Piano Trio "Homage to Chagall"

I – Moderato
II – Scherzo: Sempre leggiermente
III – Adagio
IV – Con fuoco

While this composition does reflect individual paintings by Chagall, (for example, the anguished third movement was informed by the paintings Solitude of 1933 and War of 1964-66, and the second movement was inspired by light pastel-coloured canvasses such as Bouquet with Flying Lovers of 1934/47), it is more concerned with analogies for Chagall’s output as a whole. One manifestation of this is the way in which the piece employs musical ideas which might dominate one section or movement, but which appear more marginal in another context. This is analogous to Chagall’s use of a large, but nonetheless limited number of images, one of which might provide the main focus of a particular painting, while appearing as peripheral in another. This approach results in much cross-referencing between the Trio’s four movements. These comprise an opening Moderato containing episodes linked by cello recitatives, a fast, muted scherzo, a slow threnody and a finale that brings together various elements of the other movements.

The Piano Trio was commissioned by the Chagall Trio with funds from South-West Arts and the Holst Foundation. It was premiered on 19 October 1995 at the Bude Music Club, Cornwall by the Chagall Trio in a programme designed to reflect aspects of Marc Chagall’s life and work. The same programme was repeated for the work’s London premieres which took place on 26 July 1998 (private) at the Royal Academy of Arts as part of the Chagall – Love and the Stage exhibition, and 25 October 1998 (public) at the Wigmore Hall in a theatrical presentation with Samuel West playing the part of Chagall.

Philip Grange