[Publius]

Although Henry Mancini was an adequate pianist, his first instrument was the flute.

During the Fifties when Mancini was working at the Universal lot, he and Andy Barber, the head of the music department at Universal, would play hookie and sneak out to Santa Anita during racing season.

[Publius]

Another product of the chamber music summer of 1886 for Johannes Brahms was a piano trio. By this time, Brahms could concentrate his musical thought with such intensity that the entire four movement piece doesn’t even run twenty minutes.

This live performance is about 40 years old and features three giants of their respective instruments, now all gone. Rather than play the pedant, I’ll let you just wallow in this movement, especially the second subject. It’s so juicy!

Brahms: Trio for Piano, Violin and Cello in C minor, Op. 101, first movement

The second movement is a short intermezzo. The third is one of the great, heartfelt slow movements.

second and third movements

The finale is a fine crowd pleaser in sonata format.

fourth movement

[luvie]

I didn’t know that! Did he play flute in any of his arrangements?