The 19th century is often considered a less fruitful period in the history of chamber music compared to the 18th century, when Haydn and Mozart were active. While chamber works by German and Austrian composers such as Brahms, Mendelssohn, and Schumann are relatively well-known and frequently performed today, French chamber music is historically less recognized and rarely performed. Although works by Fétis, Louise Farrenc, and Chopin (though Chopin was Polish) are somewhat known, there are many captivating chamber works, particularly among those by the great pianists born in the 1810s, that are linked to radical pianism and possess a unique character. Alkan's Trio, his Duo Concertant (c. 1841), and his Cello Sonata (1857) all form part of the adventurous and intriguing chamber works of the 19th century. This work is dedicated to his friend, the cellist James O'Dier, with whom he had collaborated in chamber music from an early stage.

• First Movement: G minor, Assez largement (Sufficiently broad)
• Second Movement: G minor, Très vite (Very fast)
• Third Movement: G major, Lentement (Slowly)
• Fourth Movement: G minor, Vite (Fast)

Written entirely in G major or G minor from the first to the fourth movement, this work differs in character from his previous chamber work, the Duo Concertant, which was composed with bold techniques.

First Movement

• The first movement presents its theme within the opening three measures, and the three motives introduced in these measures are repeatedly transformed, combined, and superimposed. While this technique of 'superimposition' had already been employed by several composers, notably Berlioz, Alkan pushed it further, constructing a complex yet natural edifice of motives. The method of superimposing the first and second themes in the recapitulation is rare and intriguing among works of this period. This 'superimposition' technique would advance to a further stage of expression in his grand work of 1847, the Grande Sonate, Op. 33, where it is linked to programmatic ideas.

Second Movement

• The second movement, marked 'Très vite' (extremely fast), begins with the presentation of a light and crisp theme played pizzicato. A flowing, smooth theme then emerges, contrasting with the opening theme. These two elements alternate, concluding with a cadenza of rapid arpeggios in the piano. However, the final tonic chord is neither strong nor short, but ends with a sustained chord. This was likely a consideration for the transition to the following slow movement. As also seen in the Grande Sonate, Op. 33, Alkan was careful about the linking of movements.

Third Movement

• While the third movement is reminiscent of a Haydn slow movement, it is also enveloped in a Jewish religious atmosphere, with string instruments contrasting with the solo piano. From the outset, the violin also takes on the viola's part, and the theme is eventually exaggerated by tremolo, at which point the violin is compelled to play a series of phrases with double-stop tremolos. However, by deliberately creating a thick sound, Alkan's enthusiasm to evoke the sound of a larger string ensemble with just three players and to pioneer a unique sonic world is conveyed.

Fourth Movement

• In the fourth movement, the piano moves entirely in unison. The violin and cello, conversely, tend to take on an accompanying role. This is based on the same concept as the perpetuum mobile of the third piece in his Trois Grandes Études, published around 1839. Chopin also completed pieces using unison in his Preludes and Sonatas, and such perpetuum mobile seemed to be recognized as a distinct style of piano writing by pianists of the time. Because it is in unison, the performance is extremely difficult, as the pianist must play at a considerable speed to convey a sense of harmony, yet its driving force is enthusiastic.

Throughout this work, the key points are the numerous experiments undertaken, from the treatment of motives and the exploration of sonorities to the concept of unison writing. The charm of this trio lies in Alkan's overflowing creative drive and spirit of inquiry.