Richibi’s Weblog

  “The Greek Slave Girl (or Variations in Violet and Rose)“ (c.1885 – c.1886) 

             James McNeill Whistler

                      _____________

a trio is a group of three instrumentalists,

most often a piano, a violin, and a cello,

in our Western musical tradition

but it is also a musical form, like a waltz 

is, or a prelude, or a nocturne, a trio is

a sonata, essentially, but written for 

three instruments, not one, nor two, 

consisting of more than one segment, 

or movement

though I’ve presented trios as trios to date, 

sonatas for three instruments, here’s a piece 

for three instruments but in one movement, 

though segmented, admittedly, as variations,

see above, a similar collection of rhythms 

and styles, brought together by a common 

essential element, a game audiences played 

back then, and still do even now, trying to 

distinguish the individual variations, before 

falling prey to their enchantment

here’s Beethoven’s Opus 44, in E-flat major,

listen, enjoy

R ! chard