Schubert & Cramer: Trout Quintet, Piano Quintet

Album review

Literature for piano quartet: sparse. Literature for piano quintet: scarce. Literature for fortepiano quintet: a true rarity. Or so one might think. The Nepomuk Fortepiano Quintet (which takes its seemingly odd name from the middle name of composer Johann Hummel, who composed for its instrumentation) has found enough literature to fill several albums. This installment features the one (and perhaps only) fortepiano quintet commonly known to listeners: Schubert's "Trout" Quintet. The dearth of any literature from this time period using the double bass is likely due to its perceived inability to function as a chamber music instrument. Those who did include the giant member of the viol family must have had special reason. Some have argued that it was included to fill in the relatively weak bass production of the fortepiano. For Johann Baptist Cramer, whose B flat major Quintet is heard on this recording, the inspiration came from his association with Domenico Dragonetti, likely the first double bass virtuoso. Given this fact, it's surprising that Cramer's writing for the bass is so commonplace and uninteresting. Nepomuk's balance in this performance clearly favors the fortepiano, and the bass is so muddy and indistinct that at times one must concentrate just to pick out its part. Founding member and fortepianist Riko Fukuda switches instruments for the Schubert quintet to a much drier, thin-sounding fortepianist. This actually works to the benefit of the string players (especially the humble bass) who are much more clearly audible here than in the Cramer. Apart from its laudable desire to unearth literature of this variety, the ensemble's playing is rather unremarkable. Certainly for the oft-performed Schubert, there are more musically satisfying recordings available.

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Details of original recording : DDD - Enregistré du 3 au 5 juillet 2007 en l'église Doopsgezinde de Deventer - Notes en anglais