Im Kanon der Musikliteratur ist die Gattung des Klaviertrios im Verhältnis gesehen vergleichsweise selten vertreten. Das Schweizer Klaviertrio - Gewinner des Internationalen Kammermusikwettbewerbs in Caltanissetta / Italien und des österreichischen Johannes-Brahms-Wettbewerbs - hat auf mehrerenmehr
Die Interpretation des Schweizer Klaviertrios demonstriert, dass es sich bei den 1847 komponierten Klaviertrios op. 63 und op. 80 von Robert Schumann um Meisterwerke der Kammermusikliteratur handelt, die zu Unrecht nur selten im Konzertsaal erklingen.
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Im Kanon der Musikliteratur ist die Gattung des Klaviertrios im Verhältnis gesehen vergleichsweise selten vertreten. Das Schweizer Klaviertrio - Gewinner des Internationalen Kammermusikwettbewerbs in Caltanissetta / Italien und des österreichischen Johannes-Brahms-Wettbewerbs - hat auf mehreren SACDs bei audite Werke dieser Gattung eingespielt, darunter sämtliche Klaviertrios von Mendelssohn Bartholdy sowie von Clara und Robert Schumann und Tschaikowsky. Dabei finden sich Besonderheiten wie das einzige Klaviertrio Clara Schumanns (op. 17), das den Werken ihres Mannes in keinster Weise nachsteht, sowie auch das eindrucksvolle Klaviertrio op. 50 von Tschaikowsky, komponiert 1882 anlässlich des Todes seines Freundes Nikolaj Rubinstein, welches mit seinen zwei monumentalen Sätzen spieltechnisch an jedes Klaviertrio eine große Herausforderung darstellt. Die jüngsten Produktionen dieser Reihe sind Ersteinspielungen von Klaviertrios des Mendelssohn Bartholdy-Schülers Eduard Franck, dessen Wiederentdeckung audite auch eine eigenständige Werkreihe gewidmet hat. Die Edition "Ludwig van Beethoven: Sämtliche Werke für Klaviertrio"ist als eigenständige Serie erhältlich.
Besprechungen
www.amazon.de | 5. April 2017 | 5. April 2017 | Quelle: https://www.amaz... Great New Swiss Players
This is a rare recording of the German Frank by a superb Swiss Trio. I have never heard these trios before and recommend them as delightful to hearMehr lesen
Image Hifi | I/2015 | Heinz Gelking | 1. Januar 2015 Früchte der Arbeit
Das Schweizer Klaviertrio hat jetzt drei davon auf hohem Niveau eingespielt. Streicher und Klavier stehen in schöner Balance, das Musizieren hat Energie, Transparenz und Homogenität – hörenswerte Werke in einer Top-Erstaufnahme.Mehr lesen
Muzyka21 | listopad 2014 | Stanisław Lubliński | 1. November 2014
Wydawnictwo Audite kontynuuje serie płytową poświeconą niemieckiemuMehr lesen
Neue Musikzeitung | 9/14 September 2014 | 1. September 2014
Romantische Grenzgänge zwischen Konzert und Salon
Übersehene Kleinode der Klaviertrioliteratur in neuen Aufnahmen
Die CD mit dem Schweizer Klaviertrio ergänzt die verdienstvolle Franck-Serie bei audite um eine weitere Facette – und dies auf vorbildlichem instrumentalen und klangtechnischen Niveau.Mehr lesen
American Record Guide | September 2014 | Gil French | 1. September 2014
Audite is doing a great service by bringing us another album (the 10th) devoted to the music of little-known German composer Eduard FranckMehr lesen
These three works cover most of Franck’s life as a composer. True, the early work is not profound and sounds more like early Mendelssohn (his teacher), yet it’s very satisfying musically. Even at the age of 18, Franck really had a feel for making each of the instruments interesting as they intertwine.
While Franck’s writing is certainly more mature in the two later trios, his overall style did not change much in 51 years. While he writes splendid sonata-allegro movements, his development sections are less contrapuntal than imitative, each instrument repeating or modulating what another has just played. Perhaps this is one reason why his music is not convoluted like Brahms’s can be; Franck’s textures are always transparent, which is such a delight because my ears were consistently tuned to each instrument. No one plays mere filler for more than four measures; I was constantly held in a state of anticipation.
Also, all three works are in major keys, another reason this music is so consistently sunny. In Opus 22 the Scherzo is as inventive and fresh as Schubert or Mendelssohn at their best, especially given the bright, light, upbeat, and uplifted phrasing of violinist Angela Golubeva, cellist Sebastien Singer, and pianist Martin Lucas Staub. They also make the Andante con Moto most soulful and the final Allegro Molto Vivace absolutely foot-tapping. All of these qualities are typical of their playing in all three works.
In Opus 53, as in the others, the players’ wonderful grasp of form translates into joyous forward motion that can still linger at certain points without impeding the progress. They also give full voice to Franck’s splendid gift for melody and lyricism. Also, they adapt their style to each movement: the waltz-scherzo-like II, the tender Andante, and the fleet final Allegro con Fuoco. In all works, I must admit that, while I’m normally critical of players who have little tone color, it’s a “failure” I forgive here because of their extremely wide palette of expression, especially their manner of shaping phrases.
The only other limitation here is the engineering. Balances are superb, including the piano’s full range from firm bass to treble. But the ambience is what happens all too often when ensembles like this are recorded in a church (Temple du Bas in Neuchatel, Switzerland). A kind of hollow aura results, leaving the players somewhat distant. I wish they sounded a degree more present so that the violin wasn’t so consistently thin and the ensemble as a whole without a rich dramatic depth. Franck’s music has it, and I’m sure the players themselves do. I love the album; I just wish that the full experience weren’t locked behind a pastel curtain.
Musik & Theater | 9/10-2014 | Sibylle Schäfer | 1. September 2014 Statt Pralinen
Diese herrlichen Klaviertrios werden in jeder CD-Sammlung brillieren, denn es handelt sich hier durchwegs um meisterhaft gearbeitete Kompositionen, die vor Ideenreichtum und Melodienseligkeit nur so überquellen. Vor allem Opus 22 – das einzige Trio, das zu Lebzeiten des Komponisten gedruckt wurde – braucht den Vergleich mit den besten Werken der Gattung nicht zu scheuen. Man verzeiht es den Interpreten gern, dass sie die Trios auf eine Weise spielen, die niemandem weh tut.Mehr lesen
Fanfare | 19.08.2014 | Jerry Dubins | 19. August 2014
By now, readers should be somewhat familiar with Eduard Franck (1817–1893), following half-a-dozen or so appearances he has made here on recordingsMehr lesen
This latest release, containing three of Eduard’s piano trios, holds no surprises if you’ve already acquainted yourself with one or another previous Eduard Franck release, but like those that have preceded it, this disc of piano trios does hold in store just as many musical felicities.
I use the word “felicity” with intent; for Eduard studied privately with the “Felix” of Mendelssohn fame, and mostly Mendelssohn is what you get with these three trios. It’s really hard to describe how brimming over this music is with sheer contentment in untroubled, joyful song. The nonstop rippling piano parts are shot through with Mendelssohn’s nimble keyboard work, and even Franck’s melodies are consistently constructed from intervals and phrases that are dead ringers for Mendelssohn’s melodic invention. If you find Felix’s two piano trios irresistible, you will be thrilled to know that Eduard Franck composed at least four piano trios just like them.
In fact, this is Audite’s second volume of Franck’s piano trios. The first (92567), on SACD, contained the trios in E Minor, op. 11, and D Major, op. 58, performed by a different ensemble of players than the Swiss Piano Trio on the current disc, which, for some reason, did not come to me on SACD. Also, be aware that if you purchased the Naxos CD containing Franck’s sonatas for cello and violin, plus the E♭-Major Piano Trio I recommended in 36:5, the trio is duplicated on this Audite disc. No matter, though; it’s worth the one duplication to get the two additional trios included on the present CD.
