Search - Dmitry Shostakovich, Stockholm Arts Trio, Stefan Bojsten :: Shostakovich: Piano Trios Nos. 1 & 2; Seven Romances on Verses by Alexander Blok

Intense and underrated

M. Barker | Los Angeles, CA | 01/18/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have always had a special fondness for the Op. 67 trio, especially when performed live. My one regret regarding this piece is that I never felt it was represented well on disc. I've listened to nearly every recording on the market, and I've yet to hear a recording that didn't miss the mark somehow. Sometimes it is something minor, like a lack of proper recording balance, like on the excellent Repin/Yablonsky/Berezovsky recording on Erato that is coupled with the Tchaikovsky Trio. There are a number of recordings that deserve a place in the catalogue for sure -- Elisabeth Leonskaja with members of the Borodin Quaret (now deleted in the US), Nash Ensemble, and Helmerson/Tellefsen/Pallson for example, but for the most part recordings of this piece have an intolerable lack of technical perfection and/or intensity.



What I think makes this recording with the Stockholm Arts Trio successful is simply that they play with the conviction and musicianship that you would expect from a live performance. Also, you can say what you will about the gritty and intense interpretation, these three Swedish players are an astounding ensemble and clearly can play circles around any number of piano trios, celebrity or not.



My one complaint with the group is that the pianist does not always match the intensity of his partners, but in way his "cool" approach is a nice counter that keeps the whole thing from going over the top.



The first trio is also well represented, and although their rendition of the Seven Romances on Verses by Alexander Blok may not shoot to the top of the list, the performances of the two trios should more than make up for it.



This isn't THE end-all greatest Shostakovich recording of our generation -- but for the price, and considering the weak competition on the market today, I don't see any reason why you shouldn't pick up this recording today. I would strongly urge giving it a listen before picking up more famous recordings by Beaux Arts, Stern/Ax/Ma, Kremer/Argeich/Maisky or (gasp!) the Eroica Trio."