"Recorded in 1985, this beautiful played collection of the complete Mozart piano trios includes the movements completed by the Abbe Stadler and Karl Maguerre, and known as K 442. It is reissued conveniently on two compact discs as opposed to the three discs of the Beaux Arts Trio on Philips. I prefer the Abegg Trio for musical reasons as well. Their playing is sprightly, stylish, and brings out the almost naive beauties of Mozart′s less challenging works. The Beaux Arts Trio is almost as successful, but at key moments they tend to push: The string accents at the beginning of K 542, for instance, are startling. The Abegg Trio sounds more natural, and the pianist, Gerrit Zitterbart, plays more nuanced lines without affectation. Cellist Birgit Erichson and violinist Ulrich Beetz both have lovely, lush sounds. Both sets are well recorded: The Abegg set puts the trio in a believable space. I particularly admire the gentle lyricism of the Abegg Trio, and theirs is my preferred set."
Michael Ullman

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