This is now my third or fourth encounter with the Swiss Piano Trio on record, and each one has elicited from me the highest praise. The ensemble’s recent Audite release on SACD of Clara Schumann’s Piano Trio led me to declare the Swiss Piano Trio one of the top ensembles on today’s stage in 36:6; and in a 35:1 review of Robert Schumann’s piano trios, Steven Ritter declared the Swiss Piano Trio’s Audite SACD an essential recording.
It seems only fitting that the Swiss Piano Trio, having already committed Mendelssohn’s two piano trios to disc on another Audite SACD—to which I gave an urgent recommendation in 34: 6—should now turn its attention to Mendelssohn’s musical Doppelgänger, Eduard Franck. You cannot love 19th-century piano trios in general, and Mendelssohn’s piano trios in particular, and not love these trios by Franck. Considering Franck’s dates, the skewing of his catalog towards chamber works (though he did pen symphonies and orchestral scores), and his strong leaning towards a Mendelssohnian style, he bears comparison, I think, to his very close “French-though-I-prefer-to-be-German” contemporary, Theodor Gouvy (1819–1898).
I just don’t understand why previous Audite releases have been SACDs and this one isn’t. Perhaps there is a parallel SACD version, and I just happened to receive the standard two-channel stereo CD one. Anyway, with the music, performances, and recording being so beguiling, it would be churlish of me to complain. This is a must-buy recommendation.
International Record Review | July / August 2014 | Mark Tanner | 1. Juli 2014
The piano trio emrged as one o f the more important genres in the nineteenth century, from amidst an ever-complex, ever-volatile, ever-vibrant periodMehr lesen
Aged 17, Eduard Franck (1817-93) was a pupil and disciple of Mendelssohn, and during his three Iessons per week Mendelssohn appears to have given Franck the courage and social mobility to move in circles inhabited by the likes of Hiller, Joachim, Chopin, Brahms and Schumann, though his reputation as pianist would somewhat overshadow his accomplishments as composer, at least for the time being. Interestingly, though Franck apparently never aligned himself with the so-called 'New German' circle, populated conspicuously by Liszt and Wagner, nor did he overtly trumpet the cause of the thoroughly grounded Germanic tradition, it is perhaps due to occupying something of a diplomatic middle ground that he would eventually garner the resources to carve an important niche for himself as a composer.
Besides occupying a stalwart position within a vibrant cultural scene, Franck was able to weave in his considerable expertise as pianist into a handful of superb piano trios, which, according to Sebastian Bolz, author of the detailed notes for this new Swiss Piano Trio recording for Audite, may possibly contain one other in addition to the five already known. These exploit the piano's ability to generate intensiy and drama, while at the same time drawing out plenty of excitement from the violin and cello parts. Bolz suggests that Franck's treatment of these instruments is directly indebted to his formative time under Mendelssohn's wing. (My review of the Swiss Trio in May 2011, also for Audite, was indeed the Mendelssohn Trios, in which I praised some 'fiery and effervescent' playing). Over a period of just over 50 years Franck would pen piano trios of appreciable distinction, and yet two of those featuring on this recording are premieres: the E major of 1835 and the D major, Op. 53, of 1886. This disc, which rounds off the Swiss Piano Trio’s project to record all of the piano trios, also holds the E flat major, Op. 22, of 1859.
What strikes me most about the music overall is its affable buoyancy and willingness to move around freely within the blueprint of four strategically positioned movements. While each work contains a racy finale and a thoughtful Andante, only two have scherzos, the E major exhibiting a youthful exuberance and no-holds-barred approach to the Romantic piano part. The players attack this earliest work with decisive, uncompromising tempos, and the sense of enthusiasm is especially palpable in the concluding Presto, where the tight-knit playing comes across as amply spontaneous and ebullient. In the E flat Piano Trio, the longest and perhaps most intriguing of the three due to its sprawling opening movement, Allegro moderato con espressione, there is playing of especial vibrancy and a thoroughly absorbing communication between the players. Notable too are the cheeky Scherzo to the E major and the doleful, heartfelt Andante to the D major, where each instrument claims its territory in a beautifully empathetic way.
Recorded last year at the Temple du Bas in Switzerland, the sound is as sympathetic to the expressive movements as it is to the faster-moving music, and the one or two quibbles I raised about the balance of instruments in relation to the aforementioned Mendelssohn disc are entirely not the case in this splendidly charismatic SACD. It marks the conclusion of an impressive Eduard Franck celebration consisting of a dozen releases from Audite embracing orchestral works, string sextets, quintets and quartets, as well as music for cello and piano.
Fono Forum | Juli 2014 | C. Vr. | 1. Juli 2014 Ausdrucksstark
Dass Eduard Franck Unterricht bei Felix Mendelssohn bekommen hat, hört man zumindest dem E-Dur-Klaviertrio von 1835 durchweg an. Da sind perlendeMehr lesen
www.expeditionaudio.com | Jun 24, 2014 | Paul Ballyk | 24. Juni 2014
The remarkable Swiss Piano Trio performs with the impeccable technique, sensitive musicality and homogeneity of sound and approach that set them among the finest such ensembles performing today.Mehr lesen
Ensemble - Magazin für Kammermusik | 3-2014 (Juni/Juli) | Carsten Dürer | 1. Juni 2014 Aus Mendelssohns Schatten
Das Schweizer Klaviertrio spielt dieses Werk entsprechend mit Vehemenz, jugendlichem Charme und einer wunderbaren Melodienlust [...] auch mit einer neuen Klanggebung und einer Transparenz, die jedwede Nuance hörbar macht.<br /> [...] Insgesamt ist diese CD ein Erlebnis und das Klaviertrio aus der Schweiz zeigt wieder einmal seine Klasse.Mehr lesen
[...] Insgesamt ist diese CD ein Erlebnis und das Klaviertrio aus der Schweiz zeigt wieder einmal seine Klasse.
www.klavier.de
| 20.05.2014 | Florian Schreiner | 20. Mai 2014
Quer durchs 19. Jahrhundert
Franck, Eduard: Klaviertrios
Der hohe Wert dieser Franck-Produktion liegt also nicht nur darin, dass die Kenntnis des Klaviertrio-Repertoires im 19. Jahrhundert erweitert wird, sondern dass die Werke als eigenständige Beiträge von großem Reiz sind – und von Schweizer Klaviertrio schlichtweg erstklassig präsentiert werden. Und schließlich lassen weder Beiheft noch klangliche Darstellung Wünsche unerfüllt.Mehr lesen
klassik.com | 20.05.2014 | Florian Schreiner | 20. Mai 2014 | Quelle: http://magazin.k... Quer durchs 19. Jahrhundert
Der hohe Wert dieser Franck-Produktion liegt also nicht nur darin, dass die Kenntnis des Klaviertrio-Repertoires im 19. Jahrhundert erweitert wird, sondern dass die Werke als eigenständige Beiträge von großem Reiz sind – und von Schweizer Klaviertrio schlichtweg erstklassig präsentiert werden. Und schließlich lassen weder Beiheft noch klangliche Darstellung Wünsche unerfüllt.Mehr lesen
??? | 01.05.2014 | Livio Malpighi | 1. Mai 2014
EduardF ranck era un compositore di origine tedesca( nato a Breslavia) da non confondere con il più noto César Franck, ottimo compositore belga cheMehr lesen
Il suo continuo ricercare la perfezione formale lo portò alla pubblicazione di poche opera che risultano di livello veramente molto alto dal punto di vista compositivo. In questo disco troviamo tre dei suoi trii: quello in E-major del 1835, quello in Es-Dur Op. 22 e quello in D-major Op. 53(questi ultimdi due qui proposti sono in prima registrazione mondiale). Lo Swiss Trio compost da Angela Golubeva al violino, Sebastien Singer al cello e Martin Lucas Staub al piano eseguono con grande affiatamento e comunione di intenti questo difficile repertorio. Questi trii, indubbiamente figli della scuola di Mendelssohn ma con una vena romantic un poco più spinta, sono certamente di non facile esecuzione. Non parlo solo della tecnica esecutiva ma anche dell'interpretazione che richiede la capacità di dipanare un filo logico musicale con frasi molto lunghe che si susseguono senza interruzioni. Questi trii hanno una notevole somiglianza con le composizioni di Brahms, così come il concetto d'interpretazione musicale potrebbe estendersi ad un altro autore molto interessante come Thuille che con il suo Sestetto per pianoforte e fiati, che per certi versi si può accomunare come stile compositivo a Franck, ha creato un'opera di eccezionale livello dalla difficile interpretazione musicale. La caratteristica di questi trii di Eduard Franck sono la cantabilità e la grande maturità musicale, sono opera veramente belle che poco o nulla hanno da invidiare ai capolavori dei grandi maestri dell'ottocento. L'esecuzione poi dello Swiss Trio è fresca, molto matura, tecnicamente molto efficace, in grado di mettere in mostra un fraseggio classico, trasparente e dal romanticismo evidente ma non strillato. Un gran bel disco!
