Beethoven Piano Trios

[George]

I like the Beaux Arts Trio in those works.

....... As far as a modern version goes, the Beaux Arts have done it for me for years.....

Which one, guys? They did them in 1964 and in 1979-83.



Although Beethoven is my favorite composer, I had yet to find a set of the trios that I really connected with. Until this one, which I found used in a store yesterday. Lovely music making here.

[Todd]

Which one, guys? They did them in 1964 and in 1979-83.

The earlier set is the better of the two.  Both can be compared easily now with the handy BAT big box. 

[George]

The earlier set is the better of the two.  Both can be compared easily now with the handy BAT big box.

The earlier is indeed better.

[Que]

The earlier set is the better of the two.  Both can be compared easily now with the handy BAT big box. 

The earlier is indeed better.

Absolutely! 

And the arrival of the mega box will surely bring in available copies of the separate  Early Years issue.

Q

[The new erato]

You're leading me gently towards a purchase here.

[amw]

I never got what people saw in BAT II to be honest. I found them the most dull and earthbound of the sets I looked at back when (compared to A/P/H, Z/duP/B, Wanderer, Florestan & Parnassus).

BAT I is definitely an improvement on II, a bit more fire.

[George]

I never got what people saw in BAT II to be honest. I found them the most dull and earthbound of the sets I looked at back when (compared to A/P/H, Z/duP/B, Wanderer, Florestan & Parnassus).

BAT I is definitely an improvement on II, a bit more fire.

Agreed.

Can you say which set(s) are your favorite(s) and why?

[Que]

I'd wish that the recordings by the Suk Trio would be reissued by Suprahon (previously licensed to Denon)....

Q

[Jo498]

Three Trios with the Suk trio are available on a supraphon twofer (with Schubert B flat major), but I think the complete set is a different later recording. Anyway, that twofer is highly recommendable. There's no lack of good "Archduke" and "Ghost" recordings and I really like the HIP op.1 by the Castle trio. The odd piece somewhat neglected except for complete recordings is the great and underrated op.70/2. I'll probably get the Florestan complete set someday but for now I am satisfied with what I have (Fontenay complete, Castle except op.70, Staier & friends in op.1/3 and 70/1, one disc each of Parnassus and Abegg, the Suk 2fer and probably another bunch of Archdukes).

[asin]B0019F8HKA[/asin]

[amw]

Agreed.

Can you say which set(s) are your favorite(s) and why?

Of the ones I listened to I ranked them in the order Florestan > Parnassus > Ashk/Perl/Harrell > Zuk/Bar/duPre > Wanderer > BAT II. (I've only heard the Ghostduke from BAT I but they're both preferable.) Florestan is my go-to set with the requisite Beethovenian energy and an infallible sense of line, plus excellent string playing, but it was sort of a toss-up between it and Parnassus I think, and Ashkenazy's crew is only slightly less good to my surprise (I wasn't expecting to like them as much due to the old-style string playing and Ashkenazy's Beethoven generally being disappointing). Of the others, I remember Wanderer being somewhat low-octane and anodyne, and finding nothing wrong with Barenboim's crew but not really getting into it.

I've also got individual records from the Atlantis Trio (very good except for Jaap Schröder's left hand) and everyone's favourite Beths/Bylsma/Immerseel. And I listen to the Queyras Qrew (w/rotating fortepianists) on Qobuz a lot but have never been moved to get either of their outings (1x 70/2 and Archduke + 1x Ghost, 1/3 and a Hummel trio), they have a bit of Harmonia Mundi Syndrome* I think (like Wanderer).


* beautifully played, beautifully recorded, interpretively neutral, kinda boring. see also: Paul Lewis

[king ubu]

I like this one quite some - prob. my favourite Archduke so far (Barshai is added on the Fauré quartet):

[asin]B0012D2CI2[/asin]

[The new erato]

I like this one quite some - prob. my favourite Archduke so far (Barshai is added on the Fauré quartet):

[asin]B0012D2CI2[/asin]

It's definitely NOT one of the leading Faurés, though. Pretty unidiomatic IIRC.

[Wakefield]

I've also got individual records from the Atlantis Trio (very good except for Jaap Schröder's left hand)...

I'm a bit intrigued by the highlighted part. 

AFAIK, the Atlantis Trio has recorded only this disk of Beethoven's piano trios, isn't it?

[aligreto]

I have recently listened to all of the versions of Beethoven's Archduke Trio that I own which are, in no particular order....

