Beethoven Piano Trios

This seems to be a golden age for piano trios: such groups are springing up everywhere, like daffodils in the springtime. The Trio Parnassus are an experienced world-class ensemble who have garnered an extensive discography, and deservedly so.The present disc is hailed as the opening salvo in a complete recorded cycle of the Beethoven piano trios and I am much impressed.

With the three piano trios published in 1795, Op. 1, Ludwig van Beethoven took a genre still largely associated with salon music and raised it up to rival the string quartet. In these works, Beethoven saw the true start of his creative journey.

This is Vol. 3 of Trio Parnassus' series of the complete Beethoven Piano Trios. I've only heard its first volume (the Op. 1 trios), but the group's Haydnesque approach to those early works, enjoyable as it was, didn't prepare me for these dynamic performances. Here they toss overboard hints of the bewigged, scaled-down 18th-century approach and give the Op. 70 No. 1 "Ghost" Trio a muscular, powerful reading that grabs you right from the start.

With the three piano trios, Op. 1, Ludwig van Beethoven took a genre still largely associated with salon music and raised it up to rival the string quartet. The works are innovative in form as well as in content. From this collection, the Trio in G major, Op. 1 No. 2, appears as a cheerful and engaging work. While it has been said that one could discern ‘the master’s happy youth […] still unclouded, light and frivolous’, hints of ‘the deep seriousness and tender intimacy that would follow’ can also be found.

With the three piano trios published in 1795, Op. 1, Ludwig van Beethoven took a genre still largely associated with salon music and raised it up to rival the string quartet. In these works, Beethoven saw the true start of his creative journey.

Trio Parnassus adopts flowing tempos for the “Archduke” trio, which fits into the ensemble’s overall “classical” conception of the work, quite removed from the Beaux Arts Trio’s slower and lovingly elevated performance that holds your attention by its sheer beauty of execution. There’s beauty aplenty in Parnassus’ playing as well, particularly in the serene Andante cantabile, where each variation unfolds in warmly glowing tone colors.