Ludwig van BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Concerto for violin, cello and piano in C major, Op. 56 (1803) [34:50]
Piano Trio in B flat major, Op. 97 ‘Archduke’ (1811) [36:25]
Storioni Trio; Netherlands Symphony Orchestra/Jan Willem de Wriend
rec. 2-3 July 2012, Muziekcentrum Enschede (Concerto), 8-10 October 2012, Evangelisch Lutherse Church Haarlem (Trio)
CHALLENGE CLASSICS 
CC72579
[71:15]
Beethoven’s
Triple Concerto is a concerto for piano trio and orchestra, so to
couple a recording of it on the same CD as the greatest of his piano
trios makes compelling sense as well as excellent value as far as the
collected timings are concerned.
The two works are separated by several years, but
they are both examples of the composer operating at the height of his
powers. Beethoven composed his
Triple Concerto during 1803-4, a period of astonishing creative activity which also saw the composition of the
Eroica symphony, the
Waldstein and
Appassionata piano sonatas, and the first version of the opera
Fidelio.
The concerto, like the trio, was written for his patron, the Archduke
Rudolf, who was its first piano soloist and whose private orchestra
gave the first performance.
The Storioni Trio hails from the Netherlands, and
take their name from the 1794 Cremona violin played by their leader
Wouter Wossen. Here they play on ‘original instruments’. The booklet
notes confirm the identity of the 1815 Lagrasse fortepiano and the fact
that the strings are gut rather than steel. Likewise the Netherlands
Symphony Orchestra play on historically informed instruments. The whole
sound and aesthetic of the performance is determined by these
instrumental combinations.
The Storioni Trio is an ensemble to be reckoned
with, and their performance is nuanced towards every detail of
Beethoven’s phrasing and dynamic range. The orchestra too, under Jan
Willem de Wriend, is sensitive in supporting the solo group. As such
the performance in this beautifully engineered CD deserves the highest
praise. It has a certain intimacy of manner, so anyone wanting
something more dramatic and challenging should look elsewhere, perhaps
to the famous recording featuring Karajan and the Berlin Philharmonic,
with Oistrakh, Rostropovich and Richter (EMI 6787052).
In the Archduke Trio the issues are slightly different, since
this recorded performance is not the only available version to have
historically informed priorities. A fine alternative might be that by
the Arcadia Trio, for example, coupled with the Trio Op. 1 No. 3 and
the
Kakadu Variations (Bella Musica BM 31.2172). The Storioni
performance is beautifully judged, however, and unless heroic grandeur
is required it is immensely tasteful and satisfying. Much of this
success is down to the recorded sound, which is even more atmospheric
and truthful here than in the admittedly fine recording of the
concerto.
Terry Barfoot
Masterwork Index:
Beethoven triple concerto