Registrazione nativa 24/96 fatta con i giusti presupposti sonori. La dinamica è ottima anche se non amplissima. Probabilmente qesto deriva anche dagli interpreti che non arrivano mai al triplo forte né tanto meno al pianissimissimo. L’avessero fatto forse avrebbero meritato il giudizio di eccezionale anche nell'interpretazione. Il palcoscenico sonoro è limpido con la corretta disposizione degli interpreti con violin a sinistra, cello a destra e pianoforte dietro. Gli echi ambientali sono presenti ma in maniera non invasiva: una registrazione quindi né troppo asciutta né troppo riverberante. Il corretto eco permette di sottolineare correttamente la bellezza delle composizioni senza nessun mascheramento. Ottima anche la preservazione dei timbri degli strumenti e dei dettagli che si possono cogliere senza sforzo.
Musica | numero 256 - maggio 2014 | Bernardo Pieri | 1. Mai 2014
L’esecuzione dello Schweizer Trio è di immacolata chiarezza, adeguata bravura, inappuntabile precisione, completa attendibilità. Nell’attesa non ansiosa che ensembles di più spiccata fantasia interpretativa ci facciano scoprire in Franck anche quello che non c’è.Mehr lesen
Thurgauer Zeitung | 4. April 2014 | Martin Preisser | 4. April 2014 Mendelssohn-Schüler zu entdecken
Das Schweizer Klaviertrio bleibt sich auch bei dieser Einspielung treu und besticht durch Frische, Klarheit, Durchlässigkeit und kraftvolle Brillanz. Und präsentiert sehr lohnende romantische Entdeckungen. Mehr lesen
BBC Music Magazine | March 2014 | JH | 1. März 2014
Father of Richard but no relation to Cesar, Eduard Franck combines the neoclassical enchantment of his teacher Mendelssohn and Schumann's lyricalMehr lesen
Musica | numero 254 - Marzo 2014 | 1. März 2014
Scritti tra il 1835 e il 1886, forniscono un significativo sguardo sulla cultura della musica da camera nell’800.Mehr lesen
Luister | maart/april 2014 | Emile Stoffels | 1. März 2014
Het heilig vuur is bij het Swiss Trio zeer aanwezig en met veel kleur bovendien. Tegelijkertijd is er veel precisie. Een fenomale SACD. De opname is voorbeeldig. Hoogste lof!Mehr lesen
www.amazon.co.uk | 19 Feb 2014 | J. A. Peacock | 19. Februar 2014 Audite's rewarding survey of Eduard Franck's piano trios completed
With this latest release from German label Audite we now have all of Eduard Franck's extant piano trios available on disc and what a rewardingMehr lesen
There are three trios here, all of them more concise than the two already recorded by Audite, and to all intents and purposes they hail from across his career – the earliest in E major (1835) was only recently published for the first time, the second (also in E major) was published in 1859, while the final work in D major is dated 1886 on its manuscript, though the booklet writer warns us that the high opus number (Op.53) was assigned by Franck's son, Richard, after the composer's death and that the trio cannot definitively be confirmed as "a late work" (there is a hiatus of two decades during which Eduard Franck seemingly lost interest in publishing any of his compositions). In a sense none of this is of great import – Franck seemingly found his personal voice early on in his creative career and took no interest in the more radical musical developments of the Romantic period.
Of the works here, only the trio of 1835 could possibly be said to stand out from the remainder of Franck's chamber music stylistically and then only in minor details: the piano part is a dominant presence, as in so much chamber music of the 1820s and 1830s, and the work's relatively small scale (it plays for around 20 minutes in total, half the duration of the trios Audite previously recorded by Franck*) is perhaps a sign of the young composer's inexperience at handling extended musical structures (the booklet surmises that this trio was written as a direct result of the lessons with Mendelssohn that commenced in 1834). In other respects, however, it already foreshadows many of the characteristics of his mature music – his melodic fecundity, such as in the uplifting primary theme of the opening 'Allegro' that plays an important role throughout the movement; his very personal warmth of expression, a marked harmonic bitter-sweet quality that is quite distinct from the respective idioms of Schumann or Mendelssohn, for example, two composers who were surely formative influences on his style; and, of course, the verve and sense of forward momentum he brings to his faster movements – the persistently bubbling piano writing already mentioned contributes much to the graceful flow of the music here and the scherzo is typically vivacious and engaging (and, furthermore, remarkable for the economic use of thematic material in achieving this).
With the remaining two trios we have mature Franck – the slightly more extended opening movements of both trios and the greater emotional range they display are evidence surely of his increased experience and increased confidence in using what seems (on the evidence of his chamber output as a whole) to have been an innate gift for handling sonata form. That of the Op.22 trio is designated 'Allegro moderato con espressione', which accounts for the cantabile quality of the primary theme but he also introduces more animated – more light-hearted, perhaps? – material and it is testament to his talents that he melds these contrasting elements into a convincing whole. The 'Andante con moto' here and the 'Andante' of the D major trio, Op.53, are movements of considerable ardour (the heartfelt writing for the strings, for example, in that of Op.22 or the comparable lyricism in the 'Andante' of Op.53) and poetry – listen to his striking use of the piano's lower registers at the close of the D major's 'Andante' (and one might also draw attention in that respect to the haunting interplay of violin and cello in the trio-section of Op.22's scherzo).
With the E major trio, Op.22, we are in the unusual position of having a comparative recording for a major Eduard Franck work, this having been included on a Naxos disc of 2012 devoted to the composer's music**: I have to say that, much as I enjoyed getting to know the trio for the first time courtesy of the artists on that release – and there is no doubting their musicianship – the Swiss Piano Trio's performance will be the one I return to most often, as they seem to find more of the poetry in Franck's lyrical music without losing any momentum and have a lighter, more effervescent touch in the finale. I also have to say that I am inclined to agree with the reviewer of the Naxos release in that there is a slightly unpleasant, acid tone to Shmuel Ashkenasi's violin in that recording (though I should say that some other reviewers either don't seem to hear it or don't find it a problem).
The sound quality here, as I've come to expect from Audite, is impeccable – warm and natural and beautifully balanced. Combined with the polished and sympathetic musicianship on offer here from the Swiss Piano Trio, this disc is undoubtedly another feather in Audite's cap and yet another valuable addition to both the Eduard Franck discography and to our knowledge of German chamber music during the Romantic period.
Enthusiastically recommended – to confirmed admirers of the composer and general listener alike.
