In his preface to Piano Trios on Stage, the arranger, David Brooker, reminds us that, just as the string quartet, the piano trio has always been one of the pillars of chamber music. In the 19th and early 20th century, it was almost like the later invention of the gramophone record, allowing larger works, in arrangement, as well as lighter pieces to be presented to small audiences, often as background music.

David comments that string players have plenty of easy material to introduce them to t...