The debut album of Estonian trio Poll-Varema-Poll features performances of four piano trios belonging to the canon of Estonian classical music.

The Piano Trio No. 1 in B-flat Major was created in 1929 by a composer educated at the Russian Conservatory in St Petersburg: Artur Lemba (18851963). It was the first piano trio in the history of Estonian music, still firmly rooted in the Classical and Roman tic compositional idiom.

The character of the second composition, Two Lyrical Pieces from 1915 by Heino Eller (18871970), is different. He was Lemba's peer, also educated in Russia, but his compositional interests focused on sounds which were then willingly described as proper of Estonian national music. Arvo Part (b. 1935), although belonging to the next generation of Estonian composers, has already become a classic, known and appreciated all over the world. The trajectory of his compositional career was full of unexpected turning points and experiments: he began with Neoclassicism and then devoted himself to avant-garde experiments.

On the album we will listen to the piece Mozart Adagio from 1992, in which the composer refers to the Piano Sonata in F Major KV 280 by the great Viennese. His second composition featured on the CD, close to modern times, is Scala cromatica from 2007. In this piece, we can appreciate a different facet of the Estonian composer, showing his sense of humour and lightness.

Riho Esko Maimets (b. 1988) is the youngest of the composers presented on the album, and his piece Three Contemplations for Piano Trio was premiered in 2019. It is an extremely reflective, contemplative music, deeply referring to the best traditions of 'northern sounds' lyricism, clarity and harmony. The pieces are performed by the Poll-Varema-Poll trio. The ensemble specialises in the performance of Estonian piano trios and has already played in numerous concert venues in Europe.

Mihkel Poll, piano

Mari Poll, violin

Henry-David Varema, cello