Cocktail Party Fact: The third movement of this trio and the fifth movement of the German Requiem were both written in response to the death of Brahms’ mother.

Commitment Factor: About 25 minutes

Vital Statistics: Late Romantic Period (1865). The trio is probably the only important piece written for this combination of instruments. Its four movements include a warm, romantic andante, a lively scherzo, a mournful adagio, and a final allegro that is supposed to be played with a big helping of the energy and dash composers call for by writing con brio on the score.

What to Listen For: One of the standard chamber music combos is the “piano trio”– a piano, a violin, and a cello. Brahms yielded to his romantic impulses and substituted the haunting, poetic sound of the horn. In the poignant opening moments, the horn strengthens the sense of longing. In the last movement, it launches into go-for-broke hunting horn sequences and displays the other side of its personality. The horn colors the entire piece but you’ll be missing some of Brahms’ best work if you let yourself focus on its distinctive hues. The piano writing is evocative and reflective and the violin part can be a real heartbreaker.