Smetana's Piano Trio in G minor, Opus 15, was written in 1855 in memory of his first child, Bediska, who had died in September that year, at the age of four, a year after the death of her younger sister. The Piano Trio was written at a time of some difficulty .It was first performed in Prague in the year of its composition by Smetana with the violinist Otto Königslöw and Julius Goltermann, professor of cello at the Conservatory.

The Trio opens with the violin alone, playing on the G string the principal theme, in which the others then join. The descending initial contour of the melody reflects the tragic mood, which is lightened when it reaches the B flat major second subject, introduced by the cello. This material is to return slightly varied in recapitulation after a development that finds room for a contrapuntal treatment of the main theme. The stark atmosphere of tragedy is reinforced in the final coda.

The second movement reflects the sequences of the principal subject of the preceding movement in its first G minor theme. This material returns in part only, framing two contrasting passages. The first of these, marked Andante, after the Allegro, ma non agitato of the opening section, is expressed in terms of tender delicacy. The framing material returns, modulating to G minor once more before the appearance of a second contrasting passage, marked Maestoso and moving from E flat major to C minor, with its solemn dotted chords, recalling an episode in Schnmann, a recurrent presence here.

The last movement has its principal theme from Smetana's Piano Sonata in G minor of 1846. The rapid cross-rhythm of the subject is followed by a gently lyrical cello theme, taking its start from the opening of the principal theme, which now returns, replaced once more by the tender elegy of the cello. This turns into a funeral march, Grave, quasi marcia, soon to be overtaken by the urgency of the principal subject, now in G major.

Writer: Keith Anderson