Pruden's String Trio has long held a secure place in the repertoire of New Zealand chamber music and in the hearts of performers. For viola player Donald Maurice there are several qualities that mark the work's stylistic and emotional authority:

The rhythmic energy and harmonic language place it as a work very much in the Eastern European language of its era with hints of Bartók's influence. The craftsmanship is exemplary, the musical inspiration shows great maturity and one feels a rich life experience being expressed through its highly contrasted moods. It is a challenging work to learn but thoroughly rewarding, and one feels emotionally drained at its conclusion.