ERNEST ALDER (1853-1904): Trios sur les opèras en vogue for Piano Trio: Samson et Dalila (Saint-Saëns), Mignon (Thomas), La Muette de Portici (Auber), Le Pardon de Ploërmel and Les Huguenots (Meyerbeer), Le Cid and Werther (Massenet).

Description: Swiss-born French conductor Alder made quite a career out of these 9-13 minute opera potpourris. Carefully constructed out of three or four well-known arias or choruses to build to a climax, they can be enjoyed as pure chamber music if you weren't an operamane to begin with. Trio Hochelaga.