Trio Colores: En Couleur
Media Review
2025-02-10 — Original posting
Contents
- Introduction: The Artists
- The Contents of the CD
- Experiencing the CD
- Summary / Conclusion
- Media Information
- Acknowledgements
Introduction: The Artists
Encounters with Fabian Ziegler
Over the past 6 years, I have written about several encounters with the young Swiss mallet percussionist Fabian Ziegler (*1995):
- On 2019-01-27, in Lucerne, he appeared in a half-hour presentation program, together with four fellow percussionists (the “Cosmic Percussion Ensemble“);
- On 2019-12-01, again in Lucerne, he performed in a full-evening duo program together with Raphael Christen (*1969), his percussion teacher at the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK), performing on marimba and a variety of other percussion instruments.
- Finally, on 2022-11-04 in Zurich, he presented a full, elaborate and demanding program together with his wife, the Lithuanian pianist (and photographer) Akvilė Šileikaitė (*1992).
In all these performances, his main instruments were the marimba and the vibraphone.
Fabian Ziegler and the Trio Colores
Another ensemble in which Fabian Ziegler performs is the Trio Colores (see also the Website of their agency), consisting of three Swiss and Austrian mallet percussionists:
- Fabian Ziegler (*1995)
- Luca Staffelbach (*1996)
- Matthias Kessler (*1997)
See the ensemble’s “About” page for details on the artists’ biographies. The ensemble made its first appearance in 2019 and has since embarked on a successful international concert career, including concert tours to South Korea and the United States in 2022 and 2024. The ensemble recently commissioned a triple concerto from the American-Israeli composer Avner Dorman (*1975).
Last year, Fabian Ziegler asked me to review the Trio’s latest CD, “En Couleur“ (see the CD cover above and the media information below)—hence this review.
The Contents of the CD
The CD “En Couleur“ (“in colors” / “colored” / “colorful”) features (mostly) well-known compositions by five French composers, which the musicians have transcribed / adapted for themselves, i.e., for their instrumental configuration. This configuration includes two marimbas and metallophones (three vibraphones and two glockenspiels).
The recordings took place in the Angelika Kauffmann Saal in Schwarzenberg, Austria, in April and August 2023. In the booklet, Fabian Ziegler explains that one of the ensemble’s goals in this recording was to exploit the possibilities of their percussion instruments to produce new, unexplored nuances and colors in the selected compositions—colors that cannot be achieved by instruments such as a piano (or even an orchestra).
Track Listing
- Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 – 1921): Symphonic Poem for Orchestra “Danse macabre“, op.40 — [7’23”]
- (01) — Danse macabre [7’23”]
- Maurice Ravel (1875 – 1937): Le tombeau de Couperin, Suite for Piano, M.68 — [25’01”]
- (02) — I. Prélude: Vif [3’15”]
- (03) — II. Fugue: Allegro moderato [3’43”]
- (04) — III. Forlane: Allegretto [6’04”]
- (05) — IV. Rigaudon: Assez vif [3’12”]
- (06) — V. Menuet: Allegro moderato [4’44”]
- (07) — VI. Toccata: Vif [4’02”]
- Germaine Tailleferre (1892 – 1983): Toccata for two pianos (1957) — [3’46”]
- (08) — Toccata [3’46”]
- Claude Debussy (1862 – 1918): Petite Suite pour piano à quatre mains, L.65 — [13’09”]
- (09) — I. En bateau: Andantino [3’39”]
- (10) — II. Cortège: Moderato [3’23”]
- (11) — III. Menuet: Moderato [3’05”]
- (12) — IV. Ballet: Allegro giusto [3’12”]
- Darius Milhaud (1892 – 1974): Suite “Scaramouche” for two pianos, op.165 — [9’34”]
- (13) — I. Vif [3’14”]
- (14) — II. Modéré [3’57”]
- (15) — III. Brazileira (Mouvement de samba) [2’23”]
Total Duration: 58’53” (15 tracks)
Experiencing the CD
In my comments below, I’ll “walk through” the recording in the order of the pieces on the CD. The booklet does not specify the details of the instrumentation used for any specific piece or movement. Therefore, I will limit my comments to describing my listening experience, i.e., how the music sounds and feels.
