George Gershwin: An American in Paris
Nino Rota: Trio for Clarinet, Cello & Piano
Thomas Demenga: Summer Breeze II
Simon Heggendorn: Siena
Sean Hickey: Tiergarten
Daniel Schnyder: A Friday Night in August

The hot, hazy and lazy days of summer are not very conducive to the enjoyment of an epic Wagner opera, a profound Mahler symphony or a 12-tone Schoenberg piano sonata. But the music on this new recording certainly is. Prospero is a new, freshly launched Swiss classical music label, with impeccable presentation standards. The disc sits in a stiff cardboard case that looks and feels like a book, and includes extensive notes on the music and the artists. And this just happens to be their second release. It features the Trio Eclipse, which consists of Lionel Andrey (clarinet), Benedek Horváth (piano), and Sebastian Braun (cello), all prizewinners at national and international solo competitions.

And nothing quite conveys the light-hearted days of summer like George Gershwin's An American in Paris, presented here in a pared down arrangement for chamber trio. These three musicians perform this music so well that the jazzy, laissez-aller atmosphere of the piece comes across even better than that of the full orchestral version. There are even pieces on this CD with titles appropriate for this time of year. The Summer Breeze II by Thomas Demenga (b. 1954), actually commissioned for Trio Eclipse, is an interesting exercise in repetitive minimalist writing, but with each instrument playing in independent time signatures. As well A Friday Night in August by Daniel Schnyder (b. 1961), as he explains in the booklet notes, brings together all the conflicting cultural elements of life in New York, including Friday night blues, Caribbean music, gospel and jazz, which surprisingly coalesce very well with each other as the music moves forward. A perfect counterpart to the opening Gershwin piece.

So sit back, relax with a cold drink in hand, and indulge in your passion for classical music with this highly apropos summertime release.