Ravel was not only a master craftsman of exquisitely constructed chamber works but he was also a key innovator inspired by the tonal/atonal experiments of Schoenberg Stravinsky and the Second Viennese School. This is most closely reflected in the remarkable Mallarmé Poems Ravel's closest approach to the modernist innovations. Elsewhere his Piano Trio presents a perfect example of the delicacy and intricacy of Ravel's chamber music. Joined by several other full chamber pieces this is music that presents Ravel at his most musically ambitious brought together for the first time in one large-format attractively-priced volume.

Here are six of the most studied, performed, and recorded trios for piano, violin, and cello. They include the popular trio in D Major, Op. 70, No. 1, which was named the Ghost trio by Beethoven's student, Carl Czerny, who thought the eerie second movement suggested the specter of Hamlet's father. Additional works include the trio in E-flat Major, Op. 1, No. 1; the trio in G Major, Op. 1, No. 2; the trio in C Minor, Op. 1, No. 3; the trio in E-flat Major, Op. 70, No. 2; and the trio in B-flat Major, Op. 97, also known as the Archduke trio. These works are reproduced from the authoritative Breitkopf and Härtel editions. Durable but inexpensive, this edition features a sturdy binding that allows pages to remain open on music stands for years of use and enjoyment. Reprinted from the definitive 19th-century Breitkopf and Härtel edition, published in Leipzig.

En entendant le premier trio, Robert Schumann a déclaré « Mendelssohn est le Mozart du 19ème siècle ! » Écrit dans le modèle romantique célèbre débordant du compositeur, ces deux pièces sont des incontournables du répertoire de musique de chambre. Les deux trios apparaissent ici pour la première fois dans une édition simple et accessible.