Saint-Saëns: Danse macabre, op.40
Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 – 1921) composed his Danse macabre, op.40 as a symphonic poem for orchestra. According to Wikipedia, the instrumentation included “an obbligato violin and an orchestra consisting of a piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets in B♭, two bassoons; four horns in G and D, two trumpets in D, three trombones, a tuba; a percussion section including timpani, xylophone, bass drum, cymbals and triangle; a harp and strings”.
The piece was first performed in 1875 and initially met with resistance from audiences. Only later did it become one of Saint-Saëns’ masterpieces. One of its characteristics is the use of a xylophone to imitate rattling bones. Soon after the premiere, Franz Liszt (1811 – 1886) made a transcription for piano, and Saint-Saëns himself created a version for two pianos — see YouTube for a 2011 recording with the interpretation by Russian pianists Anastasia and Liubov Gromoglasova (*1984 and *1982, respectively). There are also several other transcriptions / arrangements.
The Performance
[7’23”] I intuitively assumed that Saint-Saëns’ transcription for two pianos would be the most suitable basis for a transcription for mallet percussion. But the first bars of this opening piece by the Trio Colores prove me wrong. The gentle, soft and atmospheric sound of the beginning: emerging from silence, not at all percussive, an ethereal sound carpet, dominated by the lingering sounds of the metallophones—immediately captivating! Then, of course, after the brief introduction, the marimbas (imitating the rattling of bones) instantly evoked the danse macabre, bringing the arrangement closer to the original orchestral score, dominated by this primary voice (played by the ensemble, not a single instrument).
To accompany the solo, the orchestral part is transformed into a warm, subtle harmonic foundation. And sure, when the “rattling bones” pause, the mellow “orchestral moments” are far from the sonorities, the colors of the original score. But nothing is missing here—on the contrary: the Trio Colores‘ arrangement is much more coherent and harmonious. Also, in comparison to this recording, the arrangement for two pianos sounds pale, lacking color, sonority and atmosphere.
Well done: an excellent opening and signature piece, and a compelling, virtuosic performance!
Rating: ★★★★½
Ravel: Le tombeau de Couperin, M.68
Le tombeau de Couperin (“Couperin’s tomb”), M.68 is a suite for piano composed by Maurice Ravel (1875 – 1937) between 1914 and 1917. Each of the six movements is dedicated to the memory of a friend of the composer who died fighting in World War I. In 1919, Ravel created a shorter orchestral suite (M.68a) from a subset of four movements (Prélude — Forlane — Menuet — Rigaudon), scored for 2 flutes (/ piccolo), 2 oboes (/ cor anglais), 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, trumpet, harp, and strings.
For information: for Ravel’s original piano and orchestra versions, I refer to the recordings in the list below; I don’t want to comment on these “other” interpretations, but try to abstract the characteristics of Ravel’s writing / composition.
- Piano version I — Walter Gieseking (1895 – 1956): Ravel—Piano Works (1951, Masters of the Piano / Classica d’Oro CDO 3020 — UPC-A: 7 23724 14732 4)
- Piano version II (Forlane only) — Arthur Rubinstein (1887 – 1982): “Arthur Rubinstein — The Complete Album Collection”, CD #131 (live, 1961, SONY Classical / RCA 88691936912)
- Orchestra version: Lionel Bringuier (*1986), Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich — Ravel, Complete Orchestral Works (2014/2015, DG 479 5524, 4 CDs, UPC-A: 0 28947 95524 5)
The Performance
I. Prélude: Vif
[3’15”] The original piano version of Ravel’s Prélude combines pianistic artistry, textures, and sonorities with veiled allusions to Baroque formalisms. In Ravel’s orchestral version, the Baroque allusions become secondary: what dominates is the orchestral color, Ravel’s masterful, rich instrumentation so typical of Impressionist orchestral music.
