Trio Rachmaninoff de Montréal Patrice Laré, piano Natalia Kononova, violin Velitchka Yotcheva, cello ACD2 2271 There is a tradition among Russian composers to write an elegiac trio in memory of a departed friend.   It is Tchaikovsky who first introduced this tradition with his grandiose trio in A minor dedicated to Nikolay Rubinstein.   Dmitry Shostakovich carried this tradition into the twentieth century with his Trio No. 2 in E minor, Op. 67, dedicated to the memory of his closest friend the musicologist Ivan Sollertinsky.   These are the two telling works performed here in their premiere recording by the Rachmaninoff Trio de Montréal, whose performances have been described as “sensitive and powerful.” (The Lawrentian, USA) Piotr Ilitch Tchaïkovski (1840-1893) 1 - 16.   Trio pour piano et cordes en la mineur, op. 50 /               Piano Trio in A minor, Op. 50               [41:53] Dmitri Chostakovitch (1906-1975) 17 - 20. Trio pour piano et cordes no 2, en mi mineur, op. 67 /               Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor, Op. 67               [26:13] ATMA Classique is distributed in Australia by Rockian Trading PO Box 44, Briar Hill, Vic, 3088, Australia Telephone +61 (0)3 9432 4149 ~ Facsimile +61 (0)3 9444 6879