Alexandre Pascal, the violinist of Trio Pascal, is a laureate of the Banque Populaire Foundation and studied with Olivier Charlier and Augustin Dumay.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded from April 16 to 18, 2025, at Immanuelskirche in Wuppertal, Germany, using a Steinway D-274 piano.
Compositional Technique
Dvořák's Piano Trio No. 4, "Dumky," uses the Ukrainian "dumka" form, a Slavic epic ballad known for its pensive or melancholic character and abrupt mood changes, to create a work that eschews traditional sonata form.
Performer Biography
Aurélien Pascal, the cellist of Trio Pascal, won the Grand Prize, Special Audience Prize, and best performance prize for Ernst Toch's concerto at the 2014 Feuermann International Competition in Berlin.
Composer's Artistic Vision
The composers on this album, Smetana, Dvořák, and Suk, are presented as illustrations of Czech ethno-romanticism, a movement asserting national identity in music.
Composition History
Smetana's Piano Trio in G minor was written in memory of his eldest daughter, Bedřiška (Frederica), who died at the age of four and a half.
Album & Artwork
The album features the Trio Pascal, a family ensemble consisting of Denis Pascal (piano), Alexandre Pascal (violin), and Aurélien Pascal (cello).
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