Trio Colores‘ excellent transcription preserves all the spirit of Ravel’s original, the drive and momentum of the piano score. At the same time, it feels more fluent and flowing than the piano version, even more effortless, though dynamically more restrained. The dominant impression, however, is the truly impressionistic atmosphere, the harmonious legato sonority, the rich colors of the percussion instruments: excellent, even if it cannot quite compete with the colorfulness of Ravel’s orchestral arrangement.
II. Fugue: Allegro moderato
[3’43”] A truly artful baroque fugue in impressionistic harmonies and colors—beautiful! Again, the Trio Colores translation makes the original piano version sound a bit pale, sometimes almost dry, “theoretical”, abstract. The percussion arrangement is on par (if not better) in terms of transparency and letting the listener experience and follow the voices in the polyphonic textures. At the same time, the arrangement is perhaps less “baroque”, but highly atmospheric, richer in colors and sonorities. Just one observation: in the piano version, the frequent polyrhythmic elements (triplet + duplet) are more pronounced than in the percussion version, where the triplet dominates the duplet part.
III. Forlane: Allegretto
[6’04”] For me, this is the “least baroque” of the pieces in this collection / suite (perhaps along with the Rigaudon). The only “remotely baroque” element may be in the ornamentation of the melody voice, and in the somewhat formal attitude of a baroque dance. Otherwise, the main characteristic of this dance movement is its atmosphere, which reminds me of Debussy’s “Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune“—pure mood. The Trio Colores‘ arrangement focuses on this aspect of the composition and even enhances it, perhaps even reducing it to “mood alone”. The original for piano at least adds/preserves the pianistic artistry in the right hand ornamentation—an aspect that is mostly lost in the percussion arrangement.
Within the suite, the Forlane is perhaps the piece that benefits most from the composer’s orchestration. He largely ignores the “baroque” aspects, while the masterful instrumentation adds a wealth of color, transforming the somewhat monochromatic piece into a colorful, even entertaining, humorous movement.
IV. Rigaudon: Assez vif
[3’12”] Playful and joyful in the outer parts, pensive-mysterious and ethereal in the middle part: excellent in the coordination over all the rubato and the sudden tempo changes—a fun piece! I prefer the richer percussion arrangement over Ravel’s original piano version, even though the piano may be better at exposing the more boisterous moments. The same can be said of Ravel’s orchestrated version: playfulness and fun, plus the benefit of additional colors. Overall, I prefer the orchestral version for the lively sections. In the slow, atmospheric section, however, the Trio Colores wins me over!
V. Menuet: Allegro moderato
[4’44”] Sure, the mallet percussion arrangement is hardly Ravel’s original intention. But it seems to me to offer more than the original piano version. Neither of these feel “Couperinesque”, though of course they are proper Menuet dance movements. The piano version is quiet, contemplative. In comparison, the Trio Colores offers atmosphere, colors, rich sonorities, but less of a dramatic, dynamic climax, focusing more on the atmospheric aspects of this music, adding ethereal moments, subtlety, refinement. This also distinguishes it from Ravel’s orchestral arrangement (which, of course, stands out through its rich, masterful instrumentation).
VI. Toccata: Vif
[4’02”] There are undeniable similarities between Ravel’s Toccata and the Toccata in D minor, op.11, written by Sergei Prokofiev (1891 – 1953) just a few years earlier in 1912. Both share a strong motoric, percussive element, rapidly repeated notes as “drones” amidst surrounding patterns, though compared to Prokofiev’s, Ravel’s Toccata is somewhat less strenuous and overtly obsessive, but focuses on virtuosity. In their percussion arrangement, the Trio Colores make this piece feel more relaxed (but not slower!), richer, more playful, sometimes gentle, but also with eerie, almost sinister moments, and sometimes reminiscent of Indonesian gamelan music. Excellent!
