Schubert: Piano Trio No. 2 (2008)

Doubling as the artistic director of a chamber music festival held in the Heimbach Hydroelectric Power Station, pianist Lars Vogt returns to his instrument for this recording of Schubert's Piano Trio No. 2, one of the last works Schubert was to complete before his untimely death. Joined this time by Christian and Tanja Tetzlaff on violin and cello, respectively, neither interpretation nor the technical abilities of the performers come into question. But like many other recording installments from this festival, recorded ... Read More

Doubling as the artistic director of a chamber music festival held in the Heimbach Hydroelectric Power Station, pianist Lars Vogt returns to his instrument for this recording of Schubert's Piano Trio No. 2, one of the last works Schubert was to complete before his untimely death. Joined this time by Christian and Tanja Tetzlaff on violin and cello, respectively, neither interpretation nor the technical abilities of the performers come into question. But like many other recording installments from this festival, recorded sound quality of the ensemble is pervasively problematic. The venue is, after all, a power plant, a facility not exactly built with chamber music in mind. No mention is made in the liner notes of what type of piano Vogt is using. Its sound, however, is very thin and dull throughout. It also produces an annoying thud any time Vogt executes forte chords. The string players are not done any favors by the recording engineers, either. Like the piano, their tone is extremely thin and often... Read Less