Ravel's Piano Trio in A minor

Jeremy Sams chooses his favourite recording of Maurice Ravel's Piano Trio in A minor.

Ravel was living in the Basque country not far from the town where he was born when completed his Piano Trio in 1914, just after the outbreak of World War I, far away from the front line. But there are no grim premonitions in this music and its lush harmonic sound world, full of Basque dance patterns and playful rhythmic sleights of hand, is characterised by the sort of lavish instrumental textures so typical of this master orchestrator. And based on Classical structures (Ravel joked "I’ve written my trio. Now all I need are the themes."), including a haunting passacaglia as its emotional centre of gravity, the Trio is a deeply satisfying musical journey which needs outstanding musicians to meet its exacting demands.