Thom Ritter George

TRIO NO. 2, CN 267 (1970)
For Flute, Violin,  and Violoncello

PROGRAM NOTES

Thom Ritter George's TRIO NO. 2 for flute, violin, and violoncello was written October 8 - 21, 1970 in Quincy, Illinois.  The first performance was given on November 15, 1970 by Patricia George, flute; Thom Ritter George, violin; and Harriet Yount, violoncello.  The score is dedicated to George M. Irwin, an important patron of the arts and friend of the composer.

TRIO NO. 2 is in three movements, the first of which is marked Vivace assai.  While this movement is cast in the well-known sonata-allegro form, the composer brings to it a great many individual touches of color and harmony.  As with the scores of the classical masters, the first movement has a conversational quality among the instruments.

The second movement, Andante e mesto, starts with a brooding figure in the strings which are muted throughout.  At its entry, the flute weaves a pensive melody over the string motive.  The contrasting middle section is in the character of a recitative for the flute with the string holding quiet chords.  Then, the music returns to the reflective and introspective mood of the beginning.

The final movement is comprised of a theme with six variations.  The theme itself is sunny in character but has some curious harmonic twists.  Variation I features the violoncello with the flute and violin accompanying it.  The fast Variation II (Allegro) is for flute and violin without the violoncello.  Even faster (Allegro con fuoco), Variation III is for violin and violoncello only.  There is a decided change of mood in Variation IV (Adagio), a tender version of the theme for all three instruments.  A comic moment appears in Variation V.  Here the violoncello plays a pizzicato version of the theme at a considerable spatial distance from the light musical comments of the flute far above it.  Variation VI (Allegro assai) is a driving 6/8 meter showpiece for all three instruments.  Near the end, fragments of the main theme are played in the flute and violin over the insistent rhythmic pattern in the violoncello.  The wild 6/8 music reaches a climax and then stops suddenly.  The theme in its original form is played once again, bringing the trio to a noble and calm conclusion.

(TRGcm:2007.11.19)