Mendelssohn: Piano Trios
Fournier Trio
RESONUS RES10161
I love these works, and the Fournier Trio, who are new to Resonus, bring real enthusiasm as well as musical finesse to their performances. They argue that these are the best of Mendelssohn’s chamber pieces and, played like this, one can believe it.
Bach: French Suites
Julian Perkins, clavichord
RESONUS RES10163
This CD arrived soon after we had returned from the Bath Bach Fest at which Mahan Esfahani had played three of the suites on a harpsichord while admitting they were probably written for the clavichord. And here we have an excellent example of why that is surely true. These works sit perfectly on the clavichord and are here given lively yet intimate performances which are highly convincing.
Suk & Dvorak
Christian Tetzflaff, violin, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, John Storgards
ONDINE ODE 1279-5
Dvorak’s violin concerto is popular enough but the other two works I suspect are less well known which makes the combination all the more compelling. Suk’s Fantasy in G minor for violin and orchestra is a concerto in all but name and of equivalent length, while Dvorak’s Romance Op11 is far more than a make-weight. Well worth investigating.
Dvorak & Schumann Piano Concertos
Stephen Hough, CBSO, Andris Nelsons
HYPERION CDA 68099
This recent recording of two popular concertos is a delight. Stephen Hough is one of the most convincing romantic pianists performing today and he is coupled with the CBSO in sterling form under Andris Nelsons. I am only sorry I did not get to hear them live.
Haydn: String Quartets Op76
Doric String Quartet
CHANDOS CHAN 10886(2)
Haydn: String Quartets Op50
The London Haydn Quartet
HYPERION CDA 68122 (2 CDS)
Can we have too many recordings of Haydn’s chamber music? When we get performances like these it is hard to argue against them. The Op50 Prussian Quartets are played in from the Artaria edition of 1787 which gives them something of an edge over other recordings while the Doric Quartet brings a freshness and authority to Op76.