Beethoven: The Complete String Trios

9.8分（38人评分）

1181人收藏

26条评论

共25首歌曲

在网易云音乐打开

艺人: Ludwig van Beethoven
语种: 其他
厂牌: Hyperion Records
发行时间: 2010年10月12日
专辑类别: 录音室专辑

专辑介绍

A Southern Landscape with Classical Ruins and Figures by Hendrik van Lint (1684-1763)

Sotheby’s Picture Library

CDD22069

(Originally issued on CDA67253, CDA67254)

Recording details: Various dates

Henry Wood Hall, London, United Kingdom

Produced by Oliver Rivers

Engineered by Tony Faulkner

Release date: October 2010

DISCID: A0111F0D BF11F10C

Total duration: 148 minutes 22 seconds

GRAMOPHONE CRITICS' CHOICE

'The most sensitive reportage that these works have enjoyed since the advent of digital recording' (The Independent)

'One of the best and most beautiful ensembles to emerge blinking into the sunlight from London's conservatoires in recent years' (Evening Standard)

'A remarkably gifted young ensemble who bring classical elegance to these glorious works' (Classic CD)

'Here is the finest string ensemble in Britain' (The Daily Mail)

'An oustanding pair of discs' (The Daily Telegraph)

'This repertoire has been recorded by some world-famous artists in the past, but no performances have given me as much pleasure as these. A real treat' (BBC Music Magazine)

'[A] startlingly good debut' (The Scotsman)

An excellent Beethoven recording.

It is a testament to the size and quality of Hyperion's back catalogue that the company can run two reissue imprints simultaneously: Helios and Dyad. The latter, as its name suggests, offers two-disc box sets, and the deal is two discs for the price of one. Given that Hyperion discs have always been at the more expensive end of the market, or rather that full-price means exactly that from the company, we are still not talking about incredible bargains here, but an opportunity to hear some of the great recordings from the label's past is always welcome.

Beethoven's Complete String Trios comprise three opuses, the Trio Op.3, the Serenade Op.8 and the set of three Trios Read more Op.9. All were written in Beethoven's early years in Vienna, but none are conservative or predictable. Beethoven was writing for some skilled performers, especially in the Op.9 set, and even though they were all published at the time, he seems to have had little regard for the conservative tastes of Viennese audiences, or for the amateur performance market. All of the hallmarks of the composer's later greatness are here: the traditional forms extended almost to the point of absurdity, the tangential key relationships, the virtuoso instrumental writing that always manages to keep at least one foot on the ground. And there is a lightness of touch that may or may not be a result of the composer's studies with Haydn. You couldn't mistake these works for Haydn though, and while they are recognisably 18 th century they are also clearly looking forward to the stylistic and technical innovations of the 19 th.

Having said that, there is a significant difference between the quality of the works on the first disc to those on the second. The latter is devoted to the Op.9 set, and these three works have a sophistication and maturity that clearly sets them apart from both the Op.3 Trio and the Op.8 Serenade. Interestingly they are not any longer than their predecessors, nor is the thematic density any greater. But the drama in these works, the profundity of there slow movements and monumentality of their finales all put in them in a different league.

The performances too are superior on this second disc. The first disc is also well played, but there seems to be a much greater unity of intent between the players on the second. All the players are technically proficient, although the viola sometimes lags a little behind the violin in terms of dexterity on the first disc. No such complaints on the second though, were only the timbre of the different instruments separates them.

The recording quality is good, with the ensemble sounding clear and crisp throughout. Some may complain about a lack of atmosphere, such is the clarity of the sound, but you can't have it both ways. The violin can sometimes sound brittle and icy in the top register, but I suspect this is a product of the audio. The cello, on the other hand, sounds wonderful throughout. She has a real richness in the lower register and a valuable clarity at the top that really separates the voices in the more closely-voiced harmonies.

This is an excellent Beethoven recording, but the second disc of the set is clearly superior, both in terms of the quality of the music and of the performance. And good as the first disc is, the disparity between them does somewhat compromise the logic of the reissue. If we were offered just the Op.9 Trios at the same price, we would not be losing out very much by not hearing the Op.3 or Op.8 works. Still, the word 'complete' in the title is bound to appeal to collectors. I just wonder how often they are going to listen to disc 1.

-- Gavin Dixon, MusicWeb International

Works on This Recording

Trio for Violin, Viola and Cello no 1 in E flat major, Op. 3

by Ludwig van Beethoven

■ Performer: Sarah-Jane Bradley (Viola), Kate Gould (Cello), Marianne Thorsen (Violin)