David's ideas are plenty strong. And these trios make for compelling listening.

David published the Op. 33 trios in 1948. The best way I know how to describe them is post-atonal. That is, the melodies often rely on chromatic twists and turns. They also tend to avoid triadic outlines.

But there's still an underlying tonal foundation to these trios. And that gives these works their forward motion.

The OÖ. David-Trio does credit to their namesake. These are thoughtful and sensitive performances. This is intimate chamber music performed intimately.

I've heard David's symphonies and liked them very much. This music, though, seems more personal. And that made me enjoy it even more.

Johann Nepomuk David: Five String Trios
OÖ. David-Trio
CPO