Dialog der Saiten – Moselmusikfestival
Sep
2026
19h00
Dialog der Saiten – Dialogue of the strings
Concert of the Moselmusikfestival
Often overshadowed by the string quartet, the string trio has nevertheless established itself over the centuries as a distinctive and highly expressive genre in its own right.
The first work on this programme, Johann Sebastian Bach’s Goldberg Variations, was composed in 1741 for a two-manual harpsichord. Although Bach never wrote an original work for string trio, Dmitry Sitkovetsky’s ingenious arrangement, created for the composer’s 300th anniversary, offers a remarkably convincing reimagining of this masterpiece. His transcription highlights the extraordinary richness of Bach’s counterpoint while revealing new colours and perspectives within the music.
In the 1790s, Ludwig van Beethoven turned his attention to the string trio, confidently referring to his works as “Grand Trios”. Today, they are widely regarded as direct predecessors to his celebrated string quartets. The String Trio in C minor, Op. 9 No. 3 places exceptional demands on its performers: all three instruments are treated as equal partners, engaging in an intense and highly virtuosic dialogue. Beethoven explores an impressive emotional range, moving from moments of striking immediacy to passages of profound dramatic power.
With his Serenade, Op. 10, composed in 1902, Ernst von Dohnányi bridges the traditions of Viennese Classicism and the emerging influence of Hungarian folk music, anticipating the musical language of Kodály and Bartók. At the same time, the work reveals the composer’s subtle sense of humour. Unexpectedly called into military service, Dohnányi responded with gentle irony. The march-like passages that frame the work can be heard as a playful parody of the Austro-Hungarian military bureaucracy of his day.
Across all three works, a vivid dialogue unfolds between the instruments—a constant interplay of closeness and distance, agreement and contrast, virtuosity and lyrical expression.
Program
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685 – 1750)
Auszüge aus den Goldberg Variationen BWV 988, bearbeitet für Streichtrio von Dimitri Sitkovetsky
ERNST VON DOHNÁNYI (1877 – 1960)
Serenade für Streichtrio in C-Dur op.10
LUDGWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770 – 1827)
Streichtrio in c-Moll Op.9 Nr.3
Musiciens
PASCAL MONLONG, violin
SUSANNE MARTENS, viola
MATIS GRISÓ, cello
Infos & Tickets
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