Three Trios-OB/EH/PN

Three Trios
for oboe, English horn, ad piano
by Gary Friedman (b. 1934)- American composer

Trio #1- Some play-acting is requested as instructed at some rests with fermatas. The wind players look at the pianist impatiently after a rather long successions of bass notes and quickly suggest the addition of some higher pitched harmonic notes. The pianist looks at them and complies with a harmonic ostinato.

Trio #2- In the fourth movement of his 8th Symphony, Beethoven moves suddenly from f# minor to F Major. This surprising transition interested me enough to include many similar half-step changes of key in this trio. Rhythm is especially important in this trio and challenging in some passages for the pianist. 

Trio #3- After the melody is stated in the key of B Major, a reverse of Beethoven's half-step transition occurs into a lively fugue in c minor based on the same melody. The fugue is then presented in a different rhythm in d minor. The trio ends with a restatement of the original melody.