Fanfare | Issue 36:6 (July/Aug 2013) | Jerry Dubins | 1. Juli 2013
This is now the third occasion on which I’ve been privileged to review a new release by the outstanding Swiss Piano Trio. The ensemble’sMehr lesen
Clara Schumann (1819–1896) was a devoted wife, loving mother, accomplished pianist, and, no doubt, a composer of some talent. But I’ve always felt that her eminence in the latter capacity has been exaggerated both by virtue of her being spouse to one of the most famous of romantic composers and for being somewhat of that 19th-century novelty, a female composer. It has thus come about that when someone is asked to name three or four women composers, Clara Schumann invariably tops the list. Yet, if one 19th-century composer of the female gender deserves equal billing with her male counterparts, it’s not Clara Schumann or Fanny Mendelssohn; it’s Louise Farrenc (1804–1875), a composer who wrote symphonies and chamber works on a scale and of a quality comparable to many of her male contemporaries.
The Piano Trio in G Minor, dated 1846, is Clara’s only large-scale chamber work; in fact, it’s her only chamber work of any scale, period. Most of her catalog consists of songs and pieces for solo piano, though, as a teenager, and later, with the help of her husband to be, she did try her hand at a Piano Concerto. The trio was long held to be Clara’s crowning compositional achievement; some even credited it with being the inspiration for Robert’s first numbered Trio in D Minor, op. 63, written the following year. Thus, I was rather surprised to find fewer recordings of Clara’s opus listed than I would have expected; and of those currently in the catalog, more than one logically pairs it with Fanny Mendelssohn’s Trio in D Minor, written in the same year, 1846.
Whether pairing Clara’s trio with Robert’s third and final Trio in G Minor, composed in 1851, is a logical choice or not, I can’t say, although it seems to me that juxtaposing Robert’s D Minor, the one supposedly inspired by Clara’s effort, would have made more sense. However, in addition to Robert’s G-Minor Trio, Clara’s trio also shares the disc with Robert’s 1842 Fantasiestücke, which, though otherwise named, is his actual first work in the medium, though not designated or numbered as such. The present program therefore makes this new release unique, at least insofar as other current listings are concerned, although another recent disc, which also happens to be in SACD format, contains Clara’s trio and Robert’s G Minor-Trio, but not Robert’s Fantasiestücke. That recording by the Boulanger Trio on the Ars Produktion label was filled out with a work for piano trio by Wolfgang Rihm, and was favorably reviewed by Steven E. Ritter in 33:5
I’ve not heard the Boulanger disc, but the playing here by the Swiss Piano Trio leaves nothing to be desired. I doubt that Clara’s trio has ever received a more loving performance. The only word that describes the ensemble’s tone is voluptuous, and Audite’s perfectly positioned and balanced recording affords that ideal sweet-spot perspective. I do agree with Steven that Clara’s trio is not Robert’s. One has only to listen to the first few bars of Robert’s G-Minor Trio to recognize the difference between talent and genius. But I honestly have to say that I don’t think I’ve ever appreciated Robert’s trio as much as I have in this performance. The Swiss players seem to be absolutely swept away by the score, sweeping me away in turn. It doesn’t even feel like they’re performing the piece as much as they’re becoming one with it and living and breathing it.
This is definitely going on my provisional list of Want List candidates for 2013, and I most strongly urge you to acquire it. The Swiss Piano Trio, in my opinion, has rapidly risen to become one of the very top piano trio ensembles on today’s stage.
Record Geijutsu | July 2013 | 1. Juli 2013
japanische Rezension siehe PDFMehr lesen
Pizzicato | N° 232 - 4/2013 | Steff | 1. April 2013
Brillante Aufnahmetechnik, virtuoses und hochkonzentriertes Spiel, drei wunderbare Musikstücke: Was will man mehr? Das 'Swiss Piano Trio' zeigt mitMehr lesen
International Record Review | April 2013 | Piers Burton-Page | 1. April 2013
'Formulae, somewhat wearily manipulated … evidence of the composer' s declining powers.' Poor Schumann! His G minor Piano Trio, the third of three,Mehr lesen
Maybe there is some truth in all this; one might concede that Op. 110 is not quite the equal of its two fine predecessors, even while echoing their layout and structure in many ways. Something to do with the memorability – or otherwise? – of the melodic material, something to do with a clash between public utterance and private, domestic music-making: the piano trio, that arch-Romantic genre, often seems poised on just this uneasy cusp. Still, the members of the Swiss Piano Trio, who have previously set down Opp. 63 and 80 for the same German label and evidently know and love their Schumann, seem to me to hold the balance nicely: the long opening 'Allegro' is nicely paced, not too fast but with something in reserve for the end, the inner movements (both half the length of the outer) also sure of themselves as character-pieces. The sound – the recording was made in a converted Huguenot church in Neuchâtel, last year – is agreeable, as you would perhaps hear it a few rows back, with the piano in proper perspective, i.e. not too close. Eight pages of comprehensive notes by Wolfgang Rathert offer a comprehensive survey of Schumann's chamber music, concentrating in particular on key-relationships in these trios, and are for the most part deftly translated by Viola Scheffel.
It is when Op. 110 is set against the Op. 88 Phantasiestücke for the same combination that one scratches one's head, again. Despite the high opus number these 'Fantasy Pieces' date in essence from 1842. And though the four pieces certainly don't suggest an organic Trio – the long and lively 'Humoreske' in the middle for a start would upset the balance of the movements – I can't help the entirely subjective feeling that the composer's inspiration was indeed burning rather brighter here. The short opening 'Romanze' and the upbeat march-like finale have that indefinable something that all lovers of this composer will recognize: something to do with energy and uplift, is it, or the arc of the melodies?
By way of further contrast, the Swiss Piano Trio opts to let husband and wife go head to head by putting Clara's sole example of the genre – in the same key as her husband's, be it noted – as the first item on the release. It can certainly stand the scrutiny and there are plenty of original touches: for instance, the second movement is a scherzo but in the manner of a minuet, and in it, the trio section indulges in some Baroque-style dotted rhythms. The players respect the 'Allegretto' marking of the finale, even while recognizing that it is a vigorous piece, complete with predictable fugato, that benefits from a firm hand on the tiller. Clara's G minor Trio dates from 1846, Robert's from 1851. I sense no rivalry at work, only the desire to write good music. In their own way each succeeded, and it is good to have their vision as nicely represented as it is here.
Musik & Theater | März 2013 | Sibylle Schäfer | 1. März 2013 Schumanniana
Clara Schumann, geborene Wieck, die Robert Schumann um mehr als vierMehr lesen
The Strad | March 2013 | David Denton | 1. März 2013 A welcome exploration of piano trios by the two Schumanns
Listening to this performance of Clara Schumann's Piano Trio, one can wellMehr lesen
BBC Music Magazine | March 2013 | JD | 1. März 2013
An attractive programme but the playing of the Swiss Piano Trio is, though enthusiastic, rather underimagined. A certain heavy-handedness does littleMehr lesen
www.ResMusica.com | Le 20 février 2013 | Jean-Luc Caron | 20. Februar 2013 Inoubliables Trios avec piano de Clara et Robert Schumann
Monsieur et Madame Schumann, 157 et 117 ans après leur disparition,Mehr lesen
http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.de | Monday, 28 January 2013 | 28. Januar 2013 Highly recommended Audite release of Piano Trios by Clara and Robert Schumann from the Swiss Piano Trio
The Swiss Piano Trio are at turns sensitive, passionate, richly melodic, forcefully compelling. Their playing always has such terrific ensemble and precision, with them alive to every nuance, making this trio sound a wonderful piece.Mehr lesen
www.musikansich.de | November 2012 | Sven Kerkhoff | 1. November 2012 Tönendes Grabmal
Seinem im Alter von nur 46 Jahren verstorbenen Lehrer und Förderer NikolajMehr lesen
Ensemble - Magazin für Kammermusik | 4-2012 August/September | Ernst Hoffmann | 1. August 2012 Trauergesang zu dritt
Solche exorbitanten Spieldauern, und das noch für ein Kammermusikwerk,Mehr lesen
International Record Review | July / August 2012 | Raymond Tuttle | 1. Juli 2012
Some might argue in favour of his String Quartet No. 1, and others for the string sextet Souvenir de Florence. For me, however, Tchaikovsky's mostMehr lesen
Another factor which might make the Piano Trio an unlikely work, in some ways, was the composer's antipathy for this combination of instruments. The booklet note quotes his letter to Nadezhda von Meck in which he claimed that it was 'an agony' for him to hear a piano trio, owing to the perceived 'artificiality' of balancing two string instruments against a piano. 'I had to impart a bit of violence on myself', he later wrote, 'in order to become used to an ensemble of instruments which my ears dislike.' I abhor violence, yet I am glad that Tchaikovsky was able to effect this change in his perception!
