Martin-Joseph Mengal - Grand Trio for Piano, Harp and Horn
The Mengal brothers are often confused in specialist literature. There are Martin-Jospeh Mengal (1784 - 1851) and his younger brothers Jean Mengal (1796 - 1878) both were horn players of rank. His younger brother Jean got his education in Paris with the horn player Domnich and won (like his brothers in 1809) in 1814 the 1st Prize of the Paris Conservatoire. He was 1st hornist at the Paris Opera and composed for his instrument. The assignment of individual compositions is therefore not always possible to one of the brothers.
The Grand Trio edited here appeared around 1815 at the Parisian publisher Schonenberger. It was dedicated by Mengal to "his friend" Gabriel Foignet. Born in Paris in 1790, he was a student of his father, the harpist Jacques Foignet (1755-1836). Gabriel Foignet played until 1821 in the orchestra of Opéra-comique. He composed works for his instrument, including some with an accompanying horn.
The combination of harp and horn flourished in France during the first third of the 19th century. The occupation of all three instruments in one work can already be described as very rare.
