Beethoven: Complete Piano Trios Vol. 2

Chronique

With this second volume of Ludwig van Beethoven's piano trios on Challenge Classics, the Van Baerle Trio completes its coverage of the Opus 1 trios, and includes two less-familiar works for violin, cello, and piano, the Allegretto in E flat major, Hess 48, and the composer's transcription for piano trio of the Symphony No. 2 in D major. The Piano Trio in G major, Op. 1, No. 2 is given a buoyant performance that plays up Beethoven's elegant lyricism and wit, and the Van Baerle Trio engages the listener with the great variety of timbres and articulation in the constantly shifting repartée. The Piano Trio after the Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 36 may surprise with its nearly orchestral density and broad symphonic scope, but much of that impression is created by the demanding piano part, which carries most of the burden, while the violin and cello seem merely to highlight its outer parts, rather than maintain independent lines. One of Beethoven's earliest compositions, the Allegretto in E flat major, was found among some sketches, and its trio section was incomplete, so it may be considered a fragment of an abandoned work. The Van Baerle Trio plays it with a lighthearted feeling that suits its playful rhythms, and it rounds out this volume with an unpretentiousness that is needed after the challenges of the previous work. The Super Audio Sound is exceptionally clear and focused, bringing out the subtlety and refinement of the group's playing throughout.

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