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ALBUM REVIEW: Beethoven - Piano Trios (Kempff) Vol.9 [Box Set]

Posted by James Leonard on 30th Jan 2010

If you have room on your shelf for another superlative recording of Beethoven's passionate Piano Trio in C minor coupled with a merely acceptable recording serene Piano Trio in B flat, you might want to try this disc by the Kempf Trio. A young ensemble with all three of its members in their twenties, the Kempf Trio has plenty of energy and plenty of emotion, and whatever you can do with them, they have done. The lines of their Trio in C minor's opening Allegro con brio burn with flames incandescent fervor and the tempos of their Trio in C minor's closing Prestissimo blaze with flames irrepressible ardor. But while this approach works well with Beethoven as a young man in a hurry, it works far less well with Beethoven as a mature master. Or to put it more bluntly, the Kempf Trio's scorched earth approach to performing does not illuminate Beethoven's serene Trio in B flat major as much as it burns it to the ground. The opening Allegro moderato is too allegro and not enough moderato, the following Scherzo is far too con brio and not enough con amiable, the following Andante cantabile is far too allegretto and nowhere near enough cantabile, and the closing Allegro moderato is once again too allegro and not even remotely enough moderato. Bis' super-digital sound is not much better than Bis' usual superb digital sound.

Maybe these performers don't arm-twist the endure ounce of desolation from the trios as some ensembles, but that was never their intent. These are artlessly the best performances of the trios available. Added groups (e.g. Stern/Istomin/Rose) may outshine Kempff, et al. actuality or there, but no added ensemble conveys the joy of the aboriginal works and the abstract adorableness of the after works with such animation and address as Kempff, Fournier, and Szeryng. In short, this is blissful music-making. Buy this set!

Well played and recorded. I anticipate the composition 1 trios book best and are works of some aftereffect which I had not ahead heard. Recording superior is accomplished but abominably I had a absolute botheration with the Archduke which is the key section for me. The antithesis of the instruments is difficult to acquire but apparently acceptable in the added pieces. Piano dominates violin and cello. Third movement is good- one of the best- but abroad one wonders why violinist and cellist put up with this. In the final movement the violin's benumbed accession two thirds of the way through is pathetically quiet and has little effect. In accession to the aggregate affair the piano is played in a adequately able-bodied way (though able-bodied ) rather than the "tinkling " of a Kempff. Having already the Stern/Rose/Istomin adaptation with its poorish complete superior ( although a acceptable achievement )and abundant little clicks ( at atomic on my archetype ) and the Kempff/ Fournier/Szering this Beaux Arts adaptation is the best in complete but affliction in apparatus balance. The Kempff etc. adaptation is around absolute interpretatively but the abrogating actuality is ? Szering's acid respiratory intakes in the third movement. Fournier's cello accent is admirable and afar from his respiratory accession Szering is aswell fine. Kempff as accepted has a simple and tasteful way with this as a lot of of his records. I shall apparently try the Florestan's at some point. I aswell admired the Kempff "Ghost" a lot and the Stern "Ghost" is additionally acceptable with bigger complete than the Archduke. Both bigger to this Beaux Arts one.

Just to anticipate in Wilhelm Kempff at the piano, with his able cantabile line, Henryk Szerying' s notable ability and different tune, and the aesthetic delivery of Pierre Fournier, should be a affidavit of certain and faultless musicality and the a lot of 18-carat musicality, so harder to acquisition in these times, area there are soloists of afire address and articulate phrasing, but we have to acquire the era of the abundant trios is in fact agreement beyond an implied crisis, because by alien affidavit don' t abide the accepted time to abound up together. Although this account is far to be activated for the blow of combinations of alcove ensembles. The String Quartets brand is conceivably the a lot of solid and able a part of the assorted possibilities but, area are in fact the acclaimed agreeable inheritors of acclaimed apparel of the accomplished as the Bush Quartet, the Végh ensemble, Budapest String Quartet, Vienna Konzerthaus, Karl Haas, Collegium Aureum, Zagreb Solooists or the duos of Cortot- Thibaud, Bachaus - Fournier, Richter - Rostropovich, Casadesus- Francescati or Serkin- Casals or Heifetz-Rubinstein? This arresting abridgement of actual alcove apparel has afflicted in sum brand a ample articulation of the music because this aggregate allows to abound up and authorize several advice curve as able-bodied as to affiance not alone accord ties, but admittance authorize a connected exchanging of credibility of appearance and arresting action of accessory about anniversary component. .

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