Melvyn M. Sobel | Freeport (Long Island), New York | 07/03/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"One might suspect that 43 piano trios are a tad much; as far as I'm concerned, it's 43 too few. There is not one trio here that will not delight or please by its melody or invention. Nothing is stagnant or academic--- it's all sheer pleasure, hours and hours worth. And, trio after trio, we find Haydn consistently ingenious, never dull, never boring. And there is so much here to revel in, too. Perky allegros, haunting andantes, witty prestos. This is Haydn at his most endearing and accessible, no doubt about it. But, of course, those of us who love and admire Haydn's chamber music already know this. The Beaux Arts Trio have made these Haydn works their own, period. It is a landmark reissue in every sense. The analogue transfers, as well, are immaculate, warm, full-bodied and with remarkable presence.
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A Classic Recording! A Stunning Bargain! A Gem!
Steve Kessell | 02/07/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"All too often, among the great triumvirate of High Classical composers, Haydn is given short-shrift, and many who love Mozart and Beethoven often know almost nothing of Haydn's music. Perhaps the "jolly Papa Haydn" image gets in the way. But Haydn is the true peer of his two younger disciples, as they themselves would have affirmed. And indeed did affirm-- Mozart quite openly and Beethoven, during his youth, grudgingly (though in later life his appreciation of his old master was expressed much more freely). Even Haydn lovers often know only the symphonies, string quartets, oratorios, a piano sonata or two, and the Trumpet concerto. What a revelation then are these trios! As the Amazon reviewer pointed out, the role of the cello is to enrich the bass line (though it also sings at times with the violin); the combination gave a tonal palette with which Haydn's incredibly fertile invention ran rampant! Even the early trios are delightful; and the later ones are often unqualified masterpieces. The well-known Gypsy rondo, for example, is boisterous Haydn at his best; the wonderful C Major Trio, Hoboken 27, ends with a sonata-allegro finale of dazzling virtuosity, including a thrilling development section; Hoboken 28 in E Major is outstanding in many ways -- the piano in the first movement mimicking the pizzicato in the strings; the second movement is truly remarkable: a chaconne or passacaglia (a Baroque form) yet displaying Classical period melodic and tonal structure, and finally a prescience of Romantic period climax. It is dark and haunting and altogether original. And at the end of the carefree finale, there is a reminiscence of this passacaglia-- years before Beethoven's Fifth or Ninth symphonies made the procedure mainstream. The trios are remarkably individuated and always engaging. And this recording! Magisterial. The rich tones of the instruments fit the music beautifully. Other trios have tried it since but none have equalled, let alone surpassed this recording. (People addicted to the acidic and grating sound of "period" performances may balk, but if Haydn himself were here to choose I think he'd choose this record hands down!) The Penguin Guide beautfifully summed up this 9-disc set: "Here is music that is sane and intelligent; a balm to the spirit in a troubled world." And "Not may recordings can be hailed as a classic in the sense of the Schnabel recordings of the Beethoven sonatas -- this can." If you love the Classic period, if you love chamber music, if you love beautiful music in general, this will be a wonderful acquisition!"
Pick of the Litter
Steve Kessell | Western Australia | 05/14/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This remarkable 9 CD set clearly disproves Schumann's comment about Haydn [an old family friend whom one receives gladly and respectfully but who has nothing new to tell us]. I am not surprised that it received Gramophone's Recording of the Year in 1979, nor that it's listed as one of the top 100 classical music recordings of all timeThe set roughly divides into 3 groups of 3 CDs each. The first group includes pre-1780's material; these are basically accompanied piano sonatas. The next group includes the 1780's trios; now the violin is getting some independence. [The cello is pretty-much locked to the piano bass throughout.] The final group is the 1790's trios: now there is a real conversation between piano and violin. As a group, they are simply brilliant, especially the slow movements.The Beaux Arts Trio's performance is first rate, and the recording quality is excellent. I admit to being a piano trio fan, and in my view these surpass Beethoven's and equal the best from Mozart and Schubert (albeit in a different style). My modest CD collection contains pretty much all of the chamber music of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert, but this set is definitely the pick of the litter for enjoyable evening listening."
Could there be another excellent performance like this?
Sen Peng Eu | Kaohsiung, Taiwan | 01/26/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"There is no doubt that The Beaux Arts Trio was on their zenith in these beautiful performance. Each work was played in a stunning beautiful tone and stunning good interpretation; mellifluent and blissful. Although the happy and healthy atmosphere of Haydn's work prevailed everywhere, their score reading were still very careful, fresh and clear. Tempo, style and dynamic were all very natural. These 3 excellent musicians cooperated so well that I wonder could any other Trio surpass these performances."
Gramophone "Top 100 " Recording
Alan Lekan | Boulder, CO | 04/24/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"There are times - even for the most engaged classical fan - when the denser textures or sudden changes in dynamics of a symphony, concerto or even string quartet cannot quite be processed, but still the musical-person-within desires to hear great music. Well, for those times - such as a cozy Sunday afternoon reading on the couch - Haydn's piano trios are the perfect prescription for musical bliss and contentment. And while these trios are lighter in character and texture, they are definately not monotonous, run-of-the-mill divertimenti but rather quite musically intelligent compositions which are exceedingly pleasant, full of exuberance, rich in invention and always in good Haydn taste.
Haydn's Piano Trios is an abundant, marvelous cache of chamber music to explore. Many are similar in mood and interplay to Mozart's sprightly Piano Trios, while some movements of the late works forshadow Beethoven's expressivity. Haydn's piano trios never cease to delight with their classical balance, lightness-of-heart, bubbly joy and smooth textures. One reason for such a proliferation of works in the piano-trio genre in Haydn's time is that the home market for such compositions was exploding in mid-18th century with seemingly every middle to upper class household now owning this new, must-have musical instrument - the clavier.
The Beaux Arts Trio do great justice to this works and show they really care and enjoy Haydn's music. The artistry, performance and sound quality of these recordings are superb on all levels which is probably why this set won the impressive awards of "Top CD of the Year" and a "Top 100 Recording" from Gramophone - the latter being a supreme compliment. The crisp, dancing piano tempos from pianist Menahem Pressler in these trios are energetic, sure-footed and delightful, while the two strings bring a rich tonality and elegant mannerism that is most fitting for this genre and period. As a whole, the Beaux Arts Trio exhibits the kind of natural, seamless musicianship that comes through years of playing together. Their playing and this CD show classical-era chamber music at its finest, and "legendary" would not be an out-of-place description of this fine trio. As of 2005, the trio is now in its 50th year with original member pianist Menahem Pressler still going strong. All of their recordings still decades later are among the top positions in the ratings in spite of much fine competition (Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms piano trios). I would say the Haydn Piano Trios are just as enjoyable and musically rich than their Mozart and Beethoven recordings. I would not be without one set.
For all these reasons, these most-admirable recordings are some of my most frquently played discs in all my collection (I play music all day while studying or working). Others note this "ever-fresh" appeal that allows lots of play before any weariness sets in. So, the quality of recordings, beautiful slim packaging, decent liner notes and exceptional value all combine to make this set a compelling investment for the chamber-music lover. And if you think 9 CD's of piano trios are a lot, consider it a lifetime investment and exploration."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1
