Taneyev
String Trios
String
Trio in Eb major,
Op 31
(written
for violin, viola
and tenor viola)
String
Trio in B minor
String
Trio in D major
Hyperion
CDA67573
DAILY TELEGRAPH
CLASSICAL CD OF THE WEEK
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''
Gramophone,
Editor’s
Choice
'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'
International
Record Review
'There
is … an
individual
creative
spark, urgency
and textural
richness
that the Leopolds
communicate
with
sensitivity
and
terrific panache'
Daily
Telegraph,
Classical CD
of
the Week
'Star
pupil of
Tchaikovsky
and Rachmaninov's
mentor,
Taneyev was also
a fine
composer,
as witness
these enchanting,
beguilingly
performed
gems'
Classic
FM Magazine
'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'
BBC Music
Magazine
Brahms:
The Piano Quartets
CD
1
Piano
Quartet No 1 in
G minor Op 25
Piano
Quartet No 3 in
C minor Op 60
CD
2
Piano
Quartet No 2 in
A major Op 26
Three
Intermezzi Op
117 for solo piano
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’
International
Record Review
‘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’
Gramophone
‘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’
Classic
FM Magazine
‘A
typically lucid,
expressive
performance’
The
Sunday Times
Schubert:
'Trout'
Quintet & String
Trios
String
Trio in B flat
major D471
Piano
Quintet in
A major (‘Trout’)
String
Trio in B flat
major D581
Hyperion
CDA 67527

INSTRUMENTAL
DISC OF THE
MONTH
(CLASSIC
FM MAGAZINE)
‘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’
The
Sunday Times
‘beautifully
recorded, with
excellent balance
and a warm,
intimate sound.
High spirits
and poetry
are given equal
attention’
Gramophone
‘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’
The
Strad
‘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’
HMV
Choice
Dohnányi:
Serenade
Op
10
Martinů:
String Trio
No 2
Schoenberg:
String Trio Op
45
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’
International
Record Review
‘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…’
BBC
Music Magazine
‘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’
Gramophone
‘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’
Fanfare,
USA
Mozart:
Piano Quartets
with
Paul Lewis, piano
Piano
Quartet in G minor
K478
Piano
Quartet in E flat
major K493
Hyperion
CDA 67373

'A
real winner, this
disc: warmly recommended'
Editor's
Choice, October
2003, Gramophone
Magazine
'…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.'
Editor's
Choice, August
2003, BBC Music
Magazine
Mozart:
Divertimento for
string trio in
E flat and Duo
in B flat
Divertimento
for violin, viola
and cello in E
flat K563
Duo
for violin and
viola in B flat
K424
Hyperion
CDA 67246

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.'
Record
of the Year, Sunday
Times 2002
Beethoven:
Three String Trios,
Op 9
String
Trio in G major
Op 9 No 1
String
Trio in D major
Op 9 No 2
String
Trio in C minor
Op 9 No 3
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.'
Record
of the Year, Sunday
Times 2002
Beethoven:
String
Trio
Op 3 & Serenade
Op 8
Serenade
in D major Op
8
String
Trio in E flat
major Op 3
Hyperion
CDA 67253

‘The
most sensitive
reportage that
these works
have enjoyed
since the advent
of digital
recording’
The
Independent