Great Trios

Woldemar Bargiel - Trio Parnassus - Complete Piano Trios Vol. 1
EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 244 MB | Full Artwork | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: MDG "Gold" # 303 0805-2 | Country/Year: Germany 1998
Genre: Classical | Style: Romantic, Piano Trio

Woldemar Bargiel was a German composer. Bargiel was the half brother of Clara Schumann. (…) Besides teaching and composing, Bargiel served with Brahms as co-editor of the complete editions of Schumann's and Chopin's works. While Bargiel did not write a lot of music, most of what he composed was well thought out and shows solid musical craftsmanship. His chamber music—he wrote four string quartets, a string octet and three piano trios—represents an important part of his output.

Luigi Boccherini - Flieder-Trio - String Trios op.14
EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 363 MB | Full Artwork: 48 MB | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: MDG # MDG L 3378 | Country/Year: Germany 1990
Genre: Classical | Style: Viennese School

"These recordings by the Flieder Trio were taped way back in 1990 but the passing of more than two decades has not dimmed the refreshingly spontaneous playing that is coming "straight from the heart", and the spirited and consistently brilliant interpretations are still as alluring as ever before. A generously filled well annotated disc that should fill one of the many gaps in the Boccherini discography. Recommended, even to die-hard periodists." ~ classical.net

Brahms: Piano Trios Nos. 1-3, Cello Sonata No.2 (Katchen, Suk, Starker)
Apple Lossless (XLD) | With Log Files | Decca | 2 CDs, 522 MB
Classical | Cover, no scans | Rapidshare

In the age of Argerich, who brings tightrope-walker tension to chamber music, I doubt that anyone plays the Brahms piano trios with the kind of mellow lushness heard here. Katchen's conception of Brahms was large-scaled but smooth, warm without much psychological struggle. Suk was a honey-toned violinist, and although Starker was the modernist among the three, what's notable here is how perfectly in unison he is with Suk (and blissfully in tune). Decca puts the piano in the middle and the string players close up in their own channels left and right. The result is wide-screen and artificial, of course, since it makes the cello sound as loud as the piano. but the sonic effect is quite luscious.

I've saved my remarks about te interpretations for last. The Brahms trios have attracted great collaborations, and I wouldn't place this one above, say, Istomin-Stern-Rose although it runs ahead of the Beaux Art Trio, for sheer beauty of tone if nothing else. The shortcoming here is a tendency toward cautiousness; these are middle-of-the-road readings that don't capture Brahms' deepest passions. He is placed in the sun too often. But the first two trios aren't sturm and drang works. If you want large-scale performances caught in gorgeous sound, here you go.

–Amazon.com [4 stars] reviewer

Luigi Boccherini - Flieder-Trio - String Trios op.14
EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 363 MB | Full Artwork: 48 MB | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: MDG # MDG L 3378 | Country/Year: Germany 1990
Genre: Classical | Style: Viennese School

"These recordings by the Flieder Trio were taped way back in 1990 but the passing of more than two decades has not dimmed the refreshingly spontaneous playing that is coming "straight from the heart", and the spirited and consistently brilliant interpretations are still as alluring as ever before. A generously filled well annotated disc that should fill one of the many gaps in the Boccherini discography. Recommended, even to die-hard periodists." ~ classical.net

Johann Nepomuk Hummel was a pupil of Mozart. A child prodigy himself, he developed a highly virtuoso technique on the piano, and built an impressive career as one of the most famous and sought after pianists and composers of early 19th century Europe. Even today some of his piano works offer a serious challenge to professional pianists.