Ashkenazy/Perlman/Harrell
Kalichstein/Laredo/Robinson
Oistrakh Trio
Stern/Rose/Istomin
Suk Trio
Thibaud/Casals/Cortot
van Immerseel/Beths/Bylsma

This is a work that I have loved since I first heard it. Age of recording, historical or modern instruments have no bearing here just interpretation and performance. Having read this thread I have now shortlisted the following for investigation....

Kempf/Fournier/Szeryng
Beaux Arts Trio
Castle Trio

[Turner]

As for sets, I´ve got the old Barenboim/Zukerman/DuPre (LP), Suk3 (LP, digital recording 1986), Trio Zingara (CD Brilliant) and Trio Elegiaque (CD Brilliant).

I probably tend to listen mostly to the Trio Elegiaque, and also the Zingara3 in the "Ghost Trio", one of the most dramatic recordings there is.

[aligreto]

As for sets, I´ve got the old Barenboim/Zukerman/DuPre (LP), Suk3 (LP, digital recording 1986), Trio Zingara (CD Brilliant) and Trio Elegiaque (CD Brilliant).

I probably tend to listen mostly to the Trio Elegiaque, and also the Zingara3 in the "Ghost Trio", one of the most dramatic recordings there is.

Thank you for that. I will bear the Zingara3 in mind for the "Ghost Trio".

[Todd]

Finally getting around to the LvB piano trio shootout, comparing the Oliver Schnyder Trio and the Trio Owon to determine my go-to set.  Both are recent releases, and while I have other sets of various vintages, these two tickle my fancy most, so it was necessary to see if I could divine which was the best in the seven numbered piano trios. 

I started with Op 1, Number 1, with Oliver Schynder and his crew going first.  The trio zip through the Allegro nearly a minute quicker than the Owon, delivering high voltage playing.  More flexibility is possible, but there's something appealing here.  The Adagio cantabile is more relaxed, and slower than the Owon, and quite lovely.  But the bouncy, fun Scherzo and quicksilver Presto demonstrate that the Schnyder seem to revel in fast, high energy, and robustly secure playing most of all.  It's just good, clean, classical fun.  The Owon are slightly more relaxed in presentation and tempo - but still tight as drum in terms of execution - and one is struck immediately by greater flexibility in phrasing and dynamics.  (The latter is aided a bit by the slightly more distant sound.)  There's more of a sense of youthful LvB fun here.  It's not that the Schynder lack in that area, it's just that the Owon display more.  And though the Adagio cantabile is a bit shorter in timing, it sounds more flexible and hints at a slightly more romantic style, all without overdoing anything.  Both the Scherzo and Presto display the same traits as the opening Allegro, and sort of sound groovier and can lead to occasional head-bopping.  The Owon take it.

[Todd]

Op 1, No 2 finds the Schnyder following a quite similar overall style.  The quick movements are quick, with the final Presto especially delightful and tight, but it's sort of rigid, albeit in a good way.  The Owon again offer more flexibility in approach, which yields a greater sense of lightness and fun overall.   But in that concluding Presto, the Schnyder's tightness just makes it so snappy.  Call it a draw.

[Todd]

I swapped listening order for Op 1, No 3.  The Owon do their normal, dynamic, fun thing.  Come the Menuetto, pianist Emmanuel Strosser gets to shine with delightful runs, and the whole movement is just wonderful, as is the Finale.  Not unexpectedly, the Schynder push things more, playing faster, generating even more energy.  The Menuetto sounds more forceful and serious here, though the Finale is more fun.  The Owon take it. 

[Todd]

For the Gassenhauer, I started with the Schynder again.  They launch the work in bold fashion, and though they back off, this ends up being very much about forward drive.  Oliver Schnyder's pianism, always superb, here sounds light and oh so clean in much of the music.  The interplay of the three musicians displays world class precision, and when they hand off playing one to the other, the effect is quite delightful.  In the second and third movements, Schynder becomes the star of the show a bit more.  Fortunately, he delivers.  None of that is to say that his partners are anything less than superb.  The Owon once again ends up sounding a bit more flexible and fun than the Schnyder.  The Adagio is often gentler and more lovely, with Strosser playing with some delicate beauty.  (That's not to say the Schynder sound rough or hard; they just sound more direct.)  In the theme and variations, the Owon's tendency to use more striking dynamic shifts pays dividends.  There's snap, there are hints of drama, but nothing excessive.  Everything jells.  The Owon take it.