Rating: ★★★★
Tailleferre: Toccata for two pianos (1957)
Germaine Tailleferre (1892 – 1983) wrote her Toccata for two pianos in 1957, for the American two-piano team Gold and Fizdale. The work was published in 1999 only, 16 years after the composer’s death.
The Performance
[3’46”] Germaine Tailleferre’s Toccata differs from its predecessors by Ravel and Prokofiev: motoric aspects, virtuosity, not to mention strenuous urgency, are secondary. Rather, Tailleferre’s piece is serene, playful, even peaceful. Sure, there are the repetitive patterns as basic elements. Then there are the playful melodies, interspersed with fragments that add an ironic note and harmonic contrasts. And the middle section sets itself apart: mysterious, setting a mid-20th century counterpoint before the piece returns to the initial theme and ends in subtle intimacy. Not surprisingly, the Trio Colores‘ interpretation adds rich colors and highlights the playfulness, the subtleties in this music: beautiful!
Rating: ★★★★½
Debussy: Petite Suite pour piano à quatre mains, L.65
Claude Debussy (1862 – 1918) wrote his “Little Suite for Piano Four Hands”, L.65 between 1886 and 1889. The suite was first performed in Paris in 1989, by Debussy himself and the pianist and publisher Jacques Durand (1865 – 1928) who also published the work. The technically not very demanding composition (about 13 minutes) has since been transcribed for various ensemble configurations, as well as for orchestra.
For those not familiar with this music: I recently came across a YouTube performance of this music (not a video, just stills) featuring the outstanding Piano Duo Beraia, i.e., the Georgian pianists Natia Beraia (*1986) and her sister Tamar Beraia (*1987, see also Wikipedia).
The Performance
I. En bateau: Andantino
[3’39”] A lovely, simple and singing melody on the glockenspiel (vibraphone in the middle part), above the marimbas depicting gentle waves rolling against the boat: peace, serenity, relaxed, carefree—a kind of still image. In the middle part, when the waves become more lively and a bit stronger, the peaceful atmosphere remains undisturbed. The only reservation I have here is that the warm marimba envelope is perhaps a bit too prominent, even dominant—especially when I compare it with the subtle, if not discreet, accompaniment in the piano version. Also, in the original version, the change in character, the contrast to the middle part, is more pronounced. Here, the piano version easily wins over the arrangement, which sometimes seems a little too harmless and sweet in comparison.
II. Cortège: Moderato
[3’23”] Not so much a parade or procession, but a happy, dancing, carefree piece with a slightly more reflective middle secvtion. As with the first movement, I again prefer the piano version with its lighter, more transparent sonorities / textures and the more pronounced character changes.
III. Menuet: Moderato
[3’05”] Compared to the other pieces, the Menuet is clearly the richest and most varied of the movements—not only in the percussion arrangement, but also in the original: richer in harmonies, more varied in rhythmic structures, and more artful in the melodies. My favorite.
IV. Ballet: Allegro giusto
[3’12”] As a composition, I would place the Ballet close to the Menuet. I have a preference for the latter. The Ballet is a happy dance, often bordering on boisterous—fun, even though a little simplistic in the melodies. The percussion arrangement is excellent—but again, the original has the clear edge. For me, the percussion arrangement tends to expose the weaknesses of the composition—less so than the original piano version.
To summarize my comments on the suite as a whole: it’s not bad as a composition—but certainly not one of Debussy’s top masterpieces. Compared to the original for piano four hands, the percussion arrangement makes the suite seem even weaker, too light and easy (sometimes even superficial) as a composition—especially in the context of the compositions by Saint-Saëns, Ravel and Tailleferre. In parts at least, this is in the nature of these movements. I don’t want to blame the artists or their arrangements. However, the percussion section, that is, the instrumentation on this recording, may not be the ideal vehicle for bringing out the qualities of these movements.
