The Chamber Trio, op. 26, for piano, violin, and ’cello, by Sir William Sterndale Bennett (1816-75), is the fairly-well-known work of a composer of whom it has been said that although “the number of his compositions is not large, for polish, refinement, and careful elaboration they vie with the best in musical art.” “He is in a special degree a musicians’ composer. His excellencies, in addition to the real and genuine feeling for beauty and expression which pervades his music, belong to that interesting and delicate type of art which illustrates in a special degree the fitness of means to an end, the relation between the feeling expressed and the manner and medium of expressing it; a class of artistic production which always has a peculiar interest for artists, and for those who study critically the details of the art illustrated.”[41] [Footnote 41: _Dictionary of Music and Musicians_ (Grove), vol. i. p. 226.] The Trio op. 26 consists of three movements—a charming andante tranquillo, followed by a serenata, and concluding with a vigorous allegro fermato. In the serenata the violin plays pizzicato throughout, while the cantabile melody is chiefly given to the piano, occasionally reinforced by the ’cello, which also joins the violin in the pizzicato effects. [Sidenote: =Trio, D Minor: F.E. Bache=] We are not aware whether the Trio in D minor, op. 25, by Francis Edward Bache (1833-58), is generally known. If not, it certainly deserves to be. In style it is no doubt Mendelssohnian; indeed, in choice of keys and treatment it closely follows that master’s op. 49; but at the same time there is individuality in Bache’s work. Much modern chamber music, especially of continental origin, is burdened with elaborations and flights of fancy which, to say nothing harsher, render it almost unintelligible unless performed by artists of the highest executive skill, whilst in the hands of the average amateur the result is usually chaotic. All this is avoided in this Trio. Without being in the least tame or insipid, it is never unreasonably difficult. The opening allegro is fresh and vigorous in style, and in the andante the treatment of the three instruments is more than usually interesting. A rondo (allegro molto ed appassionata), twice interrupted by a melodious episode (un poco più lento), brings the Trio to an end. The composer of this Trio was the brother of the well-known pianist, Walter Bache, who laboured so unselfishly in the cause of advanced music, and especially in introducing the works of Liszt to the British public. Francis Edward Bache showed great musical ability as a child. He studied the violin under Alfred Mellon, who was at that time conductor at the Birmingham Theatre, and in 1846, when Mendelssohn conducted his _Elijah_ there, the boy, who was then thirteen years old, was allowed to play in the orchestra.