Wilhelm Berger - Clarinet Trio; Cello Sonata; Scherzo (Paul Meyer; Wen-Sinn Yang; Oliver Triendl)

Information

Composer: Wilhelm Berger

• Trio for Clarinet, Cello and Piano in G minor, Op. 94
• Sonata for Cello and Piano in D minor, Op. 28
• Scherzo for Cello and Piano

Paul Meyer, clarinet

Wen-Sinn Yang, cello

Oliver Triendl, piano

Date: 2026

Label: CPO

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German composer and conductor Wilhelm Berger (1861–1911) suffered a premature death and was subsequently obscured by history, often confused with the Swede Wilhelm Peterson-Berger despite their vastly different musical styles. A student of Ernst Rudorff, Friedrich Kiel, and Woldemar Bargiel, Berger eventually became the court conductor in Meiningen. His compositional approach leaned conservative compared to contemporaries like Richard Strauss, drawing heavy inspiration from Johannes Brahms. However, as demonstrated in the youthful, rapturous sonata and the mature trio recorded here, Berger successfully transcended his models, employing distinct creative talents to forge an exceptionally beautiful, individual voice across his orchestral, vocal, and chamber works.

French clarinetist Paul Meyer (born 1965) is a renowned soloist and conductor who studied at the Paris Conservatoire and Basler Musikhochschule. After winning the 1984 Young Concert Artists International Auditions, he launched a prolific recording career, notably collaborating with Jean-Pierre Rampal and Éric Le Sage. A dedicated champion of contemporary music, Meyer has premiered works by Berio and Penderecki while also reviving rare classical repertoire. He has performed with elite musicians like Yo-Yo Ma and conducted major international ensembles, including the Seoul Philharmonic and the Tokyo Kosei Wind Orchestra. Meyer performs on a Buffet Crampon Divine clarinet.

Swiss-born cellist Wen-Sinn Yang (born 1965) is a versatile soloist, chamber musician, and educator of Taiwanese parentage. After studying under Claude Starck and Wolfgang Boettcher, he became principal solo cellist of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and won the 1991 Geneva International Music Competition. Yang has performed globally under legendary conductors like Lorin Maazel, notably headlining the European premiere of Maazel’s cello concerto. Renowned for reviving rare nineteenth-century virtuoso works alongside contemporary pieces, his broad repertoire is documented across more than 30 CDs. Yang has served as a professor at the Munich Academy of Music and Theatre since 2004.

German pianist Oliver Triendl (born 1970) is a highly versatile soloist, chamber musician, and festival founder who studied under Gerhard Oppitz and Oleg Maisenberg. Over his prolific career, he has performed with elite ensembles like the Bamberg Symphony and Munich Philharmonic, and collaborated with renowned chamber partners including David Geringas and Ana Chumachenco. Triendl is particularly celebrated for his advocacy of rare historical and contemporary music, a dedication documented across approximately 100 recordings. His international concert career spans Europe, the Americas, South Africa, and Asia, and in 2006, he founded the Classix Kempten International Chamber Music Festival.