A critical full-score edition of the completed movements of Eugene Ysaye's trio for two violins and viola

Abstract

This is the only trio for two violins and viola composed by Eugene Ysaye. The trio was unpublished at the time Eugene Ysaye died in 1931. It was composed from ca. 1914--1916, and was given its premiere performances in London in 1916. The trio was revised between 1916--1926. The revisions were done in stages and were related to different performances of the work from 1916--1925. It was initially a composition in three movements; the performance parts to the third movement were left unfinished before the premiere performances of the trio in 1916. The initial title was Trio Pour Deux Violons et Alto. After the premiere performances the second movement was abandoned. Eugene Ysaye's final version of this work was of the first movement only and the title was changed to Trio de Concert (en une partie) Pour Deux Violons et Alto. I am presenting a critical full-score edition of the two completed movements to Ysaye's trio based on a careful reading of the composer's surviving autograph manuscripts. The first movement of this edition is primarily based on Ysaye's engraver's copies to Trio de Concert (en une partie) that he intended to publish in January 1926. The second movement is based on the incomplete autograph full score from 1914/1915 and the separate performance parts that were written out and used for the premiere performances of this work in 1916. The fingerings and bowings in my full score are by Eugene Ysaye. The different fingerings of the first movement are a unique opportunity to study the changes in Eugene Ysaye's style over a period of more than a decade. Alternate readings and differences between the composer's different autograph manuscripts are presented in the critical commentary. Editions Ysaye published the first movement of this trio twice in 1970, these editions are full of errors compared to Eugene Ysaye's engraver's copies. The publisher gave them the title Trio de Concert "Le Londres", and Trio "Le Londres."