With the exception of the Cello Sonata, which was written in 1901 following his Second Suite for two pianos and Second Piano Concerto, all of Rachmaninov’s chamber music comes from the earliest part of his career. This body of work comprises the four compositions on this disc, together with two unfinished string quartets and also two Romances.

The early completed chamber works of Rachmaninov make a fascinating group. They were composed in the two years up to December 1893. All of this music, therefore, was written before the composer was twenty-one, yet it is wholly characteristic and by no means immature.

The Moscow Rachmaninov Trio show great insight into the composer and their performances bring depth to the works.

This recording includes Trio élégiaque No 2 which Rachmaninov started to write on the evening of Tchaikovsky’s death on 25 October 1893 and completed on 15 December. Rachmaninov was deeply shocked and distressed at the news of Tchaikovsky’s death and the piece was written to the memory of him.