Complete Piano Trios 8

Product Description CPO 777244; CPO - CLASSIC PROD.OSNABRUCK - Germania; Classica da camera Trio Review These artists offer us Volume 8 of their complete traversal of the Haydn trios. I will begin with two warning notes. First, you have to access the jewel case insert for the correct track information. The track information on the back of the jewel case is wrong--very wrong. This is also an alert for other CDs in the series that might have track misinformation. Second, this is a historically informed performance: period instruments--here, gut strings with no vibrato, not a pleasant enough sound to my ears. The harpsichord, however, is certainly suitable to the trios. Annette Wehnert (violin), Mercedes Ruiz (cello), and Harald Hoeren (harpsichord) are the founding members of Trio 1790, but the founding date is not given in the accompanying jewel-case information. The Trio was certainly founded well after its title year. These are excellent musicians with fine technique and a clear understanding of Haydn and of these trios. Their understanding of the music transcends the unpleasant (to me) string sound. The trios on CD 2 (E?, G-Minor, F) are far more interesting than those on CD 1. The Polonaise second movement and the trio of the third movement of the E? are especially attractive. The Presto third movement of the G-Minor is noteworthy for its energetic pace. The F-Major is especially beautiful throughout, but the crowning achievement is the third movement with its variations. The classic set of discs for the complete Haydn trios with modern instruments is that of the Beaux Arts Trio. When period instruments are used, the effect on the listener is very different. Writing not for myself but for a more general audience, both period- and modern-instrument recordings are worth listening to. On that basis, the current disc is recommended--but not necessarily for me. -- Fanfare, Burton Rothleder, Jan-Feb 2010