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Wittgenstein Project
Photo: Foppe Schut
The Viennese pianist Paul Wittgenstein lost his right arm at the eastern front in 1914 and was faced with an impossible choice: give up or persevere? …
La Muse
Photo: Maaike Eijkman
Two very different French pieces in our repertoire are very dear to us: The brilliant trio of Florent Schmitt and the charming and moving Suite of miniatures The household Muse by Darius Milhaud.
Florent Schmitt String Trio op. 105 (1944)
Darius Milhaud Suite La Muse ménagère (The Household Muse) (1944) Arrangements of the original piano suite made by: Bob Gilmore, Tim Kliphuis, Petra Griffioen and Marijn van Prooijen
Press clips
“By a lucky coincidence I heard Prisma String Trio play the same Beethoven trio twice in a row. Twice the music invented itself while playing (secret of true music making), twice it was right on target” (Elmer Schönberger, music publicist and composer).
“Expression is a word that the Prisma String Trio writes in capitals.” (De Gelderlander)
"The Prisma Trio convinces with a full sound and swinging rhythms. (…) The Prisma Trio is an excellent tour guide, also for the inexperienced listener who is interested in an adventure across the border." (Luister, classical music magazine)
Biography
Prisma covers 7 centuries of string trio music. Virtuoso, passionate and stylish, Prisma combines the tightness of a string quartet with the flair of three esteemed musicians who effortlessly find each other.
Since its founding in 2002, Prisma has met with great enthusiasm among a wide audience. The trio can be heard on countless stages such as the Royal Concertgebouw Amsterdam, De Doelen, Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam. They toured in France and played in festivals like Grachtenfestival and November Music and on radio and TV.
Prisma programs inventively and searches its own way. Firmly anchored in the classical string playing tradition the trio performs music from all over the world and from all times; old and new music sound next to each other as if it was meant this way. Quality, inspiration and contact with their audience come first. The trio members like to introduce the works with a short story that appeals to both the experienced and the less informed listener.
Prisma highlights unknown or neglected jewels from the string trio repertoire, as - recently - the phenomenal Trio à cordes by Florent-Schmitt that has been undeservedly forgotten since it was written. In addition, Prisma makes arrangements and often presents 'unexpected little gifts’ in the middle of a concert; these musical miniatures give even more color to the programme.
The trio regularly performs with guests, such as writer A.L. Snijders, pianist Riko Fukuda, clarinettist Lars Wouters van den Oudenweijer and pianola player Max “Weltemax” Lakeman. Every two years the trio performs a highly praised programme of new music with the Hollands Vocaal Ensemble Amsterdam.
In the 20 years of its existence, the trio has built an excellent reputation in terms of community participation. It develops interactive projects such as À la Carte, Casino Royale, Bow & Brush, Intimate Letters and the Graphic Score Project, based on the conviction that easy acces and high-quality music can really go together. In Splendor Amsterdam, Prisma presents its own series of 'Test Tube Concerts', in which the trio literally engages in conversation with its audience.
The Russian composer Sofia Gubaidulina was extremely enthusiastic about Prisma's interpretation of her string trio. Her response encourages Prisma to actively engage in contemporary music and to ask contemporary composers to write for them. With support of the Performing Arts Fund, Gaudeamus and the John Kasander Foundation, works were created by Arnold Marinissen, Albert van Veenendaal, Steven Kamperman, Gerard Beljon and Morris Kliphuis. Prisma is currently touring The Netherlands with 'Textures', a project by audio-visual artist Merijn Bisschops.
Prisma's first album Voyage in 2013 was awarded an honorable 10 out of 10 in the leading Dutch music magazine Luister. The tracklist features works ranging from 1500 to 2013.
The album La Muse was released by Cobra Records, with works of Florent Schmitt and Darius Milhaud. It was voted Album of the Year 2021 by NativeDSD, worldwide platform for high-quality releases. Left Hand Legacy Vol. 1 was proclaimed one of the best albums of 2023.