091 CD / Romantic Piano Trios Vol. 2
Description
"With their recording of the piano trio op. 1 by Hermann Goetz and the fifth piano trio op. 34 by Friedrich Kiel, the Abegg Trio have drawn our attention to two works which have not only not deserved to be neglected, but can rank with the loveliest, yes, happiest works of their genre. Both works are in Mendelssohn’s tradition and are comparable with the two Mendelssohn trios both in level and in intonation. They are rich compositions, masterfully worked, present rich, lively thematic material; and have minstrel-like verve. The Abegg Trio masters all the demands of the two works, both the sparkling passage work on the piano and the flowing song on the strings. Also, the ensemble avoided unnecessary emphasis with both works: rather, it found a middle way between naivety and sophistication, from which the tone of these compositions arises." (Fono Forum)
2 reviews for 091 CD / Romantic Piano Trios Vol. 2
You must be logged in to post a review.
Fono Forum –
With their recording of the piano trio op. 1 by Hermann Goetz and the fifth piano trio op. 34 by Friedrich Kiel, the Abegg Trio have drawn our attention to two works which have not only not deserved to be neglected, but can rank with the loveliest, yes, happiest works of their genre. Both works are in Mendelssohn’s tradition and are comparable with the two Mendelssohn trios both in level and in intonation. They are rich compositions, masterfully worked, present rich, lively thematic material; and have minstrel-like verve. The Abegg Trio masters all the demands of the two works, both the sparkling passage work on the piano and the flowing song on the strings. Also, the ensemble avoided unnecessary emphasis with both works: rather, it found a middle way between naivety and sophistication, from which the tone of these compositions arises.
Giselher Schubert
Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung –
Both Romantics—each maintaining a highly individual distance from Romanticism—have so far been almost entirely absent from the Bielefeld Catalogue. All the more welcome, then, are these chamber music recordings, with which the Abegg Trio brings a breath of fresh air to the repertoire. One can only hope that concert agencies will likewise recognize the ensemble’s commitment to Goetz and Kiel, for both compositions certainly deserve it. Naturally, the opus 1 of the 23-year-old Hermann Goetz betrays Mendelssohn’s influence at every turn; naturally, in Friedrich Kiel’s G major Trio, composed in 1864, the echo of Beethoven is still unmistakable; naturally, neither score has the stature of Brahms. Yet there is no reason for indifference or disregard. After all, even in the 19th century, the geniuses were but the solitary beacons illuminating an endlessly rich musical landscape. The Abegg Trio demonstrates how well it understands the spirit and stylistic demands of these trios, performing them not merely with polish but with real commitment—without intellectual overloading on the one hand, without virtuosic self-display on the other, and with a keen sense of sound and refinement, as far as the somewhat reverberant recording allowed. In view of these works and their interpretations, any wrinkling of noses is entirely misplaced. These may not be strokes of genius, but they are chamber works that speak directly to the ear—thanks to the Abegg Trio.
Ekkehart Kroher