Second Trio (1917)
THIS work, in one Movement, is made up of a number of cohering short sections, and has a notable amount of variety in it.
Its slow opening, very soft, is like the opening idea, suggestive and clearly, quietly put, of a conversation between friends. There is soon a very emphatic burst of agreement about something, and then a moment of quietness, before the 'Cello drops in a much gayer thought. The Violin develops it, and all get excited. So the talk goes on, with plenty of fresh ideas, briefly discussed, and a little drawing together of the threads near the end (when there are spells of five-in-a-bar and seven-in-a-bar). The finish is tremendously vivid. There is something here of that quality of ruggodness that is often spoken of in connection with Ireland's music.