Morton Trio Marks Milestone With Debut Album Release, Showcasing Unique Fusion Of Instruments

Consisting of husband and wife duo, violinist Arna Morton and horn player Alex Morton, with pianist Liam Wooding (Atihaunui a Paparangi), Morton Trio are about to release their self-titled debut album.

After over seven years of delighting and engaging live audiences with inventive performances throughout Aotearoa and abroad, the album represents something of a ‘coming of age’ but not a lessening of their commitment to innovating classical music performances to appeal to their own generation and younger. Canterbury-based readers/listeners can snap up tickets now to the celebration event on 3 August when the album will first be available.

The about-to-be released debut album by Morton Trio is special, just as they are, because they are working in a space for which little music has been written or arranged. On the other hand, this has allowed them to develop innovative approaches to finding and creating music that suits their style as a trio and feeds their passion for developing new audiences for the genre. The development of chamber music including French horn started in the late 18th century and gained popularity throughout the Romantic period. Composers such as Mozart, Beethoven, and Brahms wrote chamber works that included French horn, and this influenced later composers to explore the capabilities of the horn in smaller ensembles. However music for the combination of piano, violin and horn is in short supply. Morton Trio, with the support of Creative NZ, have produced this album to, in part, address this.

Including a Brahms double bill, the album also features a new piece Summer, composed by Arna especially for the trio. Arna notes her inspiration for the piece is not so much about the meteorological summer, but “about the period of life that our trio is in now, and we as individual musicians are in.” She reflects that “Our ensemble is no longer new and after national and international tours, we are now established on the chamber music scene. In our own lives, we are accomplished musicians with extensive experience to share with audiences and younger musicians coming through.” Composing Summer has reignited Arna’s passion for composition after a decade’s hiatus while performing took centre stage, and she is excited to share it with audiences.

Alex notes that playing Summer has been a unique experience. He says “It is very improvisatory where Brahms is quite prescriptive. French horn players don’t get invited to jazz jams often, so it’s great. Arna knows my playing so well and that has made it feel like the horn part is written for me, but she has also ensured it’s really challenged me technically.”

Liam notes that “the grant from Creative NZ is a huge validation, a vote of confidence in us as artists.” He feels that “we are being entrusted to do our best work and with a Brahms double bill included, it’s also a signal that people in Aotearoa still connect with Brahms, especially the way we play it.” Intriguingly the trio include Brahms’ B Major Piano Trio Op. 8 which Brahms wrote for violin, cello and piano early in his career and the piece reflects a youthful energy compared to his later, more refined writing. Arna has transcribed the cello part for French Horn. She says “I was sure it would sound great on a horn, and I think it does.”

No Horn trio album would be complete without Brahms’ iconic work, Eb Major Trio Op. 40. One of his most popular pieces of chamber music, it is considered a pinnacle for these players and an honour to record it. Liam, who is a keen performer of living NZ composers’ works, notes that playing such an iconic piece had its own pressures. “I feel like there is much more scrutiny than playing new compositions or lesser known works. We had to let go of that and focus on coming together to play Brahms in the unique and honest way we work as a group.”

With the three musicians living in different cities and sometimes countries, it’s a testament to their commitment to their music and each other that the release of this album on 3 August celebrates 7 years together. “We are typical millennials I suppose with side hustles and a love of technology” observes Arna who also holds down the role of Principal Second Violin in the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra where she and Alex live. “I run a DIY Home Renovation Instagram channel on the side” she explains, and Alex adds “and our house provides the canvas. We hope to finish our first full kitchen build and remodel by September!” When Alex is not teaching from his music studio at The Piano or internationally online, he can be found hiking in the Canterbury hills and helping Arna with her reno projects. He believes strongly in regularly having some distance from his passion for music to ensure it remains sustainable in the longer term. Liam has just returned from further study in the United States on a coveted Fulbright Scholarship and now splits his time between New Zealand and Australia, rehearsing and co-ordinating the many music projects he gets involved in on both sides of the Tasman.

Described by RNZ’s Tony Ryan as playing “with a sense of spontaneity and abandon” the trio enjoyed two highly successful tours of the United Kingdom (supported by Pettman/ROSL) and New Zealand (Chamber Music NZ ‘In Partnership’ series) in 2019 that featured the Brahms’ iconic Horn Trio in Eb Major op. 40 included on their debut album and NZ composer Kenneth Young’s Trio for violin, horn, and piano. After disruptions in their bookings over recent years due to Covid, they kicked off their 2024 performance season on a grand scale, collaborating with three stellar Christchurch Symphony Orchestra colleagues (David McGregor, Principal Clarinet; Sharon Baylis, Associate Principal Viola; Jeremy Garside, Associate Principal Cello) for Chamber Music NZ’s ‘In Partnership’ season of Morton Trio & Friends, delivering New Zealand audiences two behemoth’s of the chamber music repertoire: Dohnányi and Penderecki’s Sextets for Clarinet, Horn, Piano, and Strings. Morton Trio have firmly established their reputation as one of Aotearoa’s most inventive classical music ensembles through their discovery of lesser known works for the genre alongside expanding the horn trio repertoire through their own arrangements and compositions. This album celebrates all of that and more.

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