Ravel: Trio, Sonate pour violon et violoncelle & Sonate pour violon et piano

Album review

Of all the compositions of Maurice Ravel, it is perhaps in his chamber music that we hear the true distillation of his artistry, the broad range of styles that influenced his composition, and the manifold textures he was able to create with a minimum of instrumentation. From his chamber music repertoire, this Fuga Libera album focuses on the three works for combinations of violin, cello, and piano. Performed by Trio Dali (who takes its name from the Chinese city, not the Spanish artist), the program opens the Piano Trio, in which the Trio Dali quickly establishes itself as a group replete with both technical brilliance and musical depth. The sound quality is warm and sultry, a perfect match for Ravel's intricate and multifaceted trio. Balance is sometimes an issue, with the piano often dominating and covering up the cello in particular. The Sonata for Violin & Cello is performed with equal amounts of precision and introspection, but without the balance issues. Violinist Vineta Sareika and cellist Christian-Pierre La Marca do a remarkable job of blending together; everything from timbre, vibrato, and articulation matches brilliantly. The disc concludes with the Violin Sonata, a work for which Ravel received much criticism but has since garnered much deserved appreciation. The piano asserts itself a bit too much again, but does not create a significant barrier to the violin's clear, piercing sound. Overall, this is certainly an album worth checking out, and the Trio Dali is an ensemble to watch.

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