Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

“Brendel is the lynchpin here, and, as ever, balances heart and mind with innate good taste.
Time and again you find yourself overhearing detail that might otherwise have passed for nothing: every modulation tells; every phrase of dialogue has been polished, pondered and carefully considered. And yet it is a dialogue, with the loose-limbed Thomas Zehetmair leading his supremely accomplished colleagues through Schubert's delightful five-tier structure.
The Scherzo and Allegro giusto frolic within the bounds of propriety (some will favour an extra shot of animal vigour), whereas the first, second and fourth movements are rich in subtle – as opposed to fussy – observations.
The recording, too, is exceedingly warm, with only the occasional want of inner detail to bar unqualified enthusiasm. Philips, as ever, achieves a well-rounded, almost tangible piano tone.
Mozart's G minor Quartet makes for an unexpected, though instructive, coupling, following the Trout. Here again there's much to learn and enjoy, especially in terms of phrasal dovetailing and elegant articulation (Brendel's opening flourish is a model of Mozartian phrase-shaping).
Still, you may sometimes crave rather more in the way of Sturm und Drang – a fiercer, more muscular attack, most especially in the first movement. Yet there will be times when the conceptual unity and executive refinement of this performance – its articulate musicality – will more than fit the bill. Both works include their respective first movement repeats.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010