The Piano Trio has been lucky on disc. Two approaches have been taken to recording it. One is to assemble a great pianist, a great violinist and a great cellist, whether or not they have performed together extensively, and let them at it. The most famous example of this is the so-called 'Million Dollar Trio' of Arthur Rubinstein, Jascha Heifetz and Gregor Piatigorsky. This is an ensemble that looks great on paper, and the performance has many fine moments, although most of those moments are not the result of interaction between the musicians. Boris Berezovsky, Vadim Repin and Dmitry Yablonsky are more successful because they are more like-minded, and their reading throbs with a dark passion.
The other and more obvious approach is the one taken here – that is, to have an established piano trio play the work. The Swiss Piano Trio was formed in 1998, won major chamber music awards in 2003 and 2005, and has made several recordings, including Mendelssohn and Schumann SACDs for Audite (reviewed in May and July / August 2011). This ensemble received 'important artistic impulses' (the booklet's phrase, not mine!) from the granddaddy of all modern-day string trios, the Beaux Arts Trio, whose members were no strangers to this work. (Their 1970 recording, in many ways a keeper, unfortunately is disqualified by the decision to omit Variation VIII (Fuga) in the second movement.)
I know it will seem Iike damning with faint praise, but the present disc will probably appeal most to those who want to have Tchaikovsky's Piano Trio on a fine-sounding, well-balanced SACD. (It is not quite the only SACD of this work, but I have not heard the competition.) This is a goodish reading in which nothing goes terribly wrong, but not enough goes terrifically right to make it memorable. There's undeniable rapport among the three musicians and no sense of grandstanding. The work is played with dignity, although one could argue that some of its great moments are almost thrown away. I'm thinking of the moment near the end of the second movement when Tchaikovsky brings back the opening theme of the first. This can be devastating, but the Swiss Piano Trio remains dry-eyed. The closing funeral march can leave the listener feeling empty inside, much Iike the end of the Sixth Symphony, but again the musicians retreat from the cliff's edge. If you want to be wrecked by this music (and most of the time I do), the aforementioned Erato disc is the way to go.
I have some other reservations. At just over 50 minutes, this is quite a slow reading. The Erato performance is a full ten minutes faster, and the 'Million Dollar Trio' is just a tad slower than that. On this disc, some of the tempos drag. For example, the statement of the second movement's theme is marked Andante con moto, but con moto appears to have disappeared from the Swiss musicians' scores! Also, there's some wooden phrasing and a lack of general flexibility that make the music seem not only less dramatic but also less charming. Again, this could still be enjoyable in a concert hall, but not over and over again. I will keep this disc, but mostIy because I am fixated on Tchaikovsky's Piano Trio!
Infodad.com | 20.06.2012 | 20. Juni 2012
Delving a little more deeply than usual into the works of composers who areMehr lesen
kulturtipp | Nr. 12 (2.-15. Juni 2012) | Fritz Trümpi | 2. Juni 2012 Entfesselung zu dritt
Seine jugendliche Frische hat sich das Schweizer Klaviertrio zwar bewahrt,Mehr lesen
Record Geijutsu | June 2012 | 1. Juni 2012
japanische Rezension siehe PDFMehr lesen
Pizzicato | N° 224 - 6/2012 | ge | 1. Juni 2012 Gestalterische Kraft
Peter Iljitsch Tchaikovskys Opus 50, geschrieben im Andenken an Nikolai Rubinstein, ist weit mehr als ein klassisches Klaviertrio. Das Werk bietetMehr lesen
Die Trauer, der Schmerz, die der Komposition zugrunde liegen, haben in dieser facettenreichen Ausdeutung immer etwas Tröstliches, Erlösendes – mögen sie noch so schmerzvoll sein. Die drei Musiker gehen, wie so oft, aufs Ganze – in der Gewissheit, genau das Richtige zu tun.
http://theclassicalreviewer.blogspot.de | Saturday, 28 April 2012 | 28. April 2012 Mendelssohn - a lightweight composer?
The two piano trios Op.49 and Op.66 are particularly fine works especiallyMehr lesen
Musica | febbraio 2012 | Stefano Pagliantini | 1. Februar 2012
Un’esecuzione genuina e coinvolgente, fresca e partecipe quella che offreMehr lesen
American Record Guide | 01.11.2011 | Paul L. Althouse | 1. November 2011
Even though they never have gripped the imagination of music lovers, the Schumann trios—these two plus a later one—are certainly worthy of theMehr lesen
The two recorded here were written in the same year (1847), but show different character. The first is rather Beethovenian in its exhaustive use of limited materials in a fairly severe style; but the second, written in three days, is lighter and less impassioned. The second—which, by the way, was preferred by Clara—even quotes Schumann songs and works of Beethoven and Mendelssohn. Both pieces have strong advocates in the Swiss Piano Trio, which plays with great spirit and the right level of bravura. The performances are quite brisk, but never seem too fast, and balances are fine.
A very good recording, then, though some may prefer the richer, old-world feel of the Vienna Brahms Trio or one of the classic recordings mentioned above.
Record Geijutsu | October 2011 | 1. Oktober 2011
japanische Rezension siehe PDF!Mehr lesen
Fanfare | Issue 35:1 (Sept/Oct 2011) | Steven E. Ritter | 1. September 2011
Schumann did not start his chamber music efforts in earnest until immediately following the “song” year of 1840, though until that point he hadMehr lesen
Because of this look back, and no doubt a real and genuine feeling of inferiority in the chamber realm, the Beethovenian extremes are avoided in his chamber music and a new, raw, and laid-bare sense of contrapuntal activity is present in almost all of his work in this area. Even then it did not appear to be enough—Schumann was never to be known for his small-ensemble music during his lifetime. Only in the last century was this music to make a comeback. The Schumann year (2010) brought a renewed interest in this work, though the music had been trending positive for some time before. Now his string quartets and violin sonatas are becoming the standards they should be, along with the Piano Quintet and Quartet, and the miscellaneous short single-instrument and piano character pieces. But it was only after Schumann created these that he decided to turn to the piano trio as a medium.
Clara in a way paved the way. Her effort was more than respectable, and perhaps broke through some creative block that Schumann was harboring toward the form. Couple that with a desire to find a way to broaden her concert repertoire—the Romantics were far more practical in this regard than we give them credit for—and he was ready to spin off three works that occupied him in 1847 (the two on this disc) and 1851 (op. 110).
The music is not easy—it doesn’t grab you the way a lot of his other music does; in fact, I might be one of the few who feels that Brahms’s chamber music doesn’t grab you either, for the most part. Both of these composers have hidden secrets in their chamber music that take a lot of exposure in order to grasp the essence, and both composers said very different things in the chamber realm than in other mediums. This is especially true for Schumann, being a spurt writer, and whose overall message/communicative ability was closely tied in with the musical medium he was involved with at the time. With the piano trios it is first and foremost a condensing of motives and great variance in harmonic interplay. One must revel in the whole instead of simply latching on to a great melody. This is especially true of the First Trio; the Second is more relaxed, so that Clara thought it a work that would “completely warm and delight my soul from beginning to end.” In fact this Second Trio integrates references to his own song material, and achieves amiability not so obvious in the more terse and intense First.
