Pavilion Theatre, Dún Laoghaire

To be unexpectedly one member down with a special occasion looming must be the collective nightmare of any chamber-music group. It became unpleasant reality for the Syrius Trio just prior to the launch of their debut CD and a concert including Tchaikovsky’s monumental Trio in A minor.

Standing in for cellist Jane Cords-O’Hara at only three days’ notice, Gerald Peregrine – from the piano trio Ensemble Avalon – saved the day with aplomb. The only casualty was Ravel’s Trio in A minor, which was replaced by the Trio No 3 in C minor by Salamon Jadassohn (1831-1902).

The Syrius Trio’s new release comprises the first recordings of three of Jadassohn’s five piano trios. Though a prolific composer, this little-known Silesian romantic made his mark primarily as a teacher and theorist.

You’d have to look hard in these works for those 19th-century qualities of autobiographical angst, historicist intellectualism and nationalist fervour. Rather, the driving force is a charm that addicts of sincere tunefulness and impeccable construction will enjoy.

Jadassohn’s little trio was thus a more than satisfactory foil to both Haydn’s quirky Trio in E Hob XV:28 and Tchaikovsky’s solitary but colossal essay for a combination he openly disliked.

Balance and the integration of diverse timbres were the issues that troubled Tchaikovsky, which makes it all the more surprising that he addressed the medium on such a vast scale: this performance ran to nearly 50 minutes.

Thanks to the forthright, consolidated playing of Peregrine and of violinist Elizabeth Cooney, and to the stamina and discreetness of pianist Bobby Chen, the composer’s fears were enjoyably laid to rest.