Hyperion Records | Brahms: The Complete Trios

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CDA67251/2
2CDs

Recording details: Various dates
St George's, Brandon Hill, United Kingdom
Produced by Various producers
Engineered by Various engineers
Release date: March 1998
Total duration: 135 minutes 37 seconds

GRAMOPHONE CRITICS' CHOICE

'Enriching performances that make one aware of Brahms's stature first and the superb musicianship of the executants second - which is exactly as it should be!' (Gramophone)

'These are very desirable recordings' (Gramophone)

'A clear first recommendation for any of the five works. I find these fully the equal of any other versions of any of the trios in the catalogs, whether by present-day or 'golden age' performers. Wonderful music-making' (Fanfare, USA)

Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)

The Complete Trios

The Florestan Trio, Stephen Stirling (horn), Richard Hosford (clarinet)

LISTEN TO ALL EXTRACTS

		Trio in B major for piano, violin and cello, Op 8
CD1	1	Movement 1: Allegro con brio [14'51] The Florestan Trio
	2	Movement 2: Scherzo. Allegro molto [6'18] The Florestan Trio
	3	Movement 3: Adagio [8'03] The Florestan Trio
	4	Movement 4: Allegro [6'28] The Florestan Trio
		Trio in E flat major for piano, violin and horn, Op 40
	5	Movement 1: Andante – Poco più animato [7'39] The Florestan Trio, Stephen Stirling (horn), Anthony Marwood (violin), Susan Tomes (piano)
	6	Movement 2: Scherzo. Allegro [6'39] The Florestan Trio, Stephen Stirling (horn), Anthony Marwood (violin), Susan Tomes (piano)
	7	Movement 3: Adagio mesto [6'44] The Florestan Trio, Stephen Stirling (horn), Anthony Marwood (violin), Susan Tomes (piano)
	8	Movement 4: Finale. Allegro con brio [6'17] The Florestan Trio, Stephen Stirling (horn), Anthony Marwood (violin), Susan Tomes (piano)
		Trio in C major for piano, violin and cello, Op 87
CD2	1	Movement 1: Allegro [9'26] The Florestan Trio
	2	Movement 2: Andante con moto [7'33] The Florestan Trio
	3	Movement 3: Scherzo. Presto [4'23] The Florestan Trio
	4	Movement 4: Finale. Allegro giocoso [5'58] The Florestan Trio
		Trio in C minor for piano, violin and cello, Op 101
	5	Movement 1: Allegro energico [7'07] The Florestan Trio
	6	Movement 2: Presto non assai [3'31] The Florestan Trio
	7	Movement 3: Andante grazioso [4'04] The Florestan Trio
	8	Movement 4: Allegro molto [5'17] The Florestan Trio
		Trio in A minor for piano, clarinet/viola and cello, Op 114
	9	Movement 1: Allegro [8'10] The Florestan Trio, Richard Hosford (clarinet), Richard Lester (cello), Susan Tomes (piano)
	10	Movement 2: Adagio [8'00] The Florestan Trio, Richard Hosford (clarinet), Richard Lester (cello), Susan Tomes (piano)
	11	Movement 3: Andantino grazioso [4'34] The Florestan Trio, Richard Hosford (clarinet), Richard Lester (cello), Susan Tomes (piano)
	12	Movement 4: Allegro [4'35] The Florestan Trio, Richard Hosford (clarinet), Richard Lester (cello), Susan Tomes (piano)

Here are all of Brahms's Trios assembled on two CDs. The three Piano Trios date from the extremes of the composer's life - Opus 8 from 1853/4 when he was about twenty years old (though here performed in its revised version of 1889), and Opus 101 from 1886 written when he was fifty-three. The Clarinet Trio was one of his very last works, written for the clarinettist who also inspired the Clarinet Quintet and the two Opus 120 Sonatas, Richard Mühlfeld. The marvellous Horn Trio is a middle-period work, composed when the composer was in his early thirties. The five works are presented chronologically on the two discs. All are immaculately played by this most exciting young British ensemble whose first two CDs for Hyperion have drawn superlatives from critics worldwide: 'This is a wonderful disc. Another jewel in the heavily-studded Hyperion crown. A richly rewarding treat' (Classic CD on Dvorák Trios, CDA66895).