I am assuming that the Swiss Piano Trio will most likely complete the set in a future Volume 2 (maybe with Clara’s included—please?). As it stands, this leaps to the top of my (admittedly short) list of recommended versions of these two pieces. The old standby is the Beaux Arts Trio, maybe not the most perfect Schumann interpreters, but cheap and complete, and really tuned into the idiom, while Eric Le Sage’s ongoing series of the composer’s piano and chamber music (with Gordan Nicolitch and Christophe Coin) continues to impress me, as evidenced in my review in Fanfare 34:1. The youngish members of the Swiss Piano Trio (founded 1998) are about the age of Schumann when he penned these works, and their approach is one of considerable abandon, at times fiercely digging into the music while never losing either control or tonal luster. I felt as though I was learning a lot about music that I already know so well while listening to this recording, and Audite’s fabulous SACD surround sound puts them right in front of you. An essential recording.
Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung | Dienstag, 23. August 2011 | hb | 23. August 2011 Klassik
Obwohl Schumanns Kammermusik zentrale Bedeutung zukommt, kann man – vomMehr lesen
Thurgauer Zeitung
| 17. August 2011 | Martin Preisser | 17. August 2011
Pünktlich zum Festivalstart eine neue Schumann-CD
Das Schweizer Klaviertrio doppelt nach: Nach Mendelssohn legt es eine fulminante Aufnahme von zwei Schumann-Trios vor
Der Thurgauer Pianist Martin Lucas Staub ist künstlerischer Leiter desMehr lesen
Tagblatt Online
| Mittwoch, 17. August 2011 | Martin Preisser | 17. August 2011
Pünktlich zum Festivalstart eine neue Schumann-CD
Das Schweizer Klaviertrio doppelt nach: Nach Mendelssohn legt es eine fulminante Aufnahme von zwei Schumann-Trios vor
Der Thurgauer Pianist Martin Lucas Staub ist künstlerischer Leiter desMehr lesen
RBB Kulturradio | 12.08.2011 | Imke Griebsch | 12. August 2011
Robert Schumann: Klaviertrios 1 und 2
Das Schweizer Trio geht aufs Ganze und hat eine wunderbare CD eingespielt
Robert Schumanns Kammermusik steht immer noch zu sehr im Schatten seiner Klavierwerke, Lieder und Sinfonien. Dabei hat Schumann auf dem Gebiet derMehr lesen
Seltene, geheime und edle Seelenzustände
Für die klassische Klaviertrio-Besetzung Violine, Violoncello und Klavier hat Schumann insgesamt vier Werke geschrieben: Die Fantasiestücke op.88 sowie drei Klaviertrios. Das Schweizer Klaviertrio (1998 gegründet, mit Sitz in Winterthur) hat nun damit begonnen, alle Stücke einzuspielen. Die erste CD liegt vor, darauf zu hören sind das Klaviertrio Nr. 1 d-Moll und das Klaviertrio Nr. 2 F-Dur. Diese Stücke hat Schumann 1842, in seinem so genannten „Kammermusik-Jahr“ unmittelbar hintereinander komponiert. In ihnen zeigt er sich nicht nur als Revolutionär, sondern auch als Poet. Schumann selbst hat die Musik einmal als „höhere Potenz der Poesie“ definiert und die Poesie bestand für ihn darin „seltene, geheime und edle Seelenzustände“ auszudrücken.
Ungestümes und zupackendes Spiel
Vor allem im d-Moll-Trio, das in einer „Zeit düsterer Stimmungen“ entstanden war, hat Schumann seine verschiedenen Seelenzustände in Töne gesetzt. So macht sich im 1. Satz eine rastlose, vorwärts drängende Unruhe breit, die von schroffen Akkorden und kurzem Innehalten unterbrochen wird. Das Schweizer Klaviertrio nimmt die Vortragsbezeichnung wörtlich und spielt die aufwühlenden, bewegten Passagen „Mit Energie und Leidenschaft“. Die ungestüme und zupackende Spielweise (bei kräftigem Akkordspiel klirrt schon mal der Geigenbogen) passt wunderbar zur poetischen Unberechenbarkeit und stürmischen Leidenschaftlichkeit von Schumanns Musik. Rhythmische Tücken werden mit Leichtigkeit gemeistert und scheinen die Musiker in ihrem herrlich ungezähmten Spiel nur noch anzustacheln. Umso stärker wirken danach die fahlen sul ponticello gespielten Streicherstimmen über den gläsernen und eigentümlich starren Klavierakkorden. Im langsamen dritten Satz des d-Moll-Trios beweisen die Schweizer klanglichen Feinsinn: die drei Stimmen sind perfekt ausbalanciert, jede Nuance ist perfekt dosiert, jeder Akzent sitzt, und in ihrem Zusammenspiel sind die Musiker absolut instinktsicher.
Anstrengung, die sich lohnt
Das freundlichere und etwas leichtfüßigere F-Dur-Trio interpretieren sie mit musikantischer Frische und einem gutem Gespür für die Stimmführung (die kanonisch-kontrapunktische Struktur des 4. Satzes zeigt, was Schumann von seinem großen Vorbild Bach gelernt hat). Das Tolle an dieser CD ist: Das Schweizer Klaviertrio geht aufs Ganze, sein Spiel wirkt spontan und unheimlich mitreißend. Der Hörer gerät in einen Sog, dem er sich nicht entziehen kann. Das kann mitunter auch anstrengend sein. Aber die Anstrengung lohnt sich!
Ensemble - Magazin für Kammermusik | 4-2011 (August / September 2011) | Robert Nemecek | 1. August 2011 Energisch und pointiert
Schumanns Klaviertrios stehen bis heute im Schatten der Trio-KompositionenMehr lesen
www.SA-CD.net | July 25, 2011 | Adrian Cue | 25. Juli 2011
I was not familiar with the Swiss Piano Trio. This is their secondMehr lesen
Gesellschaft Freunde der Künste | 22.07.2011 | 22. Juli 2011 Musik Klassik: Swiss Piano Trio - Klaviertrios 1 Op.63 & 2 Op.80 - Kammermusikliteratur des 19. Jahrhunderts
Nach der erfolgreichen Veröffentlichung der Mendelssohn-Klaviertrios legt audite nun das zweite Album mit dem Schweizer Klaviertrio vor. Die SACDMehr lesen
Die Interpretation des Schweizer Klaviertrios demonstriert, dass es sich bei dieser Musik um Meisterwerke der Kammermusikliteratur des 19. Jahrhunderts handelt, die zu Unrecht nur selten im Konzertsaal erklingen. Das dritte Klaviertrio op. 110 wird zu einem späteren Zeitpunkt zusammen mit den Fantasiestücken op. 88 und dem Klaviertrio op. 17 von Clara Schumann auf einer weiteren SACD veröffentlicht.
Das Schweizer Klaviertrio mit Martin Lucas Staub (Klavier), Angela Golubeva (Violine) und Sébastien Singer (Violoncello) ist Preisträger zahlreicher Wettbewerbe wie z. B. dem Internationalen Kammermusikwettbewerb Caltanissetta oder dem österreichischen Johannes-Brahms-Wettbewerb. Seit seiner Gründung 1998 führte intensive Konzerttätigkeit das Ensemble in mehr als 40 Länder.
Das Trio tritt in Kammermusikkonzerten in den großen Konzertsälen der Musikzentren auf, als Solistenensemble konzertieren die drei Musiker regelmäßig mit renommierten Orchestern. Radio- und Fernsehaufnahmen sowie CD-Einspielungen dokumentieren das künstlerische Schaffen des Ensembles.
