Heinrich Marschner’s role as Germany’s leading Romantic operatic composer in the generation between Weber and Wagner has tended to draw attention away from his accomplished chamber compositions. Marschner had a high regard for the piano trio genre, composing seven throughout his career, which won the admiration of his friends Robert and Clara Schumann. The Trio no.1 in A minor is profusely lyrical and not without surprises and contrasts. Written three decades later, the Trio no.7 in F major is a work of his maturity – assured, dramatic and energetic.

The Gould Piano Trio has remained at the forefront of the international chamber music scene for over a quarter of a century. Launched by winning First Prize at the Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition, it was European Concert Hall Organisation ‘Rising Stars’, making a highly successful and critically acclaimed debut at New York’s Weill Recital Hall. Its many appearances at London’s Wigmore Hall have included the complete piano trios of Dvořák, Mendelssohn, Schubert and Beethoven.

The Gould Piano Trio are important figures in the Naxos catalogue and are represented in Naxos’s The A–Z of Classical Music and in the Great Chamber Music release, a 10-disc box.