The Vienna Piano Trio
have been described as, "one of the
world's leading ensembles of violin,
cello and piano" (Washington Post),
and "the Beaux Arts Trio of the 21st
century" (The Baltimore Sun). There
is no doubt that the Vienna Piano Trio
are building a most successful reputation
for themselves and this fine release
of Dvořák’s
Second and Fourth Piano Trios from independent
German label MDG will only add to their
status.
From 1876 the four
movement Trio No. 2 for piano, violin
and cello, in G minor, op.26 belongs
to a period when the composer was consolidating
his personal style. The score shows
his design for formal clarity and motivic
concentration. The Vienna Piano Trio
are most successful in displaying the
score’s heightened expression and darker
hues. The elegiac and meditative second
movement Largo is particularly
thoughtfully played.
The Trio No. 4 for
piano, violin and cello, in E minor,
Dumky op.90 is one of Dvořák’s
best known and most popular chamber
compositions. Composed in 1891 in six
movements this nationalistically flavoured
work sees Dvořák infusing the score
with the ‘Dumka’ which is a type of
traditional folk-song. The first three
movements are played without
interruption. This presents no problems
for the Vienna Piano Trio who take these
considerable demands and the required
concentration in their stride. The trio
is rich in themes and colourful scoring.
Notable is the varied treatment of ideas
melancholy, happy and dance-like. The
‘Dumky’ Piano Trio No. 4 op.90 is expertly
performed with subtle mood painting.
I particularly enjoyed the ensemble’s
superb playing in the difficult final
movement Lento Maesto applying
just the right tempos with excellent
expression.
The new version of
the Piano Trio No. 2, is extremely well
performed and is now my first choice
of the available recordings. In the
Dumky Trio the glittering Ax,
Kim and Ma on CBS Masterworks MK 44527
continue to hold pride of place in the
catalogue for sheer refinement and heightened
expression. The coupling with the Piano
Trio No. 3, op.65 is a special bonus.
A fine Dvořák
release which will only serve to enhance
the reputation of the excellent Vienna
Piano Trio.
Michael Cookson
Vienna Piano Trio 