International Record Review | July/August 2011 | John Warrack | 1. Juli 2011
An exceptionally good programme essay for this disc by Wolfgang Rathert points to the problems that lurk in wait for the performers in Schumann'sMehr lesen
The Second Trio is in some ways even more elliptical, and if Mendelssohn is again largely the inspiration in the first movement, here the material is much more personal. Rathert points out the importance of the song allusions which Schumann incorporates: the subtle manner in which out of a previous theme there emerges 'mention' of the song 'Intermezzo' in the Eichendorff Liederkreis praising the portrait of the beloved ('Dein Bildnis') and its answer at the end of the third movement from Frauenliebe und -Ieben, as the gesture of love is returned from the woman to the man. In this subtly allusive music, one cannot be sure whether or not there is perhaps a further Eichendorff 'Dein Bildnis' reference in the slow movement, at any rate a melodic line drawn from it. It is fascinating music, played here with great perception, and with the suitably outward virtuosity indeed concealing much inward thoughtfulness.
Stereo | 6/2011 Juni | OPf | 1. Juni 2011
Klaviertrios Nr. 1 + 2
Schweizer Klaviertrio
Wie schön muss Mendelssohns erstes Klaviertrio klingen? "Nicht zu sehr",Mehr lesen
Pizzicato | N° 214 (6/2011) | ge | 1. Juni 2011
Diese Einspielung soll der Start in eine Gesamtaufnahme von Schumanns Trios sein – ein Vorhaben, bei dem es noch vorhandenes Potenzial zu nutzenMehr lesen
Fono Forum | 06/11 Juni 2011 | Ole Pflüger | 1. Juni 2011 Gar schön?
Wie schön muss Mendelssohns erstes Klaviertrio klingen? "Nicht zu sehr", scheint die Antwort des Schweizer Klaviertrios zu sein. Es ist etwas dran.Mehr lesen
Robert Schumann nannte das Werk einmal eine "eine gar schöne Komposition, die nach Jahren noch Enkel und Urenkel erfreuen wird". Golubeva, Singer und Staub widersprechen Schumann, indem sie ihm eine Menge derben Witz und schroffe Melodiebrocken abgewinnen. Bei ihnen ist Mendelssohn mehr als nur "gar schön", er darf auch mal schreien und keifen. Aus dem Kopfsatz von Mendelssohns zweitem Klaviertrio machen die Schweizer dann ein mitreißendes Perpetuum mobile. Vom ersten Klavierton an ist diese Musik nicht aufzuhalten. In den halsbrecherischen Läufen des Scherzos bekräftigen die Musiker diesen Eindruck und beweisen dabei auch noch einmal, wie schön es sein kann, auf Schönheit zu verzichten.
Rondo | Nr. 681 / 28.05. - 03.06.2011 | Michael Blümke | 28. Mai 2011
Was für den Kritiker gilt, gilt ebenso für den CD-Käufer: Man soll sichMehr lesen
International Record Review | May 2011 | Mark Tanner | 1. Mai 2011
That Schumann considered Mendelssohn to be a natural successor to Beethoven, and went on to prize his piano trios so ardently, was a strong indicationMehr lesen
Written six years apart, in 1839 and 1845, Mendelssohn's trios are cast in four movements and have a similar duration. Additionally, they are both in minor keys, suggestive of something rather splendid or perhaps even narrative in vein. Wolfgang Rathert, author of the erudite if slightly scholarly notes, reminds us of the especial function of minor keys in Beethoven, as well as in Mozart, and argues that Mendelssohn's particular use of minor tonality holds a mirror to the nineteenth century's increasingly sophisticated tastes. Interestingly, both trios, which in general make rather more of the piano part than of the strings, are radiant and optimistic in their dramatic gestures, not in the least bit introspective or doleful , even in their second movements. This new recording from the Swiss Piano Trio is beautifully presented by Audite, with sharp graphics and a nicely contemporary feel to the fold-out cardboard box.
The Trio in D minor , Op. 49 is confidently captured by the players – a nicely impulsive opening movement with a good sense of lyricism and a clear overview in place. Pianist Martin Lucas Staub drives the impetus assertively with an ambitious tempo, and the strings sustain a robust connection with the music's agitated under current. The individual contributions are strong, although I feel the ensemble's best intentions have not always been fully realized in this region of the recording as regards balance. I'd like a fraction more of the piano when all parts are busy, and indeed when there are short-lived soloistic interjections to enjoy (the opening and closing sections to the Andante con moto tranquillo are good examples of this, too). Conversely, the violin seems to be just a little too forward in the mix, overall, particularly during the more impassioned sections, so that the equally important piano and cello textures come over as a little hemmed in. That said, there are some precious softer moments in the ensemble, both in this movement and in the conclusion to the Scherzo, which is ably done. The finale has good drive and the overall impact improved here quite noticeably – the ensemble seemed to relax , introducing greater ingenuity and freedom into this amiable Schubertian melody. There can be no doubting the youthful verve of these musicians, and the closing stages to this movement are as fiery and effervescent as you could hope for , if perhaps slightly missing some of the opportunities to drop the dynamic before picking up the intensity once again.
The Op. 66 Trio, dedicated to Louis Spohr, is in C minor, and it was in this key that Mendelssohn first explored the idea of a piano trio while still a young man; it emerged as more of an experiment than an accomplished work, however. As I hinted at earlier, the similarities in approach to the formal construction and sense of dramatic destiny in both the published trios are such that Mendelssohn clearly felt satisfied with what he had achieved in his D minor Trio. The Swiss Trio seems more at ease with the elasticity of this slightly later work, grabbing my attention rather more quickly than in the D minor. I particularly enjoy the Andante espressivo, which has a lovely serenity to it and some delightful coupling from the strings. The Scherzo is very successful too , with sterling work from Staub, whose glycerine fingerwork carries the momentum without any hint of compromise; here too, a better sense of balance and of the leggiero lines emerges, and the sudden switches in temperament are very well thought through.
My impression of the playing, and indeed of the recording as a whole, grew quite significantly during my survey of this disc. I would very much like to hear these players in the flesh , where I am sure they are capable of even greater vitality and communication.
Fanfare | May/June 2011 | Jerry Dubins | 1. Mai 2011
My first reaction to receiving this release for review was, “Oh no, not another recording of Mendelssohn’s piano trios!” This now makes 22Mehr lesen
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the Swiss Piano Trio, an ensemble I’d not previously encountered, though to confess, I did begin my listening with the difficult-to-dislodge idea in my head that Mendelssohn’s piano trios did not need another recording, no matter how good it might be. Imagine then my shock to have all of my doubts and reservations instantly swept away by the most captivating performances of these works I think I’ve ever heard.
Swift in tempo and fleet of foot, but not rushed or breathless; leggiero in bowing and phrasing, but not lightweight or thin in tone; rascally but not roguish in the Scherzo movements; emotionally expressive but not cloying in the Andantes; and strongly persuasive without making over-earnest pie of Mendelssohn’s opening Allegros, the Swiss ensemble plays these works with surpassing elegance, beauty, and absolute technical control and perfection.
