BaL 17.09.22 - Schubert: Piano Trio no. 1 in B flat (D.898)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

10.30 a.m.
Building a Library

Allyson Devenish chooses her favourite recording of Schubert’s Piano Trio No 1 in B flat, D.898

Schubert began composing this masterpiece in 1827, the year before his death, at the same time as working on his famous song cycle Die Winterreise. It was a period in his life of illness and melancholy. But this work is brimming with lyricism and life force. Robert Schumann said of it: “One glance at Schubert’s Trio in Bb and the troubles of our human existence disappear and all the world is fresh and bright again.” The work has attracted all the great performers of chamber music, from Alfred Cortot, Jacques Thibaud and Pablo Casals to the Beaux Arts Trio to the best musicians of today.

Available versions:-

Abegg Trio
Pierre Amoyal, Frédéric Lodéon, Jean-Philippe Collard
Arion Trio
Atlantis Trio
Stefano Barneschi, Federica Valli, Paolo Beschi
Beaux Arts Trio *
Beaux Arts Trio (DVD)
Vera Beths, Anner Bylsma, Jos van Immerseel *
Borodin Trio
Boston Symphony Chamber Players
Christine Busch, France Springuel, Jan Vermeulen
Renaud Capuçon, Gautier Capuçon & Frank Braley
Renaud Capuçon, Gautier Capuçon, Yefim Bronfman *
David Trio *
Augustin Dumay, Frédéric Lodéon, Jean-Philippe Collard *
Florestan Trio
Jean Fournier, Paul Badura-Skoda, Antonio Janigro
Fujita Piano Trio
Gould Piano Trio
Ilya Gringolts, Marc Coppey, Peter Laul
Grumiaux Trio
Gryphon Trio
Guarneri Trio Prague *
Haydn-Trio Eisenstadt *
Jascha Heifetz, Emanuel Feuermann, Arthur Rubinstein
Felix Salmond, Jellu d’Aranyi, Myra Hess
Henry Holst, Erling Blöndal Bengtsson, Victor Schiøler
Thomas Albertus Irnberger, David Geringas, Michael Korstick
Israel Piano Trio
Jess Trio Wien
Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio
Klaviertrio Amsterdam
Dénes Kovács, Ede Banda, Ferenc Rados
Boris Kucharsky, Peter Wöpke, Elizabeth Hopkins
Macquarie Trio *
Max Brod Trio
Yehudi Menuhin, Hephzibah Menuhin, Maurice Gendron
Mezzena Trio
Morgenstern Trio *
Mozartean Players *
New York Trio *
Odeon Trio *
David Oistrakh , Lev Oborin, Sviatoslav Knushevitsky
Oliver Schnyder Trio *
Régis Pasquier, Roland Pidoux, Jean Claude Pennetier
László Paulik, Sergei Istomin, Viviana Sofronitsk
Primrose Piano Quartet *
Ivan Rabaglia, Enrico Bronzi, Alberto Miodini *
Rachmaninov Trio Moscow
Rembrandt Trio *
Hansheinz Schneeberger, Thomas Demenga, Jörg Ewald Dähler *
Wolfgang Schneiderhan, Boris Pergamenschikow, Paul Badura-Skoda
Schubert Ensemble
Daniel Sepec, Andreas Staier, Roel Dieltiens *
Seraphim Trio *
Yuuko Shiokawa, András Schiff, Miklós Perényi *
Susanne Stanzeleit, Andrew Fuller, John Thwaites
Isaac Stern, Paul Tortelier, Arthur Rubinstein
Isaac Stern, Eugene Istomin, Leonard Rose *
Storioni Trio Amsterdam *
Stuttgart Piano Trio
Suk Trio
Joseph Szigeti, Pierre Fournier, Artur Schnabel *
Gerhard Taschner, Ludwig Hoelscher, Walter Gieseking *
Trio Bamberg
Trio Concertante
Trio Dali *
Trio di Parma *
Trio di Trieste
Trio Élégiaque *
Trio Italiano
Trio Jean Paul
Trio Les Esprits
Trio Pascale
Trio Rafale
Trio Talweg *
Trio Vivente
Trio Wanderer *
Trio Zingara *
Jacques Thibaud, Pablo Casals, Alfred Cortot
Vienna Piano Trio
Voces Intimae
Antje Weithaas, Tanja Tetzlaff, Lars Vogt *
Wiener Schubert Trio
Yuval Trio
Pinchas Zukerman, Lynn Harrell, Vladimir Ashkenazy

