Reviews
“Hochelaga
is the
original name
of the city of Montreal in
the Iroquois language. One could not be more Canadian than this trio,
which, given the quality and rightness of its interpretations, is one
of the closest to the spirit of French music. The three musicians
reveal to us a work, the Trio in C minor
op. 45 of Gabriel Pierné, which is most likely one of composer’s
most
accomplished creations. This trio was first premiered on February 11,
1922 at the Société nationale de musique by
Pierné, Georges
Enesco and Gérard Hekking. It is a work whose opening, marked
‘Agitated, in movement and feeling’, impresses by its intensity and
grandeur. The second movement, by contrast, is nothing but lightness
and smiles. The last movement, a set of variations, showcases
in the most pleasing manner the richness of Gabriel Pierné’s
writing.
Better
known, Fauré’s Trio opus 120 is also one of the most precarious
to
perform. It requires a balance between understatement and firmness
which is difficult to achieve. Trio Hochelaga, with sounds as beautiful
as they are well-balanced, always finds the right tone, and if the
group reveals the Pierné trio to us, it is by giving it all the
care
due to a masterpiece. One will never repeat often enough, something for
which we must be grateful to the three Canadian musicians, that
Pierné
was not only one of the most appealing of 20th-century
French musicians, but also one of the most happily inspired.”
Jean Roy, Le
Monde de la musique, No 299,
France, June 2005
*
* *
"The musicians of the
Trio Hochelaga share the same degree of virtuosity and a common
sensitivity to ensemble that makes the music speak. Beyond respecting
the text, and with an optimal balance and very pleasing group sound,
the Trio plays in a manner which successfully renders the
quintessential essence of the composition.
The trio by Fauré is of
another vein; the first
movement, which
is very serious but equally luminous, is followed by an Andantino which
is absolutely sublime, in turn followed by a final movement of a more
jubilant tone. Here again the Trio Hochelaga distinguishes itself by an
acuteness of emotion, an irreproachable sense of style and a remarkable
technical proficiency."
Marcel
Louis, Magazine Pizzicato,
Luxembourg, January 2006
*
* *
"A
very interesting CD. Both works are beautifully interpreted by the
excellent Trio Hochelaga; a Canadian ensemble from Quebec which gives
exquisite performances of this chamber music repertoire."
Scherzo, Espagne, December 2005
