Schumann: Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 63

“Tully Potter's introductory note reminds us that it was in Paris, in their later twenties, that these three legendary artists first made music together – just for pleasure. But international acclaim after a public début in 1907 soon led to their devoting a regular part of each year to this sphere for just over the next quarter-century.
We're told that Schumann's No 1 was always one of their recital favourites. Here it's difficult to evaluate their playing in technical terms such as minute attention to expressive detail without loss of flow, impeccable ensemble, and last but not least, choice of tempo (slower than Schumann's suggestions in the searching Langsam,mit inniger Empfindung). The impression is more of intimately shared awareness of, and response to, the music's inner secrets – as if personally communicated to them by the composer himself.
In reproduction you're at once aware of difficulty in doing justice to Thibaud's beguiling violin, notably in the higher reaches of Mendelssohn's agitated opening movement. Here it's outweighed by Casals' sumptuously ripe cello and Cortot's multi-voiced keyboard. But the immediacy and freshness of the playing wins the day in a beautifully nuanced Andante, a delectably mischievous Scherzo, and an unflaggingly urgent finale. Ward Marston's skilful engineering is at its truest and best here.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“The Vienna Brahms Trio goes with the ebb and flow in exemplary fashion, holding back and pushing forward together with the natural contour of the music, and there's a similar care over the grading of dynamics and the shaping of phrasing... Absolute unanimity of purpose and coherence of sound.” BBC Music Magazine

“…there is some wonderful music-making here and welcome evidence that the musicians are really enjoying the experience of playing chamber music together.” BBC Music Magazine, August 2007 ****

“…Martha Argerich doesn't countenance polite music-making. She never did. But the fiery soloist of yore is now a fiery though highly considerate team player, co-operating with her partners without subjugating her volatile artistic personality. …there are no safe performances, the element of "Argerich inspiration" goading the musicians to extend their technical expertise into the arena of unfettered, yet disciplined, expression.” Gramophone Magazine, October 2007

“These coyly named discs from one of the world's finest pianists, recorded live in concert at the Lugano Festival, I now await each summer with the certainty of heart-lifting delight.” The Guardian, June 2006