In no small measure, this gorgeously recorded hybrid surround-sound Audite SACD is a glory to modern recording technology. The instruments are perfectly placed and perfectly balanced, and the sound is state-of-the-art. I’m not usually one to say, “Throw out all other recordings you have of these works,” but if I were so inclined, this new release would come perilously close to prompting me to say it. These magnificently recorded fantastic performances are urgently recommended.
www.ResMusica.com | 28 avril 2011 | Jean-Luc Caron | 28. April 2011 Une lecture probe de Mendelssohn
« C’est le maître trio de notre époque… » s’exclama RobertMehr lesen
Westdeutsche Zeitung | Samstag, 9. April 2011 | wall | 9. April 2011 Dynamisches Trio
Rasant geht es zu in den schnellen Sätzen der beiden Klaviertrios FelixMehr lesen
Kulimu | 37. Jg. 2011, Heft 1 | uwa | 1. April 2011
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Klaviertrio Nr. 1 u. 2
Schweizer Klaviertrio
Seit dem das Schweizer Klaviertrio 2005 den ersten Preis beimMehr lesen
Pizzicato | N° 212 - 4/2011 | Alain Steffen | 1. April 2011 Ein Meisterstreich
Gerade bei Aufnahmen wie dieser ist es eine Freude für den Rezensenten, die Bestnote Supersonic zu vergeben. Ich muss zugeben, dass ich dieseMehr lesen
Dem Schweizer Klaviertrio (Angela Golubeva, Violine, Sébastien Singer, Cello und Martin Lucas Staub, Klavier) gelingt auf Anhieb ein Meisterstreich und der gefährliche Spagat zwischen Unterhaltung, Virtuosität, technischer Versiertheit und kunstvoller Gestaltung. Sicher, Mendelssohns Trios sind dankbare Stücke, aber was das Schweizer Klaviertrio aus dieser Musik macht, mit welcher Dynamik sie diese Werke angehen und mit welch hervorragender Technik sie das Opus 49 und das Opus 66 auszuloten verstehen, ist eindeutig große Kunst. Ja, Kammermusik kann tatsächlich Spaß machen und ebenso intensive wie aufregende Momente bescheren. Eigentlich bräuchte man bei dieser übrigens hervorragend transparent und präsent klingenden SACD-Aufnahme überhaupt keine Worte zu verlieren. Musik und Interpreten sprechen für sich.
Musik & Theater | April 2011 | Fritz Trümpi | 1. April 2011 Feinfasriger Mendelssohn
Obschon sich das Schweizer Klaviertrio eine erfrischende JugendlichkeitMehr lesen
www.musicweb-international.com | Tuesday March 29th | Kevin Sutton | 29. März 2011 Felix Mendelssohn
Robert Schumann, in the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik, hailed Felix Mendelssohn as the Mozart of the nineteenth century, the "brightest musician whoMehr lesen
Mendelssohn's own piano playing must have been remarkable, given the sheer virtuosity of the piano writing in these works. The c minor trio opens with a rollicking theme and the piano never quits. A beautifully lyrical Andante follows, and Mendelssohn shows his ability to create a gorgeous melody that, while somewhat sentimental, is never over the top or maudlin. A fleeting scherzo is followed by a jaunty finale. The second trio is no less a masterpiece, flashy without being gaudy, packed full of the wonderful tunes that only a Schubert could match. It struck me as amusing that the theme of the Scherzo is remarkably similar to Legrenzi's Che fiero costume, known the world over to beginning students of singing.
The Schweizer Trio is nothing less than superb in these performances. Particular kudos goes to Martin Lucas Staub, whose keyboard skills are beyond reproach. It is fairly evident that Mendelssohn was thinking beyond the salon when he composed these works. They are so full in scope and rich in tone that he must have had a concert hall in mind. Having said that, Mr. Staub never lets the formidable piano parts overwhelm his string playing colleagues, who by the way, play with spotless intonation, elegant phrasing and youthful panache. I particularly admired the manner in which this ensemble was able to take the fast movements at an almost roller-coaster tempo, yet never leave the listener feeling out of breath. The playing is of such high quality that the music just flows out effortlessly. One is left believing that there is no other way to play this music, and this is a delightful quality. I was thrilled by repeated listening to this disc.
Ensemble - Magazin für Kammermusik | März 2011 | Carsten Dürer | 1. März 2011 Mit Spannung weiterhören
Wenn es um das Genre Klaviertrio geht, dann stellen die beiden von FelixMehr lesen
Crescendo | Jg. 14, Nr. 2 (März-Mai 2011) | Antoinette Schmelter De Escobar | 1. März 2011
Swiss Piano Trio
WIE MEDELSSOHN SELBST
Wie ein Espresso: Klassik in hochkonzentrierter Form. Seit 1998 spielenMehr lesen
Kulturspiegel | März 2011, Heft 3 | Johannes Saltzwedel | 1. März 2011 Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: "Klaviertrios" (Audite)
Viele Ensembles haben diese Werke gespielt; und schlecht klingen sie schonMehr lesen
Spiegel online | Montag, 28. Februar 2011 | Johannes Saltzwedel | 28. Februar 2011 Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: "Klaviertrios" (Audite)
Viele Ensembles haben diese Werke gespielt; und schlecht klingen sie schonMehr lesen
La Liberté | 12 février 2011 | EH | 12. Februar 2011 L’INSPIRATION PUISSANTE DU TRIO AVEC PIANO
Difficile de résumer la musique de Mendelssohn, autant héritier de laMehr lesen
Der Landbote | 27. Januar 2011 | Herbert Büttiker | 27. Januar 2011 Im innersten Zirkel
Das Klaviertrio ist neben dem Streichquartett die Nummer zwei derMehr lesen
Südkurier | Nr. 15 (20. Januar 2011) | Martin Preisser | 20. Januar 2011 Fiebrig-feuriger Mendelssohn
Das Schweizer Klaviertrio legt eine neue CD vor. Die CD macht den AnfangMehr lesen
Tagblatt Online | 11. Januar 2011 | Martin Preisser | 11. Januar 2011 Start mit Mendelssohn
Martin Lucas Staub, Sie haben eine neue Reihe von Klaviertrio-EinspielungenMehr lesen
Thurgauer Zeitung | 11. Januar 2011 | Martin Preisser | 11. Januar 2011 Start mit Mendelssohn
Martin Lucas Straub, Sie haben eine neue Reihe vonMehr lesen
Thurgauer Zeitung | 11. Januar 2011 | Martin Preisser | 11. Januar 2011 Schweizer Klaviertrio mit fiebrig-feurigem Mendelssohn
In letzter Zeit war das Schweizer Klaviertrio vor allem internationalMehr lesen
www.jazzstore.com | Mike D. Brownell | 30. November 2010
Composed in 1839 and 1845, respectively, the two mature piano trios ofMehr lesen
Ensemble - Magazin für Kammermusik | 3-2013 Juni/Juli | Robert Nemecek Differenziert & homogen
Das Schweizer Klaviertrios, das Homogenität mit hoher Differenzierungskunst verbindet: [...] Der warme Ton, die atmende Phrasierung und das geschmeidige Zusammenspiel ergeben zusammen eine im besten Sinne "romantische" InterpretationMehr lesen
Fanfare | December 2012 | Jerry Dubins
This is only the second single-disc SACD version of Tchaikovky’s A-Minor Piano Trio I’m aware of. It’s a shame, though, that nothing else wasMehr lesen
In Fanfare 34:6, I had high praise for the Swiss Piano Trio’s Mendelssohn, proclaiming it to be some of the most captivating I’d ever heard. One issue later (35:1), Steven E. Ritter called the Swiss Piano Trio’s Schumann “essential.”
To its rapidly growing discography, the ensemble now adds Tchaikovsky’s lone contribution to the piano trio literature and, based on this performance, it’s tempting to regard the Swiss Piano Trio as the gold standard among today’s active piano trios. It should be noted, however, that even gold is outclassed by platinum, and in this case I would have to say that as exceptional as the Swiss Piano Trio’s Tchaikovsky is, it doesn’t nudge from the top of the precious metals index the phenomenal performance by the young Italian ensemble billing itself the David Trio reviewed in 35:3. At the time that review was submitted, the David’s Stradivarius disc was not yet listed by the major mail order sites, but it is now. If I could pick only one version of Tchaikovsky’s trio to live with for the duration, the David’s would be it. And it should be added that it’s coupled with an equally outstanding performance of Shostakovich’s famous E-Minor Piano Trio.
With the Swiss Piano Trio, you get the Tchaikovsky, and that’s it, though it’s definitely a performance throbbing with Russian pathos and passion that will not disappoint. If having the work in SACD outweighs the short playing time, the extra cost—$19.99 vs. $15.99 for the double-feature David CD—and the even more winning David performance, you won’t go wrong with the Swiss Piano Trio’s very fine effort. Recommended, but not with blaring bugles and rolling drums.
Neuigkeiten
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