Trio Op. 7

Jean Absil’s Trio, Op. 7 in B minor, composed in 1931, is a piano trio for violin, cello, and piano and is recognized as the composer’s first major chamber work​. It is an expansive trio in the late-Romantic tradition, lasting about 20 minutes and structured in three movements​.

Musically, the trio straddles the aesthetic of the early 20th century: it contains lush, expressive melodies and rich harmonies that recall Fauré or César Franck, while also hinting at the emerging modernist elements that Absil would later fully adopt. The first movement (Allegro moderato) opens with a broad violin melody over rolling piano arpeggios – a sweeping, passionate theme that establishes a warm tonal center (B minor colored with modal inflections). The cello soon joins in, and the two strings exchange motifs in close duet, indicating Absil’s innate gift for lyrical counterpoint. The movement is in sonata form; a second theme arrives in the relative major (D major), introduced by the cello in a lower register, a tender and somewhat melancholic tune accompanied by gentle syncopations in the piano. Absil develops these ideas through modulations and intensifying dialog between instruments, though compared to his later works, the development remains relatively tonal and straightforward.

Notably, even in this youthful piece, one can find instances of bold dissonance – for example, at the climax of the development, the piano unleashes a series of chromatic chord clusters as the strings play agitated arpeggios, momentarily pushing the harmonic language beyond traditional tonality. However, the recapitulation brings back the opening theme reassuringly, and the movement closes in a subdued B major, perhaps symbolizing hope beyond the turbulent minor-key narrative. The second movement is a Lento assai, functioning as the slow, cantabile heart of the trio. It begins with a plaintive cello solo, which Absil marks espressivo. This melody is then picked up by the violin, creating an overlapping dialogue reminiscent of a duet aria. The piano provides a softly undulating accompaniment, with extended chords that occasionally produce mild pungencies (suggestive of French impressionism à la Debussy/Ravel).

The harmonic progression here is interesting: Absil moves fluidly through distant keys, using common-tone modulations and altered chords – techniques he likely learned from his studies of Wagner and Franck. The movement’s central section builds in intensity, with both violin and cello in passionate double-stops and the piano rising to a thunderous climax (notably, this peak is one of the few moments in the trio where Absil hints at polytonality, stacking chords that imply two keys at once). The music then recedes, ending in a quiet, ambiguous harmony that fades away, giving a sense of unresolved longing. The finale is an Allegro energico that brings a burst of vitality. It opens with a rhythmic, dance-like theme in 6/8 time introduced by the piano, somewhat folkloric in character (one can detect a trace of Hungarian or Romanian dance rhythm, likely inspired by the general vogue for folk elements in that era). The strings enter with terse motifs, and the movement unfolds as a rondo. The recurring refrain is joyous and robust, while intervening episodes explore contrasting moods: one episode features a fugal interplay between violin and cello on a quicksilver theme, displaying Absil’s contrapuntal prowess; another episode shifts into a slower, hymn-like section in a major key, providing a brief moment of solemnity amidst the merriment. Throughout the finale, the piano has a virtuosic role with sparkling passagework and octave runs, almost concerto-like at times – Absil was himself an excellent pianist and here he writes generously for the instrument. In the closing pages, the trio accelerates (the marking Animato appears), driving to a thrilling conclusion in B major with the main theme blazing in unison by all three instruments, capped by decisive octave leaps in the piano and emphatic chords. It’s a crowd-pleasing finish that no doubt left early audiences exhilarated.

Historically, Trio Op. 7 was a milestone for the young Absil. Composed shortly after he finished formal studies, it likely served as a portfolio piece to establish him as a serious composer of chamber music. In 1931 it won a prize at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels (Absil received the Prix Agniez that year, which may have been partly awarded for this trio). The premiere took place in Brussels in 1932, performed by the Pianist André Dumortier with two members of the Pro Arte Quartet (which underscores the regard for the work – Pro Arte was a leading ensemble). The performance was well received; reviews praised Absil’s melodic gift and the trio’s “solid construction and sweeping expressiveness,” while noting the modern harmonic touches as evidence of a composer who “looks to the future without renouncing the past.” The trio was published soon after, in 1933, by a Belgian publisher (possibly through support from the esteemed music patron Queen Elisabeth, who was encouraging young Belgian talents). Absil dedicated the trio to his teacher, Paul Gilson, as a gesture of gratitude, though ironically the style of the trio already moves beyond Gilson’s late-Romantic idiom.

Over time, as Absil’s style changed and his fame came to rest more on later works, the early Trio Op. 7 fell somewhat into obscurity. However, it had a brief renaissance in the late 1940s when it was programmed in concerts aimed at showcasing Belgian repertoire of the interwar period. One notable performance was at the 1948 Festival of Belgian Chamber Music in Liège, where the trio was played by the Pasquier Trio (visiting from France) and reportedly left a strong impression, its youthful ardor contrasting with some of Absil’s more austere later pieces on the program. In recordings, the trio waited many decades: it finally received a modern recording in 2015 (coupled with Absil’s Trio No. 2) which revealed its charms to a new audience. Critics of that release pointed out the stylistic divergence between Op. 7 and Op. 158 – the former being “rooted in post-romantic lyricism, occasionally reminiscent of Ravel’s trio in its piano figurations,” whereas the latter is much more succinct and modern. Nonetheless, Trio Op. 7 holds its own as an accomplished composition. Its rich, late-Romantic heritage combined with glimmers of modernism make it an accessible and engaging work. In contemporary terms, the piece can be seen as part of the broader European piano trio literature bridging the Romantic and modern eras – sitting perhaps alongside works like Frank Bridge’s early trios or the early Shostakovich trio in spirit. For Absil, it was the first chamber canvas on which he experimented with forging a personal style. Hearing it today, one can appreciate both the lushness of its youthful voice and the seeds of innovation that would fully bloom in his later music.