Moët Trio - Beethoven, Schumann, Schubert & Dvorak - 06/10/11

Beethoven: Piano Trio in E-flat Major, Op. 70, No 2 - Allegretto ma non troppo
Schumann: Piano Trio No 2 in F Major, Op. 80 - Mit innigem Ausdruck
Schubert: Piano Trio No 2 in E-flat Major, D. 929 - Allegro moderato
Dvorak: Piano Trio in E Minor, Op. 90, “Dumky”

What better way to celebrate yet another Friday night than with a chamber music concert in a lovely little church in Washington Heights courtesy of Carnegie Hall's wonderful Neighborhood concerts endeavor? The timing was tight, but perfectly doable with a little bit of planning and willpower, and even the unexpected, short, but pleasant exploration of the area due to my bad memory did not prevent us from making it before the music started.
The ensemble was the young but already solidly established Moët Trio, which cannot help but bring to my mind one of France’s most celebrated bubblies. The equally irresistible-sounding program featured an attractive combination of classical composers musing over the theme of “Memories” (Cats blissfully not included) in front of a decidedly captive audience.

Opening on a surprisingly soft note, Beethoven's Allegretto ma non troppo from his Piano Trio in E-flat Major, Op. 70, No 2 quickly moved on to more sustained and vivacious harmonies, asserting by the same token the remarkably united front of the Moët Trio.
The quiet subtleness of Schumann’s Mit innigem Ausdruck from his Piano Trio No 2 in F Major, Op. 80 beautifully emphasized the song-like quality of the work.
Schubert’s Allegro moderato from his Piano Trio No 2 in E-flat Major, D. 929 was an unforgiving workout for the musicians who passed the finish line with flying colors.
To wrap up the early evening, Dvorak's “Dumky” and its six short pieces presented a wide ranging array of moods, from dark undertones to joyful dance tunes and concluded the performance on a brilliantly virtuosic note.