Discography
“The only really safe name is Ernest” Oscar Wilde, 1895.
THE WONDERFUL ADVENTURES OF AMANDA MAIER
If Amanda Maier left her mark on the musical life of her time, subsequent centuries have not remembered her name. The Trio Ernest opens a door on her highly personal musical universe, with this album featuring Grieg, the Schumanns and Reinecke. At the heart of the program are the composer’s magnificent Trio in E-flat, a cross between German Romanticism and Swedish folklore, and Swedish Airs and Dances, to which Éléonore Billy’s nyckelharpa, a traditional instrument, lends all its color and charm.
RELEASE TOUR :
17.01 France Musique
18.01 Yverdon (CH)
15.02 Paris (FR)
16.02 Paris (FR)
06.03 Cherbourg (FR)
15.03 Geneva (CH)
25.04 Conches (CH)
26.04 Vich (CH)
“Ernest’s idea to set Amanda Maier’s Trio against works by Grieg, Reinecke and the Schumanns, all of whom were friends of Amanda Maier’s! But also to have invited Éléonore Billy and her Nyckelharpa, a kind of keyboard fiddle, to perform with them the Swedish Airs and Dances op.6, which the composer, violinist and conductor, who died of tuberculosis at the age of 41, signed with her husband Julius Rontgën. Ideal in front of an open fire, this original anthology of romantic pages should have just as much effect, on Monday, in the woodwork of the Salle Cortot, in Paris, where the Franco-Swiss trio is expected. “Éric Dahan in Plus vite que la musique, la sélection des albums de la semaine de Libération, February 13, 2026.
“The Trio Ernest presents a magnificent tribute, full of finesse, which, through a selection of works by Amanda Maier, Schumann and Reinecke, offers a glimpse into the life of this extraordinary woman. […] The Trio Ernest plays this music with great élan. I sense a great devotion on their part to this work: they want to do it full justice. “Klara’s Choice, album of the week on Belgian radio Klara (VRT), Carlo Siau and Kathleen van Bavel. > Listen to the review <
“Trio Ernest presents Amanda Maier’s compositions with great depth and emotion, and the sound of the nyckelharpa lends the album additional nuances, finely crafted and rich in color. […] A musically exciting and varied recording.” Vorgestellt Album of the Day, Daniela Fietzek. > Listen to the review <
“The two string players, Stanislas Gosset and Clément Dami, and pianist Natasha Roque Alsina of Trio Ernest, fuse their voices into a single unit. […] The Trio Ernest plays in a touching way, with a fine sense of slowing down and suspension. But the music never stops, always in motion, always in flux. […] The recording brings a very special sound to the classical repertoire, thanks to the color of the nyckelharpa, but also to the discovery of a remarkable repertoire. Amanda Maier-Röntgen’s trio is a masterpiece of chamber music. Neue Klassik-Alben Album of the Day, Marcus Stäbler. > Listen to the review <
“A delightful introduction to the life and work of Swedish composer Amanda Maier” Supernova selection, Inês Almeida. > Listen to the review <
HAYDN ALL-STARS
Haydn’s star towers over the firmament of classical music – that of a creative genius whose boundless imagination continues to shine brightly in our own day. For their first recording, the Trio Ernest have brought together pieces that they have come across in the orbit of this composer so dear to them. Published on January 19, 2024 by Aparté.
“The Haydn readings are period-aware, with a fantastic freshness, energy and range of colour. […] A strong debut, and I hope to see more from those three on Aparté in the future” Charlotte Gardner
“Their interpretation is never faulted: pure, refined, swirling and perfectly recorded, it leaves us hoping for more surprises of this kind!” Jérémie Bigorie
“All repeats are observed here, and are always ornamented, especially at each organ point, right up to an improvised cadenza on the piano. […] The finales are more lively, with more marked contrasts of nuance, drawing them more towards Sturm und Drang than towards a playful lightness. ” Thomas Herreng
“A vision full of light, freedom, enthusiasm and humor […] A very fine disc [that] will count.” Haydn All-Stars “Classical Disc of the Day” on Emilie Munera and Rodolphe Bruneau-Boulmier’s “En pistes!” program.
“The last few years spent scouring Europe’s greatest stages have enabled them to fine-tune a first program released in January 2024 by Aparté. […] What stands out about this first opus is the trio’s sober, unaffected interpretation, which here opts for purity, in complete connivance with a clear, straightforward sound recording.” The Trio Ernest among the “10 classical music artists to watch in 2024.” Pierre Lamy
“In life, Haydn was a European superstar. It is this aspect of him that the Trio Ernest manage to capture in their new album. With furious tempi and assured, distinct dynamics, they show what a spirited and captivating listening experience Haydn’s piano trios are.” J.C.
“A master stroke […] The Trio Ernest […] displays a rare artistic maturity. Instrumental refinement is matched only by the rigor of their approach, which does not prevent them from being expansive when necessary. Pianist Natasha Roque Alsina’s mastery and taste for marvellous nuances in the pianissimo register recall the memory of Menahem Pressler, the soul of the Beaux Arts Trio, who gave the young trio his advice. The two strings are not to be outdone: Stanislas Gosset, violin, and Clément Dami, cello, bring a breath of fresh air to their interpretation.” Jean-Pierre Robert
“Trio Ernest breathes new life into Haydn’s piano trio. […] The rendering is joyous, witty, popping with new ideas, and highly entertaining; it simply has nothing to do with a certain air of museum dust often present in the older versions. […] Trio Ernest seems to have much to say in the future and surely deserves the public’s full attention.” Giorgio Koukl
“Trio Ernest has committed to including a work by a female composer in each concert, and this one bodes well for their ability to find interesting material and perform it convincingly. The Haydn trios themselves are imbued with the high spirits that are essential to a successful Haydn performance. With clear sound from the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Waterloo, this release announces an important new presence in the crowded piano trio scene.” James Manheim
FRANK COMPLETE CHAMBER MUSIC
The Trio Ernest participates in the complete chamber music of César Franck by recording the Grand Trio CFF 108 for the label Outhere – Fuga Libera.
Acclaimed by the critics, the box set multiplies the awards: Diapason d’Or of the year 2022, coup de coeur du Figaro, FFFF event Télérama etc.
Jean-Michel Molkhou awards a Diapason d’Or to the complete set which “allows us to taste, under the fingers of the Ernest Trio, the cheerful panache of the Grand Trio in C minor”, Thierry Hillériteau salutes in the Figaro “the youthful ardor of the Geneva-based Ernest Trio” and awards his favorite of the week to the box set. Classique News also notes the Grand Trio CFF 108, “crackling and strongly contrasted” before concluding: “One could not listen to performers better engaged in this complete work”.
Order available on the Outhere website : https://outhere-music.com/fr/albums/franck-complete-chamber-music