for violin, cello and piano

• To listen to a mp3 file click here
• To download the score click here
• To download the violin part click here
• To download the cello part click here

My first piano trio is written in one continuous movement. It begins with a soft trill in the piano, which becomes a major recurring element as the work unfolds. A more rhythmic idea is soon introduced, setting up the contrapuntal texture that pervades the composition. About a third of the way through there is a delicate duo between the violin and cello, which begins a set of variations, forming the central section of the trio. This is followed by a contrapuntal crescendo which brings the work to a close with a flurry of trills, tremolos and a final burst of notes.

Having written a cello sonata for Jesus Morales and David Riley, it was natural for me to want to compose a trio for them when Jasper Wood was added to the ensemble. The trio was premiered in Sandpoint, Idaho, at Gunther Schuller’s Sandpoint Festival in 1995. It is dedicated Los Tres Musicos, the trio of Wood, Morales and Riley, who have performed it on numerous occasions throughout the United States.