In the years that followed,
while the trio has been enlarging its repertoire mostly with
20th-century music, the Goldberg Variations have still remained
a focal point in their concert appearances.
In January 2003, Wolfgang Sellner left the trio, and Christian
Brunnert, first cellist of the Bonn Beethoven Orchestra, has
taken his place.
Apart from intensely studying and performing Classical and
Romantic works, the ensemble plans its recital programs with
particular emphasis on pairing early and contemporary music.
Their aim is to achieve a unique timbre resulting from particular,
conscientious care in the use of vibrato.
In so doing, the Goldberg Trio seeks to steer clear of the
constant historical endeavor towards “Schönklang”
(uniform string timbre that is ‘simply beautiful’
across all styles of music). This liberates their efforts
to seek out each piece’s, each style’s own appropriate
musical expressivity.
VERENA SCHONEWEG studied with Michael Gaiser, Ilan Gronich
and Thomas Brandis. She concluded her studies with a concert
diploma in 1991. She now plays, often as concertmaster or
as leader of her section, in early music ensembles such as
the Balthasar Neumann Ensemble (Freiburg im Breisgau), La
Stagione Frankfurt and Camerata Köln. Although widespread,
her musical activities are focused on chamber music.
HARALD SCHONEWEG studied with Igor Ozim and Sandor Vegh.
He played as violinist in the Cherubini quartet from 1978
to 1994, and as violist in the Linos ensemble from 1980 to
1989. In 1987, Schoneweg initiated the Pentecost Chamber Music
Festival in Badia a Passignano (Florence). He has held the
post of chamber music professor at Cologne Conservatory since
1994.
CHRISTIAN BRUNNERT was born in Hamburg; his cello teacher,
among others, was Gregor Piatigorski. After a series of successful
breakthroughs at the ARD competition in Munich in 1978, and
after having been awarded the Gebrüder Busch Prize that
same year, Brunnert entered the City of Bonn’s Beethoven
Orchestra as solo cellist in 1981. He has been teaching at
Cologne Conservatory since 1998.
The members of the Goldberg Trio play the following instruments:
Violin : Niccolo Gagliano (1742)
Viola : Stefan Peter Greiner (1997)
Cello : Giovanni Grancino (1698) |