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String
Trio in Eb major,
Op 31 Hyperion CDA67573 DAILY TELEGRAPH GRAMOPHONE EDITOR’S CHOICE
'It
would be hard
to
over-praise the
Leopold Trio's
performances.
Agility and all-round
aplomb … Warmth
and colour … Structural
and idiomatic
awareness … Fine
recording
quality
and helpful
annotation
too; so no
reason
not to invest'' 'The
Leopold String
Trio … are
arguably the
leading such
trio in the
world … Taneyev
was one of
the greatest
Russian musicians
of his time.
His mastery
of the craft
of composition
was legendary
among his contemporaries
- he was praised
especially
by Tchaikovsky
and Rachmaninov … The
three string
trios on this
Hyperion CD
make a very
important contribution
to our knowledge
of Russian
chamber music
of the period … each
stands alone
as the individual
product of
a great musician,
making this
issue a CD
of no little
importance … A
fascinating
and at times
enthralling
listening
experience … The
music is
inherently
Russian,
beautifully
composed
and so varied
in convincing
expression
that the attentive
listener is
at once drawn
into the
composer's
world. This
is wonderful
music, wonderfully
performed
and recorded … Highly
recommended'
'There
is … an
individual
creative
spark, urgency
and textural
richness
that the Leopolds
communicate
with
sensitivity
and
terrific panache' 'Star
pupil of
Tchaikovsky
and Rachmaninov's
mentor,
Taneyev was also
a fine
composer,
as witness
these enchanting,
beguilingly
performed
gems' 'Listening
to the three
trios
that the Leopold
String Trio
present
with such commitment
and persuasiveness
leaves no doubt
as to Taneyev's
contrapuntal
ingenuity
and resource … Excellent
recorded sound
makes this
a rewarding
issue in every
way'  Brahms:
The Piano Quartets
CD
1 CD
2 Hyperion CDA 67471/2
‘A
delight from start
to finish: this
is such cultivated
and characterized
playing, which
becomes quite
exultant in the
finale. It's also
beautifully recorded
by Hyperion. Given
that, this new
set can take a
well–earned
place at the
top of recommendations
of these three
works’ ‘The
G minor Quartet
(No 1) opens simply,
with Hamelin shaping
the line beautifully
but unaffectedly,
the Leopold players
gradually entering,
their playing
filled with ardour.
The Zigeuner–finale
is irresistibly
ebullient, with
a jaw–dropping
ending… The
other aspect that
is so impressive
about these readings
is the sense of
absolute precision,
which lightens
the textures and
keeps edges crisp… Hamelin
and the Leopold
get to the
heart
of the matter
in the soulful
Poco Adagio
and
while they
in
no way lack
heft
when it's needed,
particularly
in the opening
movement, there's
always a dancing
quality to
their
playing which
does much to
illuminate
textures’ ‘I
doubt we will
ever hear better
recorded performances
of the three piano
quartets than
we have here…Kate
Gould's cello
in the moving
slow movements
of Nos 2 and 3
is breathtakingly
beautiful, while
in No 1, Marc–André Hamelin's
verve and articulation
will make you
smile and scratch
your head in
wonder’ ‘A
typically lucid,
expressive
performance’
Schubert: 'Trout' Quintet & String Trios
Hyperion CDA 67527
INSTRUMENTAL
DISC OF THE
MONTH ‘one
of the finest
modern Trouts
available. As
with their Mozart,
their Schubert
benefits from
scrupulous attention
to detail, a keen
sense of the music's
drama and a deeply
rewarding expressive
response to this
imperishable masterpiece … exquisitely
played’ ‘beautifully
recorded, with
excellent balance
and a warm,
intimate sound.
High spirits
and poetry
are given equal
attention’ ‘Their
interpretation
is compelling
for its spontaneity
and compelling
detail. It
shows them
to
be completely
within the
Schubertian
sensibility
and encompasses
the piece's
mood changes
with subtlety,
capturing its
lyricism with
true Schubertian
bonhomie’ ‘This
is a fresh, lively
recording, in
excellent sound,
that is hard to
better. Schubert's
eternally singing
lines are deceptively
simple sounding,
but are full of
subtleties; similarly,
while the Leopold
Trio et al are
always spot–on
technically,
they also sound
like a group
of friends
revelling
in making music
for themselves.
the enjoyment
is catching’
Hyperion CDA 67429
‘The
Leopold String
Trio have no
fear of the
competition.
Theirs is a
very impressive
achievement
and the coupling
of these three
works is, I
think, unique.
Enterprising
lovers of chamber
music should
not hesitate.
Strongly recommended’ ‘This
warmly engineered
recording from
the Leopold String
Trio must rank
amongst the finest
ever commited
to disc, the players
relishing every
opportunity to
demonstrate their
individual virtuosity
whilst at the
same time ensuring
that subtlety
of nuance and
variety of texture
are the order
of the day…’ ‘the
Leopold Trio
have their
own strengths,
not least a
warm,
pooled tone,
a relaxed demeanour
and an ability
to search out
the subtler
aspects of
the score. The
sound is consistently
excellent;
you have a
confident
recommendation’ ‘This
is a beautifully
played and recorded
program. Their
performances here
are superb. This
new CD is a most
desirable release.
That's a ‘buy’ recommendation’
with Paul Lewis, piano Piano
Quartet in G minor
K478 Hyperion CDA 67373
'A
real winner, this
disc: warmly recommended' '…discover
passion, grace,
pathos, brilliance,
and a superb
balance of
shape and inner
detail as the
players spark
off one another.
It's pure joy
from first
to last, and
I urge you
to
add it to your
shelves.' Mozart:
Divertimento for
string trio in
E flat and Duo
in B flat
Editor's Choice, Gramophone Magazine '…the
most glowing
and perceptive
account since
Grumiaux's,
and deserves
to win friends
for this wonderful
music among
a younger generation
of music-lovers.'
Hyperion CDA 67254
Nominated for a Gramophone Magazine Award, Editor's Choice January 2002 Classical CD of the Week, Daily Telegraph January 1999 'This
repertoire has
been recorded
by some world-famous
artists in the
past, but no performances
have given me
as much pleasure
as these from
the young Leopold
String Trio. It's
playing has all
the freshness
and vitality the
music needs and
it's interpretations
are unfailingly
musical and intelligent...A
real treat.' Beethoven:
String
Trio
Op 3 & Serenade
Op 8 Hyperion CDA 67253
‘The
most sensitive
reportage that
these works
have enjoyed
since the advent
of digital
recording’ |
Taneyev
String Trios 
String
Trio in B flat
major D471
Dohnányi:
Serenade
Op
10
Mozart:
Piano Quartets
Hyperion
CDA 67246
Beethoven:
Three String Trios,
Op 9
Serenade
in D major Op
8