(* = download only)

[CallMePaul]

I have the Steier et al and van Immersel et al, both on CD. I am surprised that the first of these is now download only as I only bought it 3 or 4 years ago (and is the one I play regularly even though I prefer the E-flat trio also in the set.
I have to say that I am disappointed with the choice of reviewer, who has not impressed me in her other appearances.

[smittims]

For me Cortot, Thibaud and Casals remain unsurpassed, for instance Thibaud's phrase about half-way into the slow movement. One of those immortal moments in recording history. But I do enjoy the Beaux Arts, and Heifetz and Piatigorsky.

[Barbirollians]

Agreed - unsurpassed though I am also fond of the Florestan.

[BBMmk2]

Blimey, Alpie! Sterling work there! Many Thanks!

I was listening to the Beaux Arts Trio’s set, the other day. Most enthralling.

[richardfinegold]

For me Cortot, Thibaud and Casals remain unsurpassed, for instance Thibaud's phrase about half-way into the slow movement. One of those immortal moments in recording history. But I do enjoy the Beaux Arts, and Heifetz and Piatigorsky.

I can’t get past Cortot collaborationist past to enjoy anything he did, and fortunately this work has been recorded so often, and in so much better sound, that one doesn’t need it. The Suk or Beaux Arts Trios have always been enough for me but a newer, period recording might be worth exploring

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Blimey, Alpie! Sterling work there! Many Thanks! .

Thank you for your appreciation. The holiday is over.

[Darloboy]

Previous BaL choices:

Michael Hall (Nov 93): Cortot/Casals/Thibaud (vintage recording) + London Mozart Trio as 2nd choice (modern recording)
Stephen Johnson (May 11): Beaux Arts Trio + The Florestan Trio for a version including the repeats

[Barbirollians]

I can’t get past Cortot collaborationist past to enjoy anything he did, and fortunately this work has been recorded so often, and in so much better sound, that one doesn’t need it. The Suk or Beaux Arts Trios have always been enough for me but a newer, period recording might be worth exploring

Indeed and I quite understand, but Casals was of course a total anti-fascist and I don't think Thibaud was associated with the Vichy regime and the recordings are pre-war.

[richardfinegold]

Indeed and I quite understand, but Casals was of course a total anti-fascist and I don't think Thibaud was associated with the Vichy regime and the recordings are pre-war.

Cortot made up for both of them

[Keraulophone]

BaL at 10.30 - Saturdays will never be the same again!

[Retune]

10.30 a.m.
Beaux Arts Trio *
(* = download only)

A shame if this has been deleted on CD. For now it's still readily available new in a double CD collection of the Piano Trios (Philips/Decca 'Originals' series).

[Mal]

For me Cortot, Thibaud and Casals remain unsurpassed, for instance Thibaud's phrase about half-way into the slow movement. One of those immortal moments in recording history...

Thanks for the heads up smittims, I'll listen out for that. I have it on "The Sound of Pablo Casal" 4 CD set from Warner classics. Had it for two years, still haven't got round to listening to it! Must change that. I have the Stuttgart trio (Naxos) CD, which I remember liking, though haven't listened to it for some years. Also Beaux arts on Phillips 2CD "complete trios". Time for a back to back comparison.

[Bryn]

I gave up listening closely once she made it clear she thought the work had been composed with a post-19th century instrumentarium in mind. That she only even considered the Immerseel & Co and not the Levin & Co., issued in 2020, just confirmed her bias in favour of adaptation for modern instuments. I'm happy to stick with Corot & co., the Beaux Arts, and Levin & co. (I also have the Immerseel & co., and a few others to hand).

[Retune]

For anyone interested in the Gryphon set, they have a 9 CD compilation, 'Great Piano Trios', which as a download goes for about the same price as the Schubert alone.