Three instruments, three sensibilities, and a single musical discourse. In chamber music, listening is essential when playing together: recognizing the moment to give space to the other, building a connection that transcends the notes. The balance that is created is a collaboration that requires attention and trust and, over time, also involves the personal dimension.
This is what the Orelon Trio offered its audience, performing at the Teatro Civico in Sassari on November 11th as part of the Itinerari Musicali dell'Identità series. On stage, Judith Stapf on violin, Arnau Rovira i Bascompte on cello, and Marco Sanna on piano explored three works from the repertoire for piano and strings: Ludwig van Beethoven's Trio, Op. 1 No. 1 , Dmitri Shostakovich's Trio, Op. 8 "Poème," and Johannes Brahms's Trio, Op. 8. This journey contrasted the formal rigor of Viennese Classicism, the Romantic impetus, and the diverse nuances of lyricism, showcasing the expressive richness of this ensemble.
The Orelon Trio, founded in Cologne in 2019, has embarked on an international journey studded with major awards in just a few years. First prize at the Graz and Melbourne competitions and victory at the ARD Competition in Munich, along with the Audience Award, have contributed to their subsequent appearances on some of Europe's most prestigious stages, from the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam to the Musikverein in Vienna, and the Alte Oper in Frankfurt.
Yet, for the three musicians, the primary foundation of their work together isn't success, but rather the ability to communicate. The ability to listen to one another not only during rehearsals and concerts, when every gesture must find a response in the others, but also in everyday life. " For us, listening to one another goes far beyond the musical dimension ," they say. The trio spends much of their time together, rehearsing daily: understanding how each other is doing, recognizing each other's needs and moods, has become an integral part of making music. A relationship born initially on a professional basis and transformed, over about seven years of shared activity, into a true friendship.
