Brahms, Coll, Korngold

Album review

This 2023 release by Trio Isimsiz ("Trio No-Name") would be worth hearing for the Brahms Piano Trio No. 2 in C major, Op. 87, alone. This is one of Brahms' most intricate works, and the trio clarifies his ideas and, in the opening movement, provides a textbook example of how to make a passionate melody appear to be absolutely inevitable. It is a fine performance that can stand with all the others on the market, but there is much more here. The Piano Trio in D major, Op. 1, by the 12-year-old Erich Wolfgang Korngold has been rediscovered lately, and several recordings are available; perhaps none does as well as this one at elucidating the many moments at which the young composer's mature personality comes bursting out. Perhaps the highlight is the Piano Trio of Francisco Coll, newly composed for Trio Isimsiz. It is a difficult work to describe, unmistakably modern but completely accessible, with terse elaborations spinning off of edgy single notes or unisons. Coll states that it was influenced by both flamenco and tango, and one can hear this even though the characteristic tonalities of each of these are absent. It is a fascinating work rhythmically. Add in excellent sound from the Britten Studio at Snape Maltings, and one has an outstanding chamber release for late 2023 from a rather unheralded ensemble.

© James Manheim /TiVo