Rating: ★★★½
Milhaud: Suite “Scaramouche” for two pianos, op.165
Darius Milhaud (1892 – 1974) composed his Suite “Scaramouche” for two pianos, op.165, in 1937. The suite is derived from the incidental music for two theatrical productions that Milhaud had written the previous year. As the suite soon became very popular, Milhaud transcribed it for various configurations, such as alto saxophone and orchestra, and for clarinet and orchestra, at the request of the clarinetist Benny Goodman (1909 – 1986). Other composers have also made arrangements for various configurations, see also Wikipedia.
The Performance
My comments above seem to criticize Debussy’s “Petite Suite pour piano à quatre mains” (not only the percussion arrangement, but in parts also the compositions). What about Milhaud’s “Scaramouche“? He does indeed work with very popular topoi, i.e. motifs / themes / (melodic fragments, harmonies, rhythms). Much of this music borders on popular entertainment music. However, Milhaud created a fascinating, highly entertaining kaleidoscope, carefully avoiding over-repetition / over-use of elements, thus avoiding making these short pieces sound trivial. And the percussion arrangement of the Trio Colores seems to fit these compositions very well!
I. Vif
[3’14”] The above remark about the kaleidoscope is particularly appropriate for the first movement, with its sudden changes of tempo and “scenery”, the fiery rhythms and rich polyrhythms, the equally rich polytonality and daring harmonic clashes, the surprisingly harmless insertion—the Trio Colores is truly in its element: virtuosic, fascinating, enthralling! Sure, the two-piano version adds the fascination of pianistic virtuosity—but the Trio Colores makes it sound like a genuine composition for mallet percussion instruments!
II. Modéré (Mouvement de samba)
[3’57”] The beginning of the introduction made me smile: on the metallophone, the lonely falling third (D — B♭) with the lingering tones resembles a doorbell (or a model for the doorbell industry—made me check the door, seriously!). The continuation alludes to popular melodies and harmonic turns. However, before the music starts to sound too ordinary, sudden harmonic shifts avoid the impression of triviality. The contrasting middle section is playfully folksy, but ultimately returns to the children’s songs that the piece alluded to in the introduction. A beautifully atmospheric rendition, indeed!
III. Brazileira
[2’23”] The third and shortest of the pieces is a rousing Samba feast (inspired by the composer’s earlier visit to Rio de Janeiro)—a prewar hit piece, virtuosic and fun in the original two-piano version. Again, the musicians of the Trio Colores truly are in their element, and in some ways the percussion version sounds more authentic than the two-piano original, evoking images of a group of steelpan (steel drum) players! Fascinating—congrats to the artists!
Rating: ★★★★★
Summary / Conclusion
With the exception of Germaine Tailleferre’s Toccata the pieces on this CD were all written within 62 years (1875 – 1937), all by French composers, and all played on three types of mallet percussion instruments. At a first glance, listening through the entire CD may make the music sound like “all similar” or “much of the same”. However, nothing forces the listener to “suck in” the CD all at once!
That’s not a criticism—it seems logical and consequential to collect pieces by French composers of the Impressionist period in such a CD, and after careful listening I must say that this is an excellent and interesting recording. In my opinion, the only segment that falls off a bit (as a composition, not in the performance) is Debussy’s Petite Suite: it is simply not on a par with the other compositions in this collection. One would think that Debussy has numerous pieces of piano music that would be better suited to this set—but I can’t judge how suitable these would lend themselves to an arrangement for mallet percussion.
Apart from this minor quibble I can only say: well done! An interesting and entertaining recording, certainly worth a recommendation—congrats to the artists!
Media Information
Trio Colores: En Couleur
Transcriptions of compositions by Saint-Saëns, Maurice Ravel, Germaine Tailleferre, Claude Debussy, and Darius Milhaud
Trio Colores (Fabian Ziegler, Luca Staffelbach, Matthias Kessler: mallet percussion)
Solo Musica SM 467 (CD, stereo); ℗ / © 2024
Booklet: 16 pp. de
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Fabian Ziegler for sending me the CD for this review!
