Mykola Lysenko String Trio in a minor

Mykola Lysenko (1842-1912--sometimes transliterated as Nikolai or Nicolai Lysenko or Lissenko) is considered the father of Ukrainian chamber music much the way that Glinka is for the Russians. He was the first Ukrainian composer to write chamber music. In 1904, he founded the first music conservatory in the Ukraine in Kiev, which today bears his name. Lysenko was born in the Poltava district of the Ukraine. He first studied piano with his mother, then formally with teachers in Kiev. After taking a degree in the natural sciences at the University of Kiev, he attended the world famous Leipzig Conservatory where he studied composition with Carl Reinecke. An admirer of the Ukrainian poet Shevchenko, Lysenko became a nationalist for the Ukrainian cause as a student. He remained one for his entire life and was imprisoned for the cause as late as 1907 after composing a song in support of the Revolution of 1905. The bulk of Lysenko's music is for piano or for voice in one form or another such as opera, hymns, or chorales. His piano music often shows the influence of Chopin whereas his vocal music is almost always based on Ukrainian folk music such as his opera Taras Bulba. Lysenko spent considerable time trying to demonstrate the differences between Ukrainian and Russian folk melody. The only chamber music he is known to have composed is this string quartet and a string trio.

The string trio dates from 1869 just as Lysenko finished his studies with Reinecke in Leipzig but before he returned to Kyiv. Unlike the string quartet which he composed the year before, he completed this work which probably served as his graduation piece. The big, opening movement begins with a slow, sad, Andante introduction which leads to the main section, an energetic Allegro animato which is not lyricism found in the second theme. The second movement, Romanze, is a very romantic, approaching lovely salon style music. Next comes a nervous, fleet Scherzo, allegro assai vivace. A contrasting slower section marked dolente e tranquillo makes a fine contrast. Interestingly, the jovial Finale, Allegro giusto, brings a sense of triumph.

A collected edition of Lysenko's works, including this trio, was published in 70 volumes between 1950 and 1959, however, a performance edition of the parts and score were never separately published. Our World Premiere Edition has been carefully edited and corrected by Garik Hayrapetyan and Raymond Silvertrust from a copy of the score which can be found in the collected edition. In addition, we have created a cello part in lieu of the second violin so that this fine work can be played by a standard string trio.

(A) 2 Violins and Viola Parts Only	$24.95
(B) 2 Violins and Viola Parts and Score	$33.95
(C) Violin, Viola and Cello Parts Only	$24.95
(D) Violin, Viola and Cello Parts and Score	$33.95
(E) All Four Parts	$29.95
(F) All Four Parts and Score	$38.95

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